The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-04

supported torpedo boats, their value is seriously compromised. This, howev- CT. does not appear to be the case. The action of February 9 was a sur prise, far excelling the usual elements of surprise attack; the Russian fleet. fourteen vessels in all, were anchored . close together in the outer funnel i shaped roadstead without suspicion of impending hostilities, not a patrol boat being out and the crews peacefully sleeping in their berths, three Japa- nese destroyer fiotillas (twelve ves- sels) approached with lights burning and being mistaken Gas intonded) for Russian boats returning, were allowed to approach close to the huddled fleet: then, with a smooth sea. at close range. hardly disturbed by a single shot in return or flash of searchlight. with all the conditions of easy target practice, not less than twenty-four torpedoes (and probably more) were | discharged of which three took effect. The results were undoubtedly mo- ! mentous; but it would be a hardy To- gician who could deduce from that in- cident the comforting thought that the little torpedo craft has displaced the battleship, or even materially dimin- tshed it's prestige. Although the Rus sian destroyers in Port Arthur num- bered twenty-four, or eight more than one has scored a hit so far during the war.
 Scores of other torpedo attacks have been delivered by the Japanese but nearly all met with complete lack of success. although made as usual un- der the cover of darkness and against an enemy at anchor and whose posi- tion was known.
 Day attacks by torpedo boats have 1a1
 tempting. Several incidents of this war have been illustrative of their im- potence in daylight. The first was when the Variag came out ~of Chemul- DO to face the Japanese squadron; not a single torpedo boat was permitted to enter the field of action, Again during and following the fleet action of August 10, although there were present eight Russian destroyers and at least fifteen Japanese destroyers and many torpedo boats, not a torpedo reached its mark-if. indeed, any were discharged; none dared to approach within torpedo range during daylight
 The same is true of the action of August 14 between the Vladivostok armored cruisers and Admiral Kami- mura's fleet; the ill-fated Rurik was crushed by gun fire alone and the tor pedo boats effected nothing against the Rossia and Gromoboi, which escaped to Nladivostok. although badly dam aged by gun fire.
 Somewhat to the chagrin of stu dents of the game of naval warfare. this war has afforded no field for the discussion of cruisers. Vessels of all types were present in both fleet ac- tions, but the attention of both sides appears to have been devoted exclu- sively to crippling each others bat tleships.
 '@fhe Qvershadowing importance of the battIeship is nowhere more appre- cfated than in Japan. Had they had at the outset twelve or even ten bat tleships instead of six. the Russian fleet would have been destroyed on Au- gust 10, the supreme incentive to holding out at Port Arthur being thus resolved, that fortress would probably have fallen. the war correspondingly advanced and thousands of lives and millions of treasure saved"