The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-06-16
2EDO LAHNIN3 LEANVG ToR
PROP cgED n
ZORPEDO BO4T

, Every battleship of the Unite,
States navy is equipped with a stear
launch, but the naval officers hay
long realized that the boat at presen
IN use is far from being as eficien
at 1t might be. The present tyne O
boat has been frequently condemned
and never so freely as at the time a
the d~eplorable tragedy in Hampton
roads during the jamestown exposi
tlon, when a steam launch of the bat,
tleship Minnesota drowned her crew
and a party of five midshipmen.
Inc reason why the navy depart.
ment had so long chung to the tyne
lay In the fact that the steam launcb
had beer found to be the only vessel
OF a steam driven type that could be
carried on deck and be capable of
Standing the rough work required of
them. But they are unsatisfactory in
many respects. There is much roueh
work which they are capable of doing
Dut infinitely more important, there is
much military work which they are
incapable of doing.
This is torpedo boat work. MANY
OF the more progressive officers of the
service long ago urged that the two
quantities should be combined-that the
navy should be equipped with boats
capable of withstanding the roueb
everyday work of a steam launch in
carrying landing parties to and fro
towing and picket duty in any kind
OF weather, and that these Qualities
u be combined with the offensive
powers of a torpedo boat. This effort
at combination was actually made
ABOUT IL years ago, when the navy
department caused seagoing torpedo
boats to be installed on the Maine and
the Texas. 1t resulted in failure. Not
because OF there being anything wrong
with the theory, but by reason of tbe
that boats propelled by steam
are too heavy to be hoisted in and ont
a battleship; that is, boats which
possess the speed and power reouisite
Tor torpedo boat work are too heavy to
so handled.
The fault was. therefore, in the TYNE
engine, and not in the idea. The
vastly increased powers of offense and
which a fleet CARRYING a
of small torpedo craft would
have long been recognized bv
naval s~trategists and tacticians. In
advent OF the gas engine Mr.. Ar
.hur 7. Chester believes that the
problem has been solved. Son of
tear Admiral Colby M. Chester, an
'mcer distinguished for his scientific
tainments and professional COM
'etence, the younger Chester recently
'eslgned his commission as a lieuten-
mt in the navy to pursue on indie
lines an investigation he had
'een unable to conduct while attached !
o the service. {
Mr.. Chester long ago saw the DOS
of the explosive engine. mar {
Icularly it's possibilities when applied t
naval vessels. In a recent address S
ead before the Society of Naval Archi- c
and Marine Engineers he said S
hat Few OF those who have seen the S
p advancement of the explosive .
nglne and studied it's many advan- S
can deny that it is only a oues- I
on of time before steam will be SIM. b
by the gas engine lust as the a
nee universal sail power has been
Popped in favor of steam, never again
} be considered one of the worlds
reat power generators. r
A board on torpedo boats recently 81
that the speed of all v,
'rpedo boats be reduced The 70 n,
lmption is the board had found that b,
strength is more important tn
IAN excessive speed. Working on tn
iese lines, Mr.. Chester has prepared W
ans for a vessel fitted with a ligbt ar
II powerful gas engine, big and buov. in
enough to stand all of the heavy be
ork that might be required Of q of
unch, equipped with torpedos. en-. pa
with a speed of 20 knots or
ana yet not so heavy to prevent its
ing readily lowered from a hattie.
Up or armored cruiser, and as easily :,
listed back on board. W
Mr.. Chester draws a vivid picture Of an
lat a naval battle might be with one tic
possessed of a fiotilla of small do
pedo craft, carried on shipboard In,
Vered on the lee side before the he on
ming of the action and held DO
n behind the ships until the do
ioke OF battle afforded an opportun. ms
for a dash. Is
France. England and Italy" said alb