New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-03
Uncle Sans Gunners Achieved Nearly so Per Cent of Hits
with These Deadly Missiles in the Atlantic
Fleets Practice off Provincetown.

again: in their repeated use those respon-
sihle for the launching get a little careless
now and again. and project dirt clogged
missiles or missiles otherwise not ship
shape. But these mistakes have nothing 70
DO with the proper efficiency Of the tor
pedo when perfectly handled by expert
crews in time Of war
"Torpedoes are a tremendous factor IN
modern warfare" continued the master Of
ordnance earnestly. and I'm going TO
show you why. The limit Of the effective
range Of the most powerful naval search
lights Is about 1000 yards. Remember, that
IS under the most favorable weather con-
d.tions; not trace OF haziness in the at
uosphere. an absolutely clear night. But
on the nights that are even slightly hazy-
FIJI other words most Of the time-the great
eye that scans the sea cannot pick and
distinguish such an object as torpedo
vessel at more than half the distance L e.
$500 yards.
Now the range OF the torpedoes used
in our navy is 400 yards. and their maxi
mum rate OF speed is thirty-six knots. The
British assert that they have developed
still more powerful tOrpedoes, travelling
700 20 u 90 yards at a speed Of forty-two
knots. That may be so and II may not. AT
anv rate can't you perceive that deadly
missiles Of 400 yards range capable OF
being discharged from an unseen smaller
vessel against visible greater one and
capable Of travelling the intervening dls-
lance within four minutes. form a terrible
menace IN time Of war 10 the great battle
ships?
This does not mean that great warships
are helpless or that naval construction VIII
have 10 be revolutionized. But defence IN
alertness and ingenuity must equal attack.
The big warship must be screened from the
enemy by it's own force Of smaller allies
namely. picket boats and destroyers; It's
underwater hull must be protected by
arnor plating or by steel nets thrown
ero,,rd fl and its lighter armament OF
ouick-friug must be prepared 10 90 heavy
evacu+ton against torpedo carriers that
venture within their range. Thus the next
war win witness not only the spectacle OF
rattIesbip contendng against batteshlp
with their enormous proJectiles fired out OF
ra. fr,.b Guns and flying through five or
giv miles Of SPACE at the terrific speed OF
qoa. fee- a second In addition 20 these
MAGNIFICENT standup fights between giant
NJ b,a sbips harassed-yes some OF them
disabled ar destroyed-hy the wasps OF war.
,b.. comDaratively slow-moying but never
th,less deadly torpedoes projected under
meath the surface from hostile torpedo
boats and destroyers from submarine crai''
and even possibly from the opposing Dat
ueships."
,rne assasslns Of the sea, What a role
Gov. these missiles 10 play IN civilized war
fore, 4 Dreadnought rides proudly at
.nchor or. under fun steam, maJesuca4ly
rIoughs the waves Of the element she mas
conquered. Her heavily armored SIDES
make her practically impervious To gun
Gre Not a sight ror sound u heard ny
NV Of warning. And then, sneahng far
n.lo,y the blue waves. travels silently low
ard her a hshlike adversary, eighteen Vi
,wenty feet long, less than two feet III
e,ameter, and, 10 look at. no more ioiili-
5able than the steel spar Of snip . Iis-
giug.