The Washington herald., 1913-04-06

strOyer daSneS forward, qulverlng with
the vibrating impulse from stem to stern.
The wind whistles through the shrouds
OF the signal mast and sings in your ears
and the spray sweeping up on the bridge
stings as it hits you. Nowhere a light
is showing, and even the. sparks from a
pipe might betray.
On, on the boat speeds and larger
grows the craft ahead Now she is
aware that you are after her, and, like
yourself, is probably uncertain OF your
identity She does not know whether to
slacken pace or try to dodge your guns.
which are. within effective range. Sud-
denly your searchlight flares and there
In its glowing path the enemy is re-
vealed. A gun Is fired commanding his
surrender, but her, skipper is going to
take a chance-he keeps her driving
ahead, and from his funnel tops belch
heavier clouds of the blacklist smoke.
In Game and Gamble.
He may get away because his boat
may be one of a somewhat speedier
class, and now seconds count. But the
captain of the pursuer is holding watch
and his brother officer on the bridge is
throwing dice. This sounds like a
gamble; it is not, but it is game. If
within a prescribed time certain combi-
nations of the dice occur just SO often
then the gunfire of the pursuer is as
stunned to have proved effective and the
foe must surrender by abandoning fur
Their efforts to escape and by acknowledge
ing defeat in turning on all the custo-
mary lights. On the other hand. if the
fateful dice don't adjudge him out of ac-
ton. then the quarry escapes.
The smoke from the beIching tunnels
also plays it's part in this game of make
believe war. Under the cover of this
cloak cunning attack may be hidden.
In this we have a prophecy of the sacri-
fice which may be MADE IN time or pat
Tie to turn the tide In favor OF these I'M
armored craft.
First a squadron of these destroyers.
going at full speed. and making as much
smoke as possible, will be sent against
moving division of dreadnoughts and
under conditions which will give the bat
tleships every chance of annihilating the
destroyers. But behind the screen of
smoke which these victims in the game
have made will follow a larger force of
torpedo vessels. and before this veil has
thinned out enough to disclose them these
other destroyers will be so close that they
can launch their torpedoes with every
chance of success. All these maneupers
call for splendid performance and the
most skillful of cooperation lest these at
lacking hornets of the sea collide among
and spoil the purpose of their
assault
Some of the Risks.
Every one can realize some of the risks
vessels run when going at moderate
speed in broad daylight, but just think
of the hazards faced when tearing over
a troubled sea at night. without a single
light showing and with the
that a collision means disas-
ter for the other boats are likewise hit
ting 1t up at a thirty-knot clip. The re-
sponsibility of the man on the bridge
Is heavy one, even though he be carry
Ing out the orders of his flag officer.
Success in time of peace won't win him
much praise if any; he has a duty to
perform and he is expected to discharge
It well, but failure and catastrophe are
quite different. For the first he is likely
to win censure from his superior; for
disaster he invites the singing criticism
Of the public for whom he has risked
his life and his profess
sional standing.
The engineer and the naval architect
have given of their best in producing
these remarkable craft. but even so this
achievement would count for naught save
for the nerve and skill with which they
are handled by their officers and crew in
preparation for day of hostile testing
The next time you see these trim little
boats-little by comparison with the
they are to guard-slipping
N and out of port amid the fanfare of a
parade. just wonder upon what they are
ioing in the work of national defense.