The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-02-23
MODERN WARSH|PS
Changes Halt a Century Has
Made In Naval Methods.
A new TYPE CT st!LORMAN.
The Old Time Yarn Spinning Tar Has
Beer Supplanted by a Younger, Bet
ter Educated and More Capable Man.
His Chances In Uncle Sans Navy.

a naval officer would have been con
siIered as IA tit subject for al insane
asylum who in 1860. the year Of my
entry into the service. had prophesied
the creation in less than half a cen
fury OF a United States fleet of great
seagoing battleships Of more than 30
Geo 0 II displacement. each with sew
etal turrets. any one Of which could
throw against an enemy at one dis
charge a greater weight of metal. of
incomparably greater destructive pow
er and range than was possible from
the full broadside Of one of Nelson's
largest ships Of the line. We may gain
some idea Of the tremendous increase
in the power of fighting ships when we
realize that in a short time and with
ont danger to itself one modern dread
naught could destroy the combined
fleets that fought at Trafalgar in 1909.
In the widest stretch Of the ima-i-
nation orr prophet could not have fore
seen the addition 10 the fleet Of tor
pedo boat destroycrs OF a thousand
tons displacement. a speed ct thirty OF
thirty five knots and ~torpedecs Of great
accuracy. high speed and al effective
range of 10000 yards, \ .hag If pow
der on the end OF q spar" was our con
feption Of an offensive torpedo in
those days. Good work could be done
even With that crude equipment. as
Cushing proved when he torpedoed the
.Albemarie.
think our prophet would surely
have had Il padded cell provided for
ann had he attempted to describe the
modern submarines. which are capa-
bic OF Keeping the sea for many days,
which have Il radius Of action Of 1000
miles or more and which are able un-
der favorable conditions to creep un
seen upon the most powerful vessel
and at one discharge destroy it. He
would have found few indeed to listen
to him if he had asserted the possibil
ity that scouting or bomb throwing air
the fleets or foretold the influence of
electricity and the wireless upon op-
erations Of the fleet both in peace and
in war.
All those wonderful changes and ad-
vances in naval design. construction
and equipment have taken place with
in my period of service. In sea power.
in military efficiency. in comforts and
conveniences. we have greatly gained.
but | think that those Of us who start
ed our careers when the great naval
advance Of the last generation was still
to come. who made their early cruises
i'll sailing ships or ships with auxiliary
steam power only, look back with ten
der memory upon the old and less me-
chanical environment.
The romance of the sea conveyed by
Marryat and others in their stories has
not really gone; the conditions only
have changed. The sea and its effect
upon those who follow it never change,
and there is as great a field in the navy
today for the adventurous youn2ster
as ever. perhaps Il greater. Certainly
he can have as many heart thrills on
board a submarine or destroyer or fly
ing craft as he could have had on
board a brig or schooner cruising for
pirates in the olden days.
The changes in the material OF
the navy have produced corresponding
changes In Its organization and per-
sonnet. You no longer see the gray
bearded boatswain's mate. Quartermas-
ter or quarter gunner about the decks
OF our ships. They were brave and 10y
a fN tho ANA nHA AhAir ouNa ~ -
periences On all seas and In all wealth
ers. Interpreted occasionally with a
little good advice to the young oflcer,
tactfully given. whiled away many IN
hour Of quiet night watches in port.
The old type of sailorman under
stood his duties Is thoroughly aud per-
formed them ~ faithfully a. any ono
could desire. but machinery has ban
ished him. His place has been taken
BY the younger. better educated man.
who in q general way Is more capable.
but who does not "a 4 rule follow the
sea for q lifetime unless he wins early
promotion.
1t is now q rare thing to see in the
lower ratings an enlisted man who Is
more than thirty years old. The great
majority are much younger. The life
Is too strenuous and its conditions too
abnormal. az measured by modern con-
ditions on shore. to hold men to it.
And yet l believe that no other occu-
patton open to American youth offers
them so many chances to succeed and
to acquire a provision for old age. It
Is in the power OF any young man
Of fair elementary education. industry
and good moral character to enlist in
the navy. say. at the age of twenty
and to retire at the age OF fifty with
a life compensation Of from $50 to 500
a month. That class does not include
the considerable number Of those who
obtain warrants or commissions. which
bring much greater emoluments.-Ad-
miral Charles j. Badger In Youths
Companion.