Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-02-23

At that institution the ship is commonly known
as the SchOfeld. because Commander Crank ii.
Schofeh was the first to suggest the~Sype. In
the strategic problems worked out oG the game
board the ship has led to some staiftling results.
Because armOr is not necessary for turrets,
weight is not required for big Su1s. and as the
craft lies low in the water it is possible to give
her n very effective defense against subaqueous
attack and it is feasible TO subdiYde her below
the water line into many compart1 ents. the very
number serving TO localize damage. Accordingly
the Schofeld il assumed TO be prfOf against tor
nedo attack. while above waterIher protective
deck and sturdy sides would stand loft shots even
from the largest guns because u the glancing
blows that hostile prOiectiles woul strike.
Possibly the best evidence of That the Naval
War college thinks about the Sflofied can be
gathered from Captain Sims Ivn statement.
While admitting that he did not now what such
n vessel would actually do in tim of conflict he
plainly expressed his apprehensit of his chances
if attacked by a craft of that on Ter: "If We're
in command of fleet and One' bf those things
came down on me think won turn the vessel
over to the second in command md go down be-
low"
IT is not commonly understO& by the layman
that there are times when th8 torpedo even at
long ranges stands better chaO of hitting than
the big gun. The big gun may ! seriously handi-
capped or impaired in its efficIc by reason of
the weather. The torpedo. Of he other hand.
dives below the surface OF the ugrjeSt sea and
holds its depth despite tumbling waves as 1T
speeds on toward its target.
~ aeaS6nu az at t1lGnS o1nHn1d Is aSmed
almost exclusively with torpedoes. Any guns
that might be placed on deck would be only rapid
firers intended to stand off destroyers or to deal
with armed merchantmen or commerce raiders.
Success in a naval action depends very much
tba of 70 90
wind and light concerned. In moderate
weather, with moderate breeze blowing a COM
mander wants TO have the wind in his face. That
is TO say the wind should blow from the direction
of the enemy, because then the smoke and gas
from his own guns blow back and away and
leave the commander with an unimpared view
of his foe, while the enemy's discharge hangs for
a while on his lee and interferes with his vision
and the speedy working of his ordnance effectively.
1t is not an easy thing to gain the position Of
advantage. and half the success in doing this
hinges upon invisibility. A vessel like the Scho-
Seld. lying low in the. water and capable of max
ing 50 knots an hour would have the whip hand
in this particular, because she could slip along at
full speed unObserved, whereas ship rising
higher above the surface would be sure to betray
herself against the horizon.
The part that the weather plays in battle tao
tics is thus described by one of the navys emil
nent officers: IF you have been fortunate enough
to get into position with the wind in your face
and the foe to windward and it comes on to blow
and kicks up a sea sufficient to splash water up
over the sides of your ship when you stea<i-
ing 20 knots then there is another difficulty. The
spray will interfere very seriously with your firing
because it keeps your telescopes wet.
Instead of looking through clear telescope
the situation is not unlike looking through the
water when you in swimming. Your vision
is obscured. Water also may get into your tur-
rets and into your fire control connections and
possibly may put you at less of a disad
vantage.
Remember this, fleets fight nowadays at very
long ranges, and if you sight enemy that is
bearing east from you and the conditions of wind
and weather are such that you would like to have
him bearing west, it would take you all that day
to get him there if he does not want to do so, be
cause if you try TO steam around him he simply
keeps you bearing abeam, while turning in ar
enormous circle, and after you have turned
around about half way. he will turn and go the
other way.
"In the olden days when they fought at shOr
range it possible by certain maneuverings t.
get the advantage of position with reference t.
the wind and sea, etc. 1t is nowhere near so cas-!
to do it now. In fact, it is practically impossible
despite superiority in speed within reasonable
limits"
Because of her unusual features ship pat
termed after the idea of the Schofield would no
have TO bother so much about advantage of posi-
lion Even while nearly buried under stormy sea-
it would be practicable for her commander t
bring his broadside of torpedoes to bear, ant
every one of those weapons would be good dea
more formidable than the biggest Of mor-pierc
ing prOjectiles.