Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-07-13
These Fleet War Vessels Over
take and Sink Submarines Be-
fore the Latter Get a Chance to
Do Any Damage-In Their Con-
struction Everything Is Sacri-
feed For Speed.
"THERE are few things that cal

"|THERE are few things that can
catch a submarine. and the de-
stroyer is best of all" said an
officer who has handled one of the
long. low craft which depend upon
speed for getting out of danger, for
reaching a point from which to dis
charge a torpedo and for oyertak-
Ing light armed feeing enemy. 1t
was when the United States destroyers
were placed in the war zone under the
command of Admiral Sims. 10 coop
crate with the allies ships, that the
American public first realized fully
the value Of these little war vessels.
Speed is everything. and speed is
what the "ship's company" requires
of destroyer and what she freely
gives in return for good treatment.
The development of the destroyer in
this country has been simple. About
thirty years ago the government ac-
quired two small boats, the Stiletto
and the Cushing, with a speed of about
twenty knots. They could get under
Roadway almost as soon as their en-
gines started and maneuver in and
out with ease. The type took its name
from the weapon it carried and was
known as torpedo boat.
The government has twenty-one of
them. although they are of little fight
ing value. The first on the list, the
Bagley, bears the name of the young
anSio, x-ho x.-aS i-fIla1 In fha CpopiSh
American war, on the Winslow at Car
denas.
They were designed to dash upon n
hostile ship, as a mongoose would up
on a cobra, and destroy 1t with a sin
gle shot. Small caliber quick firers
had not reached their present efficien-
cy. and to meet and beat off the tor
pedo boat attack and to overtake and
sink them the naval designers evolved
the torpedo boat destroyers. That was
the purpose for which they were built,
but their field of usefulness has great
ly extended.
Will Attack Anything.
In appearance destroyers, with their
long, low bulls and four rakish fun
nels, are the ideal piratical. swift.
cranky, picturesque. hard working. al
together lovely craft of the fighting
feet. Sails and wooden ships have left
the navy, and nothing remains to share
with the destroyers the romance OF
the sea.
They do not sneak in like subma-
rines, hidden from the enemy. They
do not hesitate In groups TO attack any
thing, from the biggest battleship
down, although they know that it will
be at the loss of most of their number
The greater the number in the attack
ing fiotila the greater the chance of
torpedoing the battleship and the GER
tainty of greater loss. to the flotilla.
But to make an omelet the egg must
be broken.
Everything Is sacrificed to speed.
Their construction is SO light that a
small shell will penetrate their sides,
and they have no armor protection.
The coal bunkers gave little protec-
ton to the engines, but the adoption
OF oil for fuel has brought about their
removal
A typical destroyer Is about 300 feet
long. with thirty foot beam and a
freeboard OF not over eight feet They
are filled with machinery which will
drive them through the ocean up to at
least thirty knots Some OF the latest
English destroyers make thirty-six or
more. and the six new boats of this
sort authorized BY the last congress
viii reach that speed or exceed 1t.