Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-01-25
MODERN WARSH|PS
Changes Half a Century Has
Made In Naval Methods.
A NEW TYPE OF SAILORMAN.
The Old Time Yarn Spinning Tar Has
Been SuppIanted by Younger, Bet
ter Educated and More Capable Man.
His Chances In Uncle Sans Navy.

ter Educated and More capable Man.
His Chances In Uncle Sans Navy.
A naval officer would have been con-
sidered as a fit subject for an 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 3d.
600 tons displacement, each with sew
eral 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 short time and with
out danger to itself one modern dread
naught could destroy the combined
fleets that fought at Trafalgar in 1906.
In the widest stretch of the imagi-
nation our prophet could not have fore
seen the addition to the fleet of tor
pedo boat destroyers of a thousand
tons displacement. a speed of thirty or
thirty five knots and torpedoes of great
accuracy, high speed and an effective
range Of 10000 yards A bag of pow
der On the end of spar" was our con-
ception Of an offensive torpedo in
i those days. Good work could be done
even with that crude equipment, as
Gushing proved when he torpedoed the
Albemarle.
think our prophet would surely
have had a padded cell provided for
him had he attempted to describe the
modern submarines, which are capa-
bic of keeping the sea for many days.
which have a radius of action of 1000
miles or more and which are able I'M
der favorable conditions to creep I'M
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 POSSIBLE
ity that scouting or bomb throwing air
craft would act in conjunction with
the fleets or foretold the influence of
electricity and the wireless upon OPP
erations Of the feet both in peace ami
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
in 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 it's effect
upon those who follow it never change.
and there is as great field in the navy
| today for the adventurous yOungster
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 brig or schooner cruising for
| pirates in the olden days.
The changes in the material Of
the navy have produced corresponding
changes in it's organization and per-
sonnet You no longer see the gray
bearded bOatSWain'S mate. quartermas-
fnr Il
Of cur ships They were brave and 10y
al to the core, and their yarns Of eX-
pcriences on all seas and in all wealth
ers. interspersed occasionally with a
little good advice to the young officer,
tactfully given, whiled away many an
hour Of quiet night watches in port
The old type of sailOrman under
stood his duties as thoroughly and per-
formed them as faithfully as any one
could desire. but machinery has ban
iShed him. His place has been taken
by the younger better educated man.
who in a general way is more capable,
but who does not as rule follow the
seq for lifetime unless he wins early
promotion.
1t is now 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 it's conditions too
abnormal, as measured by modern con-
ditions OH shore. to hold men to 1t.
And yet l believe that no other occu-
patton open to American youth offers
them so many chances to succeed and
to acquire provision for old age. 1t
ia 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
4 month. That class does not include
the considerable number of those who
obtain warrants or commissions. which
bring much greater emoluments.-Ad-
miral Charles ]. Badger in Youths
Companion.