Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-02-01

could do wnen one Of them comes down in its
midst" he says.
There would be nothing to burt If You did hap
pen to hit her, and She could fire all the torpe'
does she wants to ut you. One Of our young OIL.
GERS recommended a vessel of th"t type. Natural
conservatism on the part Of tine older men who
control the upper end Of alt seryices-and it is
the natural conservatism of large bodies that con-
troll our governmcnt-stan1s in the way of Just
such a proposition: those men do not quite like
the radical idea. But Just the same one of those
novel craft will pop up one of these days; ana
for all we know it will come out Of Wilhel'nshaven
before this war Is over"
1t is Il well,known fact that the destroyer has
proved the submarines worst enemy, and for two
reasons: First. because If its speed, combined
with effective gun power: and, second. owing to
the difficulties of retaliation through torpedo
attack, the submarines only sufficient answer TO
the destroyer's rapid frers. More often than 9TH
crwise the underwater boats principal weapon has
sned harmlessly under the destroyer without scor-
ing, simply because the destroyer draws far less
water than the submarines intended quarry. the
big vessel.
The torpcdo is ordinarily set to run deep enough
to strike well below Il large ships ar1nor belt.
and therefore is apt to pass without hitting below
the keel OF a destroyer. 1t was this idea that
CarIain Sims had In mind when he said that the
novel battle craft was to be built so that moth
ing could get under It,"
There is another advantage, too. in this arrange
ment. A ship So constructed would be able TO
operate in waters where ordinarily only light
~cunhnats or destroyers could Inanonyor in shiety.
Accordingly It would he easy for a craft of this
character either to hide where least expected or
to run to cover when the odds offered by arnlored
ships We're too heavy against her.
Great Britain has found Is necessary TO utilize
monitors, especially modified for the work. in her
offensive operations against the German positions
on the coast of Belgium. Shallow draft and fairly
heavy ornaments have made these vessels reason
ably effective. However, the monitors have not
been able to destroy the German naval station
Mt Zecbruggc and the kaiser's designers have no
doubt long been busy devising n naval foil TO the
British attack.
This probability in part is warrant for Cap
tain Sims assumption that something ont OF the
ordinary was likely to Issue from Wilhelrshav"n
before the end Of the present struggle. IT II! taxes
the form suggested the ship will not be a formid
able Zoe only for England's monitors, but II wotld
certainly prove n very dangerous antagonist fol
well-nigh any of Great Ertain's heavy fighting
ships.
As with so many things concerning our natlonA
dcfences no secret has been made here OF TN
proposed order of war craft. Captain Sims has
said: .
1T has been before our people for a long while
1t has been discussed NJ the war cRIicse a'"' p'
pcrs have been written on it,
Foreigners have undoubtedly made thense've'
familiar with everything that has been given on
obout the ship and certainly the type would so
long wny toward otfsctting the disadvantage II
numbers under which the German fleet lahors
Moreover, there are economic reasons why
fighting shin Of this peculiar type would common
itself especially TO Il people circumstanced ms ar
the Germans now.
As Captain Sims says: ~ have always bel'evc'
that n vessel could be designed In that way with
ont any necessity for n waste Of side nrmor. be
cnusc she would have nothing above her waite
limo 10 protect that is. substantially nothing. 81
would have no turrets. which cost so much !
weight. and she would have no big runs. whic
cost in the weight Of The gun, ammunition. etc.
"Shc would carry two towers. from either O
which the ship could he controlled: One to D
uscl in ease the other was knocked out. The
wo,ld he of sufficient size 10 hold the people VII
mnneuycr the craft. Her smoke pipe would b
urnorcJ so that It could not he shot away $
close TO her deck as to do any particular damage
sho could be armed with eight torpedo tubes o
hcr side md she could carry n grcnt many to-
nedocs for each one Of those tubes"
Al tho Naval War college %strntcgic experts hh'
|, given this suggestion numerous theoretical test