The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-02-01

ISL hsfsrif'"'
;zzssssss'.s, Il 'ssssss ''sss,.ss.
AT that institution the ship is commonly known
the Schofeld, because Commander Frank II.
Schofield the first to suggest the type IN
the strategic problems worked out the game
board the ship has led to some startling results
Because urmor is not necessary for turrets'
weight is not required for big guns, and as the
craft lies low in the water 1t is possible TO give
her n very effective defense against subaqueous
attack, and 1t Is feasible TO subdivide her below
the water line into many compartments the very
number serving to locallze damage Accordingly
the Schofeld is assumed to be proof against tor
pedo attack, while above water her protective
deck and sturdy sides would stand Off shots even
from the largest guns because of the glancing
blows that hostile projectes would strike
Possibly the best evidence of what the Naval
War college thinks about the Schofed can be
gathered from Captain Sims own statement.
While admitting that he did not know what such
n vessel would actually do in time of conflict he
plainly expressed his apprehension of his chances
If attacked by craft of that order: IF were
in command of fleet and one of those things
came down me I think would turn the vessel
over to the second In command and go down be-
low"
1t is not commonly understood by the layman
that there are times when the torpedo even at
long ranges stands better chance of hitting than
the big gun. The big gun may be seriously handi-
capped impaired In Its efficiency by reason OF
the weather. The torpedo, on the other hand
dives below the surface of the angriest sea and
holds its depth despite tumbling waves as II
speeds toward its target.
1t is for this reason that the Schofeld is armed
almost exclusively with torpedoes. Any guns
that might be placed on deck would he only rapid
frers intended to stand off destroyers or to deal
with armed merchantmen or commerce raiders.
Success In n naval action depends very much
upon gaining the advantage of position so far as
wind and light concerned. In moderate
weather, with n moderate breeze blowing, 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 guns blow back and away ana
leave the commander with unimpared view
of his foe, while the enemy's discharge hangs for
q while his lee and nterferes 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 nvisibity. A vessel like the Scho-
field. lying low in the water and capable of max
ing 80 knots hour. would have the whip hnn;!
in this particular, because she could slip along at
full speed unobserved whereas ship rising
higher above the surface would be sure to betrny
herself against the horizon.
The part that the weather plays in battle tao
tics is thus described by one of the navys emf
nent officers "If you have been fortunate enough
to get into position with the wind in your face
and the foe to wndward and 1T comes on to blow
and kicks up sea sufficient to splash water up
over the sides of your ship when you are steam
ing 20 knots, then there is another difficulty The
spray will interfere very seriously with your firing
because 1t keeps your telescopes wet.
Instead of looking through n 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 more or less of n disad
vantage.
'Remember this. fleets fight nowadays at very
long ranges, and If you sight an enemy that is
bearing east from you and the conditions of wind
and weather such that you would like to have
him bearing west. 1t 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.
.sIn the oden days when they fought at shor
range 1t was possible by certain maneuverings tc
get the advantage of position with reference tC
the wind and sea, etc. 1t is nowhere near so easy
to do it now In fact 1t is practically impossible
despite superiority in speed, within reasonable
limits
Because of her unusual features ship pat
termed after the idea of the Schofed would moi
have to bother so much about advantage of posi-
ton. Even while nearly buried under stormy seas
1t would be practicable for her commander t.
bring his broadsde of torpedoes to bear, ant
every one of those weapons would be a good dea
more formidable than the biggest Of armor-pierc
ing proiectiles