Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-10
UNCLE SAM TO
BUILD PATROL BOATS
Husky, ServieeabIe Designs Fer ITO
Footers Decided Upon.


Husky, servieeabIs Designs Fer 11ol
Feoters Decided Upon.
appears an article written by Charles
F. Chapman, formerly-of this city and
editor of the Motor Boating, on patrol
boats.
The article follows:
The problem of producing a fleet of
armed motor boats of sufficient size
and strength to protect our shores
from an enemy submarine invasion is
q much huger task than the average
man realizes. 1t may be perfectly
proper to talk about mobilizing the
500, 0oo-odd motor boats we have in
this country. and also patriotic Of the
half million men accustomed to sail on
these boats to offer their services to
the government in time of war, yet
if it were practical to carry such a
plan into effect, which of course it is
not, the net result would be chaos to
the power Besides having an i'm
mense number of boats, Of which fully
80 per cent. would be totally unsuited
for the requirements, there would be
a personnel untitled to even greater
degree. Furthermore. there would be
no organization. as there is no branch
of the navy department at the present
moment which is trained or capable Of
handling problems of this kind.
Up to the present time the navy de-
partment, under whose jurisdiction
this form of protection comes has
been severely criticed for doing moth
ing about this enormous problem of
providing machinery to carry the va
rious plans which have been suggest
ed into effect. The various yachting
organizations who have offered their
membership and facilities to the gov,
eminent have met with only a luke
warm reception.
But the fault is not altogether due
to the navy department The power
and scope of this department is abso-
iutely limited by law, and if the law
does not provide for. motor boats sub
marine chasers, then the navy de-
partment is powerless to act. or take
the first step towards safeguarding
the interests of the country along these
lines. Just such a condition did exist
up to the closing DAYS of the last ses-
sion of congress, but, fortunately, in
the money appropriated for the navy
at the last moment some of it becomes
available for building a number of mo-
tor boats for submarine defensive pur-
poses.
Up to now, the navy DEPARTMENTS
powers being limited by law, they were
Obliged to depend upon the patritism
and generosity of individual yachts
men and yachting organizations, for
any progress along lines of providing
motor boats Of suitable type, as wen
as providing the proper personnel
Many yachtsmen signified their desire
to build boats along lines which would
meet with the approval Of the navy de-
partment, so that their boats could
be converted into craft serviceable to
the government in time of trouble. The
department approved many plans sub
nitted by yachtsnen, and even went
so far as to get out two designs for
standard boats, offering to furnish
plans and specifications without charge
to any yachtSman who might be in
terested in building such a craft.
A boat was built by the government
from each Of these plans. one a 40
| footer. built by Lawiey. and the other
a 66-footer, built by Luders to show
the yachtSnen a type of boat which
| the department preferred.
| But for war purposes both Of these
types were more or less n1akeshifts, as
the government does not hesitate to
acknowledge, their main purpose be-
| ing for pleasure and cruising. and their
war value being of lesser. If not almost
insignificant, value. However, for
what they are intended they will serve
their purpose well.
The only other motor boat which the
government has been financially inter-
ested in is the one recently comp1et-
| ed by the Greenport Basin & Con-
structfon Co, and so far only given an
unofficial trial trip. But this boat
which is really the first war motor
boat built, was for another purpose
and intended as an experimental mo-
/ tor torpedo boat. She is expected to
| be extremely fast-neariy 20 knots
to have a torpedo tube mounted on
| her, and If this boat. which is only
| q 60-footer, is found seaworthy I'M
der the above conditions, her duty viii
\ be to make use of her torpedo to fire
| at large and expensive ships. and then
| run to cover. She will not be sub
| marine destroyer, and will not carry
any guns Of moment.
| With the passing of the bin. carry
| ing with it the appropriation for the
navy during the last hours of the re-
cent session of congress. the depart
ment was given the power which IT
| had long wanted. but was lacking. for
| the building up of real feet of arm
| ed motor boats It lost no time in
beginning work.
The government had recent conf
| Dental and reliable information relat-
| ing to the performances of the 6o-foot
/ and S5-foot motor boats being used on
the other side OF the ocean for the
while both Of these types had proven
excellent, yet they were not perfect
Other Information which the depart
ment had in its possession led il to
the conclusion that a type of boat OF
not less than 100 feet in length should
be chosen.
No one has ever doubted when it
comes to the design and construction
Of larger ships. battleships and the
like that the personnel Of the navy
department is thoroughly capable OF
handling the situation. and turning out
| the world. However. in the matter
of small boat practice. the above is
not true and the department has rec
ognized this fact. What more logical
thing could they do than call upon
! one of the ab1est Of our motor boat
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