Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-02-02

At that institution the ship is commonly known
as the Schofield because Commander Frank d.
Schofeld was the first to suggest the type. In
the strategic problems worked out on the game
board the ship has led to some startling results.
Because armor is not necessary for turrets,
weight is not required for big guns and as the
craft lies low in the water it is possible to give
her a very effective defense against subaqueous
attack and it is feasible to subdivide her below
the water line into many compartments, the very
number serving to localize damage. Accordingly
the Scho1ield 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 projectles would strike
Possibly the best evidence of what the Naval
War college thinks about the Schof1eld 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 We're
in command of q fleet and one of those things
came down me think would turn the vessel
over to the second in command and go down be-
low" $50 a16
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 or 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 it
speeds on toward its target.
Ii is for this reason that the Schofied is armed
almost exclusively with torpedoes. Any guns
that might be placed deck would be only rapid
frers intended to stand off destroyers or to deal
with armed merchantmen or commerce raiders.
Success in a naval action depends very much
upon gaining the advantage of position SO far as
wind and light concerned. In moderate
weather. with moderate breeze blowing a 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 own guns blow back and away and
leave the commander with an unimpaired view
of his foe while the enemys discharge hangs for
a while on his lee and interferes with his vision
and the speedy working Of his ordnance effectively
1t is not IN easy thing to gain the position of
advantage, and half the success in doing this
hinges upon invisibility. vessel like the SchO-
field, lying low in the water and capable of max
ing 35 knots an hour would have the whip hand
in this particular, because she could slip along at
full speed unobserved, whereas a ship rising
higher above the surface would be sure to betray
herself against the horizon.
The part that the weather plays in battle tao
ties is thus described by one OF the navy's emil
nent officers: IF you have been fortunate enough
TO get into position with the wind in your face
and the foe TO WlndWarQ ana 1T comes on TO dow
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 it keeps your telescopes wet.
Instead of locking through a clear telescope
the situation is not unlike looking through the
water when you are in swimming Your vision
is obscured. Water also may get into your tur-
rets and into your fire control connections and
possibly may put yon at more or less Of 2 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 are such that you would like to have
him bearing west, it 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 an
enormous circle, and after you have turned
around about half way, he will turn and go the
other way.
"In the olden days when they fought at short
range it was possible by certain maneuverings to
get the advantage of position with reference to
the wind and sea- etc. 1t is nowhere near so easy
TO do it now In fact, it is practically impossible
despite superiority in speed, within reasonable
limits"
Because of her unusual features ship pat
termed after the idea of the Schofeld would not
have to bother so much about advantage of posi-
ton. Even while nearly buried under stormy seas
it would be practicable for her commander to
bring his broadside of torpedoes to bear, and
every one of those weapons would be good deal
more formidable than the biggest of arrnor-pierc-
ing projectiles.