Evening star., 1917-04-08

4
- ARE the mos, effective
vessels ever launched TO fight sub
marines: and wish we had many more
available.
Next TO them l consider the swift and
large motor boats. cruising in large
numbers. the best means OF driving of
the ruthless undersea boat
The navy has motor boats OF types
suitable for this purpose, and many
will be available to protect our ship
ping and our ports. But much remains
TO be done in this respect, and We
need definite action and complete CO.
operation on a twenty-four- -hour-a-day
basis. The vessels of the least value
are submarines. which have no fighting
value against their kind"
Orders OF mobilization have been issued
to the navy. The feet will be gather
ed at some designated place and held
in readiness for such service as the
national policy and sound strategy de-
Jermine. Il is safe to say that de-
stroyers and the light craft will at
ynce become extremely busy; for de-
storyerS III ten times their present
number will he needed with the fleet
auu along the extended coastllne Of
Inc United States: and all the light
raft that can be pressed into the
service vii! patrol in all waters that
might make good cruising ground for
submarines.
They will he employed in neutrality
duty. the oversight of nlerchantmen
and the protection of all waterways.
They will be handy to have around
n case anything happens; in fact. their
presence may prevent something from
happening.
H. war, destroyers Will be indispens-
able to the protection Of the battle
ship fleet By occurring the sea in every
direction for miles about in search oil
the undersea boat when IL comes 70
The surface, as come it must, 10 get
air and 20 rechargc it's motor batteries.
Then the shortage Of deStroyerS viii
br felt. for there are not enough for
This purpose and their other duties, too.
TO help out III this respect all the
speed win bs taken into the service
and as far as possible made TO serve
the purpose of Gestroyers.
Three years ago the Navy Depart
rneni adopted the policy Of putting
officnrs of high rank and especial fitness
n command of the destroyer fotilla;
and under such men az Capt. tnow
Rear .AdrniraD Sims and Rear Admiral
6iieave< Il has been brought TO a high
staJe OF efficiency.
A. IS very well known. q destroyer
is n long. narrow vessel of light CON
Structiou. designed and eagined for
great speed. with boilers giving nearly
1000 horse power: Il carries, usually,
Tour light but very effective quick-fir
ing guns; but its true offensive is found
in it's heavy rorpedoes. which carry
long distances, with astonishing ac-
curacy.
There are seventeen coast and a
still greater number of seagoing de-
stroyers now in the service, besides
seven in course Of construction In ship
yards along the coast. Twenty more
of the finest in the world are under
contract with private concerns or are to
be built in the government yards: but
a feet on paper or on the stocks has no
military value.
They are 800 feet long, thirty feet
beam and draw nine feet OF water on IL
displacement of l.27S tons They will
nave high forecastles, TO keep the bows
free from water. they will he stancb
sea-keeping craft with q speed Of thir-
ty-fve knots.
The destroyers in commission are not
sent the gradual development of the
type from the small chaser Of the tor
,sdo boat to the type which IN mum
bers does not hesitate TO tackle a battle
ship. They begin with the Drayton, Of
74e tons displacement and tilirty-knot
speed. and run to the Davis. more near
~ approaching the latest class.
The coast destroyers are the early
type of destrcyers, passed ny those "f