The Raymer enterprise., 1917-02-01

Al that institution the ship Is commonly known
as the Schofeld. because Commander Frank H.
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 ms the
craft lies low In the water 1t is possible to give
her a very effective defense against subaqueons
attack. and 1t is feasible 10 subdIvlde her below
the water line into many compartments. the very
number serving to locaze damage. Accordingly
the Schofeld Is assumed to be proof against tor
pedo attack. while above water her protective
deck and sturdy sides would stand of shots even
from the largest guns because of the glnncing
blows that hostile projectlles would strike.
Possibly the best evidence of what the Naval
War college thinks about the Schofeld 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
II attacked by craft Of that order: 'If were
in command Of feet and of those things
came down me think would turn the vessel
over to the second in command and 20 down be-
low"
II is not commonly understood by the layman
that there are times when the torpedo even mt
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 angrlest sea and
holds its depth despite tumbling waves as II
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 on deck would be only rapid
nrers 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 are concerned. In moderate
weather. with a 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 unimpalred 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 an easy thing to gain the position Of
advantage and half the success In doing this
hinges upon inyisbility. vessel like the SchO-
field lying low In the water and capable of max
Ing 35 knots m hour, would have the whip hand
In this particular because she could slip along at
full speed unobserved. whereas ship rising
higher above the surface would be sure to betray
herself against the horizon.
The part that the weather plays In battle tnc-
tics Is thus described by one Of the navy's emil
nent officers: '1f you have been fortunate enough
to get into position with the wind In your face
and the foe to windward and 1t comes on to blow
and kicks up a 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 tookinp fhrouVh a claor foIoenara
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 you at more or less Of a dlsad-
vantage.
Remember this, fleets fight nowadays at very
long ranges, and II 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 1t would take you all that day
to get him there II he does not want to do so, be-
cause II you try to steam around him he simply
keeps you bearing abeam, while turning In an
enormous circle. and utter you have turned
around about half way. he will turn and 20 the
other way.
in the olden days when they fought at short
range 1t was possible by certain maneuverngs to
get the advantage Of position with reference to
the wind and sea, etc. It Is nowhere near so easy
to do 1t now. In fact, 1t Is practically impossible
despite superiority In speed. within reasonable
limits"
Because OF her unusual features a ship pat.
termed after the idea Of the Schoheld would not
have to bother SO much about advantage Of POSI-
tion. Even while nearly buried under stormy seas
It would be practicable for her commander to
bring his broadslde of torpedoes to bear, and
every one of those weapons would be a good deal
more formidable than the biggest Of armor-pierc.
Ing projectlles.