Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1904. Submarines.

Manawatu Herald, 24 May 1904, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1904. Submarines.

The value of submarine explosives becomes more and more apparent as the struggle in the Par East proceeds. Whatever the size or strength of a vessel, or the weight and range of her guns, may be, seems immaterial to the- torpedo and the submarine mine ; and the largest battleship is destroyed as easily and quickly as the smallest gunboat. The advisability of building largfarmoured vessels has been keenly debated for some years, but although the capabilities of submarines have been to some extent recognised, there appears to have been no appreciable change in the naval programmes of the Powers. Though the battleship can no longer be considered a first-class fighting machine, yet it has one or two advantages over its rivals. The submarine vessel is confined to sheltered waters, and can never proceed far from land, while the battleship is at home in all seas and weathers. The torpedo boat destroyer is not at such a disadvantage in this respect as the submarine; still it is of little use in rough weather, and it often requires some seamanship to enable it to ride out a gale. However we must not overlook the fact that the torpedo boat and submarine are as yet in their infancy, and it is only a question of time when they will supersede the battleship altogether. But although these small craft are such terrible engines of destruction, their success depends almost entirely on the powers of the man who fires them. The Russians are nearly as well equipped in the way of torpedoes, etc., as the Japanese, and yet they have done little damage, if any. The only inference that can be drawn is that the Russians are less able than the Japanese in the management of torpedoes; and it is safe to say that were the Russians as skilful as their foes in torpedo work, the results of the recent naval encounters might have been very different. The same fact was noticeable in the engagement between the American and Spanish fleets outside Santiago, during the late war. The Spanish torpedo boat destroyers were powerful vessels of high speed, and were calculated to do consider-

able damage to the American squadron; and yet they proved totally ineffective. This result can only be put down to the poor training of the men entrusted with the manipulation of the torpedoes. It is, therefore, of great moment to the British nation that their seamen should be well trained in this most important branch of work, and it is to be hoped that the British naval authorities will give the subject their careful consideration. We have, however, little doubt as to the final issue. British seamen have always proved themselves masters in the art of naval warfare, and we venture to express the well-founded hope that they will acquit themselves in the same manner as their forefathers did in the days when Blake defeated the Dutch, and Nelson destroyed the last vestige of French naval power off Cape Trafalgar.