New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, MAY 7, 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5029, 7 May 1877, Page 2

New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) MONDAY, MAY 7, 1877.

New Zealand lias reason to bo glad because of the modesty of the person who edits the Timaru Herald. He appears to have received information as to what the Imperial Government have directed the Governors of colonies to do, supposing England should become involved in war, and any colonial ports should consequently be attacked. But he is not so proud as to hide that he has correspondence with, people in power : and so we all know that wo may fight it we think we can win, but that if we don’t think so, wo may hand any spare cash to the captain of the enemy’s ship, and send a bill for the amount to Downing-street. It is very noble, and very cheering, if true. Considering who has told it, can the tale be false ? Whether true or false, we confess that, if war should come, wo should like to have at the back of the permission to pay, some three or four ships like the United States torpedo vessel Alarm, of which we to-day print an account. Many critics who are not Americans, have constantly proclaimed that to spend millions in building ironclads, and hundreds of thousands of pounds in making guns capable of smashing their sides, was akin to madness, because the money was wasted, real defence not being secured. The English navy proved not long ago that the ‘ ‘ ram” was more offensive than heavy guns ; for the Iron Duke, by misadventure, knocked in the bottom of tho Vanguard, and sank her. And there has recently been attributed to the Admiral who was Superintendent of the yard where the Vanguard was built, a statement which, if lie made it, he must have believed ; but which has been denied, happily, because, if true, it .would show an amount of stupidity and neglect which the unofficial mind cannot conceive as possible. That statement is, that the loss of the Vanguard was not due to little holes, for ventilating purposes, which the Admiral knew were cut in the ship’s water-tight (?) bulkheads, but to her tin-kettle bottom of half-inch plate, with frames more than 4ft. apart ! Set all this aside, however, and there remains tho fact that, except for a short distance below tho load-line, all annor-clads have non-armored bottoms. Then, to explain why wo should like to have a few Alarms in our ports, it need only bo said that that class of vessel can not only use an awful “ snout or ram” 13ft. below the water-line, but can apply and explode fearful torpedoes at still greater depths—13ft. being quite clear of armor in even the Duilio, of the Italian Government, which is at present so much boasted of, because site carries 100-ton guns. We are sure that the account we give of the Alarm will be read with interest. Also, we are sure that the opinion will be general, that the Americans have shown commendable ’cuceness in leaving Europe to waste millions sterling upon armorclads—with or without “ tin-kettle bottoms”—and devoting themselves to establishing and perfecting a naval torpedo school at Newport, Rhode Island. The English Government may throw Keyham and Woolwich and other arsenals open to tho inspection of officers from all nations : the Americans know better than to follow the example. So we quite believe the Scientific American when it states that the work done at the Newport school “is not published, but many of its results are of great importance one of those results being that tho school, aided by Admiral David D. Porter, as naval constructor, has produced the Alarm, “ probably the moat formidable craft afloat, not excepting the Italian iron-olads, with their 100-ton guns.” When tho North had to put down the Southern rebellion, Ericsson gave them the Monitor, which at once revolutionised naval warfare, and it seems probable that the Alarm will now have alike effect ; while we may certainly accept tho assurance that she will, if the United States again go to war, form the model for a fleet of similar boats. In reading the details we give of tho Alarm and her powers, tho thought must arise, that such a pigmy may be easily pounded into helplessness by shot, or rammed until the most of her is a huge gape. But it will bo well to note how carefully all this is provided against; and if satisfaction is not thence derived, the suggestions of tho Scientific American must bo accepted, for they cannot be answered : —“lf tho torpedo boat should become fastened in her enemy and go down with her, or succumb to a near fire, the loss would not bo on our side. Lives are to be lost in war in any event; and if, by the sacrifice of a torpedo vessel, costing a couple of hundred thousand dollars, wo ever sink a great iron-clad worth a million, the life mission of the former craft may well bo deemed as fulfilled.” Indeed, yes. So, wo repeat, we wish New Zealand had a few Alarms, as well as permission to fight or to pay, as may seem more prudent, if war should come.