WARFARE AND SCIENCE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12679, 26 October 1909, Page 4

WARFARE AND SCIENCE.

Great as haS been the change in - naval warfare between tho days of Nelson and the modern engagement, wo are certain to sec still greater possibilities, according to Lieutenant A. Trevor Dawson, R.N., managing director of the Vickers Company. At Trafalgar, with short-range guns, it was a case of courageously directed force ancl skilful seamanship, combined with cunning iv strategy and tactics. Engineering must now plaj* a great, although not a - decisive part. The classical definition of engineering is the subjection of the forces of. Nature" for tlie uses of mankind. In no branch of science do we -find such powerful forces brought under subjection as in ordnance. The chemist lias given us •an explosive .compound safe imder careful treatment,' and yet when ignited capable oft developing an energy of 250ft-tons per lb. of explosive at a pressure of 20 tons por ."square inch. The metallurgist has provided thoroughly reliable steel, great in tensile strength and elasticity, to utilise this energy for the propulsion of projectiles with velocities of -3000 ft. per second to penetrate armour Sin. or lOin. in thickness at eight or 10 miles range. At the same time the optician has enabled extreme accuracy to be achieved hy modern telescopic sights. In action V7O or 80 per cent, of the shots fired will hit the enemy's ship. The mechanic has so improved the breech mechanism, and the gun-laying and the amniunition-supplyinjj machinery as to multiply manifold the rounds fired in a given -time. Thus the battleship of to-day may do 30 times tho damage wrougliit by her predecessor, of 25 years ago, and that, too, at more than double the range. The increase in range has been forced upon tlie artillerist by the great development of the torpedo. These hidden and stealthy weapons are now effeotive up to three and four miles range, and their accuracy has been proportionately increased with tho use of the submarine lx>at, reliable now from every standpoint, mobile to as great a degree as the warship of ten years ago, and as capable of manoeuvring under water as any ship on the surface. With tho airship overhead new terrors by day and by night aro added. High speed in reconnaisance work and wireless communication of information assist tho tactician to bring the enemy to an engagement at the most favourable opportunity.