TORPEDO-BOAT VERSUS BATTLESHIP.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVII, Issue 222, 19 September 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

TORPEDO-BOAT VERSUS BATTLESHIP.

According to "Traction and Transmission," the torpedo can only be used at present, with any certain? ty at. comparatively limited distances, which renders the vessel carr rying the torpedo liable to be, disabled by the gun before the former weapon can be successfully launched.' The ram shares this disadvantage tp an even larger degree with an additional greater uncertainty of successful usol. .

Putting the matter into concrete form/at over 5,000 yards distance a broadside of a modern battleship can deliver in a minute from her four 12in. guns eight 8501b. projectiles, capable of penetrating about. 6in. of Krupp armour, and from her broadside 6in. qjuick-firing guns thirty-six lOOIt). projectiles, whicb can do great damage to the unprotected parts of the opposing ship. Imagine this continuing for five minutes only. With the distance diminishing with accurate ranging sutyel shooting, the destruction which can be wrought is enawaoHS. *SfOPeave^ the ship that comawnces inrva continuous rain of hits of this nature will litoraKy drive the opponents from their guns.

The mobility of the gun fire is so overwhelming, there is no waiting for fleeting opportunities in which the guns: be&r for a short t«de only; from almost right afoead tgjt rifeiMi astern the broadside cjgx h&it, -K&| from 6,0©0 yawls downwards cffh the guns be fired with effect. V I Contrast tfee inherent •pp.w'ysr of *&Hts torpedo. There are only one or ti*b bearings upen which it can be discharged without altering the course of the ship ; its outside range is 2,000 yards, and its certainty of hitting, compared with the gun, is small. Before a ship could use Jfer torpedoes with any hope of-success, whatever, well-directed gun powqij can so sweep her decks as to dgpnhn her of all direction. The superiority of the gun over the torpedo, in a fleet action, needed hardly *be fnrtfew insisted upon. '

An amusing incident happened recently. A young lady left her husband's side to look in a window. On leaving it she took, as sha thought, ha- husband's arm, and continued her canrewsation. '!

" You see/ she said, " you don't even look at anything I want you- to s«e. You never care how I am dressed ; you no longer love me. Why you have not even kissed mo for a week, and " —

" Madam. ] am sorry, but it is i?iy lnisl'ortuMo. not my fault." said tho man lurning round. The lady looked at, him and tf**p»d. She had te&eu the a£»i j&. tjw. wjffllfiJßWLLj'