Слике страница
PDF
ePub

structed in every detail of the subject, and that frequent drills with and against torpedoes would be held. Unfortunately, even in this important particular we do not seem disposed to keep up with the times. To be sure, there is a class of officers every summer at the Torpedo School for a short course of three months; but the knowledge obtained in that time is necessarily superficial, and so rarely brought into requisition on board ship that the greater part of it is soon forgotten.

As for the men, they receive no instruction whatever, and the only chance they ever have of acquiring any information on the subject is when, very rarely, a launch is sent out to explode a spar torpedo, usually as a test of the electrical machine, and not as a movement against an imaginary enemy.* While other nations (as the English in their fleet exercises last July, in Bantry Bay, and the Italians, in their manœuvres last November) are accustoming their men to the different kinds of torpedoes, mines and countermines, and to the manipulation of them; to torpedo attack and defence, by day and by night, at anchor and under way; to the obstructing and clearing of harbors and channel ways; to the use of the electric search light, torpedo nettings, machine guns and other means of resisting attacks from swift torpedo boats, we are standing idle, and are doing little or nothing to render our seamen conversant with such emergencies, or to impart to them the requisite knowledge for prompt and proper action in case of such necessity. At the present time, the smallest and most insignificant navies are being supplied with English torpedo boats, of the most approved models and greatest speed; yet we, with our ostrich policy, do not even attempt to anticipate the manner of defending ourselves, in case we should suddenly be drawn into war with any of them. If the effectiveness of the service be not a sufficient consideration, we

*The British lords of the admiralty, considering it desirable that instruction in the torpedo school should form an essential portion of the course for all seamen gunners, have made the following arrangements which are to take effect from November 16: "Every seaman gunner on requalifying, and every seaman in future desirous of qualifying, in a gunnery school, will also be required to go through a course of torpedo instruction in a torpedo school before being 'available for draft for service afloat. The gunnery course for qualifying and requalifying in the gunnery ship is to remain as at present. The time under torpedo instruction, including examination, will be sixty working days.”

The writer has known of but one ship in our service where the men received any special torpedo instruction, and in that case the officers of the vessel were severely criticized for "teaching their men too much."

might be guided by a certain old and well-established aphorism, and on the score of self-preservation take the needed measures of preparation.

A night attack from twenty-knot torpedo boats, with all the moral effect of uncertainty and dread, even with the most approved means of defence, will be the greatest strain upon their nerve and discipline that a ship's company may have to encounter; but a proper knowledge of what has been done under similar circumstances, and of the good result of quick and concerted action, will go far towards preventing the panic to be feared at such a moment, and will result in the adoption of decisive and effective measures. An occasional exercise at preparation for such an attack would not only render our officers and men conversant with all the circumstances of the case, but many points which otherwise would not have been foreseen might be suggested by the actual occurrences, if part of the crew should represent an attacking force. Exercises of this kind would give to every one a certain amount of knowledge and experience, which at some future moment might be of great benefit either in attacking an enemy or in acting in our own defence.

With other considerations of practicable and practical readiness for war, opportunities should be given officers to perfect themselves in the management of the vessel to which they are attached, by experiments calculated to give them a just idea of her evolutive qualities; of the effect of different positions of the helm, both in going ahead and astern, and of the difference caused by the trim of the ship or by her heeling; of her turning powers at different speed, her tactical diameter, etc., etc. The effect of concentrated and other firing under all circumstances of heel, etc., and in all weathers should be carefully noted for future reference. More frequent fleet sailing and the use of naval tactics, both with steam launches and with the vessels of the squadron, should be carried on, not only for instruction in the tactics, but also as a means of acquainting officers with the steering and other qualities of their ships. The mere retaining of position on a dark night calls for an extreme degree of care and watchfulness, and is in itself a valuable experience; as an English authority has recently remarked,* " It can only be understood by those who have seen the confusion caused by two or three vessels losing their position, or by those who know the watchfulness and the precautions called for by a manoeuvre necessitating a great change of course."

Captain R. H. Harris, in Journal United Service Institution.

The attention of officers could also with propriety be given to a consideration of a tactical line of policy, in case of possible war with the country in whose waters they happen to be serving, and to the strategical advantages of certain points within their limits. A habit of such observation and thought might stand them in good stead in the future, and be of great advantage not only to the service, but also to themselves.

These few suggestions are offered with all due diffidence, not so much with any confidence in their own utility, as in the hope that their discussion may call forth others of real value. The conservative element already mentioned would oppose a change of any kind, but most of us will acknowledge that we cannot go on in the methods of twenty years ago, and will agree that with our new ships we should have a personnel equal in all respects to those of other nations. Our men are inferior to none in intelligence, but their intelligence will be of no avail without the proper instruction and exercises in accordance with modern inventions and practices.

All that the writer advocates is that our drills shall conform to the requirements of modern warfare, and he feels assured that every one will agree with him as to the propriety (although they may not be of the same mind as to the manner) of maintaining our efficiency at the highest possible standard, so that all foreign services may recognize the fact that our officers and men are thoroughly keeping pace with the ideas and inventions of the time, and are prepared to do the utmost possible with the means at their command.

NAVAL INSTITUTE, WASHINGTON BRANCH.

APRIL 19, 1883.

PROFESSOR J. RUSSELL SOLEY, U. S. N., in the Chair.

DISCUSSION.

PRIZE ESSAY, 1883. BY LIEUT. CARLOS G. CALKINS, U. S. N. HOW MAY THE SPHERE OF USEFULNESS OF NAVAL OFFICERS BE EXTENDED IN TIME OF PEACE WITH ADVANTAGE TO THE COUNTRY

AND THE NAVAL SERVICE?

THE CHAIRMAN.-Before proceeding with the discussion of the admirable essay of Lieut. Calkins, to which we had the pleasure of listening three weeks ago, it may be worth while to summarize its leading points.

The essay starts out with a statement which underlies the discussion of the whole subject, namely, that the Navy can never obtain the support which is necessary to prepare it for the highest usefulness in time of war, until the importance of its services in time of peace is admitted. This main fact lies at the root of the whole question. It shows the reason why this subject was presented for discussion as the subject for a prize essay. It may be suggested that the object of a navy is to fight; that the true purpose, end, and aim of the work of the naval profession is war. How is it then that the question arises as to what work should be done specifically by naval officers in time of peace, other than that of preparing themselves for war? The answer lies in the statement of Lieut. Calkins, which is so well set forth at the outset. In order to reach its highest activity during war, the Navy requires support and encouragement from the community and from the country. At present the Navy does not get that support; and it can be obtained only when the community is forced to see that the services of the Navy in time of war and in time of peace, at all times in fact, are of the highest value to the country.

In discussing the general question, the writer lays down three broad principles in regard to any kind of work that should be done by naval officers in time of peace. The first is that it should be useful; the second, that it should develop responsibility; and the third, that it should have a direct application to the demands of the naval service. In specifying the particular lines of activity that naval officers should follow, the writer occupies the second part of his essay with a discussion of the training which it is necessary that naval officers should have to fit them for their work. In this connection, Lieutenant

Calkins takes up the subject of the higher education of officers. He refers to the two ways in which this education may be given: either by an institution established on a formal basis, similar to that of the Naval Academy, except that it would be for purposes of higher education, as the latter is intended for preliminary training; or by such arrangements as shall give to officers the fullest and freest opportunity to acquire knowledge and to improve themselves under the direction of a central organization with a central head, when they please, where they please, and as they please. It is evident that the preference of the writer is for this second form of naval education. Having treated that question, he takes up specifically the branches of study that should occupy the attention of officers; first, the scientific branches, then the more general group of studies, including history, political economy, and international law. In the third part of the essay the writer refers to the particular departments of the public service in which officers may find useful employment in time of peace; and therein he treats of the Lighthouse Establishment, the Coast Survey, the Revenue Marine, the Life Saving Service, the Fish Commission, and, at some length, of the Mercantile Marine,—a subject on which he is specially qualified to speak,—the Steamboat Inspection Service, and Preservation of Harbors. The fourth part of the essay is devoted to an investigation of the lines of strictly professional work that a naval officer may take up with advantage to himself and to the public service generally; and here the writer dwells upon a very important subject, as it seems to me, one of the most important in the essay, that of increasing and improving the training of officers specifically for war. He points out the singu lar fact that but little is done at the present time in the way of training officers directly for war as war is understood to-day; and he calls attention to the importance of enlarging the professional course at the Naval Academy, by adding to it a thorough analysis of the work done in the last war. He also takes up and treats at some length, and with considerable detail, the subject of improving the condition of the men, their education, the furnishing of libraries for the crews of ships, and the work that officers may do in this particular connection. In the same part of the essay, allusion is made to the labors of the Naval Observatory, of the Hydrographic Office, of the Office of Naval Intelligence, and to the work accomplished by the officers detailed as instructors at the Academy, whose occupation secures for them a most valuable post-graduate

course.

In conclusion, the essayist takes up the subject of rewards for meritorious effort, and in this connection he condemns the English system of giving rewards by increased pay, and also the system of rewards by promotion outside of the regular turn. The conclusion that the writer reaches seems to me a somewhat discouraging one. It is practically that virtue is its own reward, and that officers must look for compensation for the efforts which they make in the special directions described by the essay, in the consciousness of welldoing that good work always brings with it.

The essay makes a strong appeal to the patriotism of officers, and presents an earnest argument in favor of their taking up some of these useful branches of investigation and of labor.

The essay is now open for discussion.

« ПретходнаНастави »