Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/246

, and the tendency is then rather to go to the bottom than rise to the surface. At least this appears to have been the habit with most submarine boats since the first tried by Drebbel, in the reign of James I., up to the present time. In France and Spain boats capable of acting under water are now under experiment, but in my opinion the chief advantage of a submarine boat is to travel on the surface partially submerged, so that, while the crew can see, the boat itself is almost invisible.

The best protection against torpedoes was at first thought to be in subdividing the ship into numerous small compartments. But it was soon evident that this was not sufficient, and then the system of surrounding a ship with wire netting was devised in order to stop the torpedo before it could come in contact with the hull. The nets are suspended from long booms projecting from the ship's side, and, with the vessel stationary, hang vertically in the water. At sea, or when moving, the nets do not retain this position, and are an awkward appendage not favourably regarded by sailors, who strongly object to anything that may foul the screw. Moreover, torpedoes are now provided with an apparatus in the nose which enables them to cut their way through the netting, and travel on uninjured to the vessel now unguarded. It is probable, therefore, that in the immediate future nets secured to the ships will be discarded, and the torpedo frustrated in some other manner.

Another branch of defence against this attack at night is a powerful light thrown on the advancing