GOLD MEDAL PRIZE ESSAY, 1893 . 
357 
cables are almost sure to be protected by chains, &c., and will require 
some time to find and cut, but to a bold attacker the weakest point of 
the mine-field will very possibly be found on shore . The shore ends of 
cables are generally, for convenience, brought in close to a good landing 
place. Probably a determined attempt by a small landing parly on the 
shore arrangements of the mines will be the best way of covering the 
passage. This subsidiary attack should try and damage the P.F. cells 
and test-rooms, and their valuable instruments and contents, by ex¬ 
ploding hand charges in them. 
In the attack of mines, as of other branches of the defence, an early 
and rapid attack, on a well laid plan, should have an excellent chance 
of being successful. 
Brennan torpedoes may be met with, but an attack of the nature here 
considered can afford to disregard them. No Brennan is likely to catch 
a torpedo boat even if it were thought worth while to launch it 
against it. 
Entanglements and obstructions will certainly be laid down by the 
defenders, and if placed, as they should be, where a heavy gun fire can 
be brought to bear, they may be very serious obstacles. But, at the 
same time, all important ports must have a fairway for the passage of 
friendly vessels, and of this fairway the attacking torpedo boats will 
probably be able to avail themselves. 
Inner Guard-Boats .—An inner squadron of guard-boats may now be 
encountered. Many of these will probably be armed tugs, and other 
vessels of comparatively low speed. Avoidance of encounter, rather than 
attempting to fight them, must be the guiding principle in the mind of 
the Attacker. As before stated, the best thing for his purposes is to 
get well mixed up with the defenders. 
Infantry and machine gun fire from the shore will become hotter as the 
harbour is approached, and the waters become narrower. It will, 
however, probably be wild and more or less ineffective, and will not of 
itself be a serious danger. 
And finally, the ships, the real objective of the attack, will be found 
protected, possibly by their boats , and almost certainly by booms , Sfc. 
These booms should be destroyed by spar torpedoes—attempts at 
“ jumping ;; them would appear to be very risky and wasteful of boats. 
The ship’s own defences of mmole-firing guns , Sfc. 3 fired, as many of them 
assuredly will be, at random, will probably clo as much damage to 
friends as to foes. It has not yet been demonstrated what will be the 
effect iipon one another of the promiscuous firing of several ships with 
modern armament during a night surprise. It will undoubtedly be 
very great. 
Once close to his object, a bold attacker, well supported, should be 
able to inflict a decisive blow. Escape afterwards should be compara¬ 
tively easy, owing to the uncertainty which must almost of necessity 
exist in the minds of the defenders, as to the identity of boats leaving 
their harbours. 
It will appear from the foregoing that the obstacles presented by the 
Defence to a really prompt, well planned, and bold attack, are not 
nearly so insurmountable as might be thought at first glance. Further, 
