109 
DEFENCE OF ESTUARIES, HARBOURS, ETC., AGAINST 
TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK . 1 
BY 
CAPTAIN J. 0. WRAY, R.A. 
The following points, in connection with defence against Torpedo Boat 
attack, have occurred to me during the short time that I have served 
in the Garrison Artillery, and I do not, therefore, make any pretence, 
that they are the result of much experience in the matter j but my at¬ 
tention was drawn to the fact by the state of public affairs when I first 
joined in the latter part of the summer, and the fact that the estuary 
which my company defends is within Torpedo-boat attack of a conti¬ 
nental port. 
The chief points to determine on are :■— 
First the means to discover the attack, 
Secondly the best means of defeating it; and 
Lastly the relative parts to be played by the Artillery and Royal 
Navy. 
Means oe Detection. 
Now as regards the means :—until actually on the spot, face to face 
with the facts, and the actual armament, etc., at hand to meet the at¬ 
tack, one hardly realises what the tension would be in being constantly 
on the <c qui vive 33 night after night for prolonged hostilities. No 
army in the field would long endure the strain without an efficient sys¬ 
tem of outposts furnishing complete rest—-and the outposts of coast 
batteries must be the electric light. 
If two fixed lights were placed—one on each side of the entrance as 
far seaward as possible, and so arranged that each throws its beam 
towards the other—a fixed , broad belt of light would be provided, 
thoroughly searching out the shore on each side, through which noth¬ 
ing could pass without discovery, and owing to the arrangement of the 
lights, there would be no chance of crawling up and getting through 
where the beam was narrow close in shore. The narrowest portion of 
1 The Committee publish this paper in order to bring the question of how best to meet Torpedo- 
boat Attacks to general notice, and invite further consideration.— A.J.A, 
3. YOL, XXI. 
