DEFENCE OF ESTUARIES, ETC., AGAINST TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK. 523 
ping at mid-channel (Fig. 4). The first giving the more intense light 
Fig. 4. 
£- 1 
\ 
- <3 
at mid-channel, but the second the broader area. 
Defeat of Attack. 
Capt. Wray appears to be doubtful of the efficacy of light quick-firing 
guns against torpedo-boats, and has a leaning towards the employment 
of heavy guns with case or shrapnel. This is surely a retrograde step, 
for, from experience gained by the Royal Navy over a number of years, 
the conclusion has been arrived at that heavy guns, at anyrate with 
ordinary gunpowder, do more harm than good and favour the attack by 
forming a smoke-screen in front of themselves, and light quick-firing 
guns were specially introduced for use against torpedo-boats. 
In fact, the Navy have a way of stationing their ships* companies 
for repelling torpedo-boat attacks (which they call “ man and arm 
ship/* and which differs from the ordinary “ action ** station), when only 
the light quick-firing and machine guns and small-arms are used, the 
heavy guns’ crews providing their arms and manning the superstruc¬ 
tures, &c. 
A number of experiments were carried out by the Navy against a 
dummy torpedo-boat towed past at various speeds and distances, and 
the result was the introduction of light quick-firing guns and the 
abolition of case shot for heavy guns. The records of these experi¬ 
ments is, I believe, to be found in the “ Gunnery Manual for the Fleet.’* 
Whether the introduction of smokeless explosives will necessitate or 
result in the re-introduction of case shot and the use of heavy guns, 
against torpedo-boats, remains to be seen. However, as long as ordi¬ 
nary powder is employed, the defence, from a gunnery point of view, 
must, I think, be entrusted to quick-firing and machine guns and 
small-arms. 
Royal Artillery and Royal Navy. 
It appears to have been overlooked that the defence of harbours, &c. 
belongs as much to the Royal Engineers and submarine miners as to the 
Royal Artillery and Royal Navy; however that may be, the relative 
parts to be played by the services will greatly depend on the local con¬ 
ditions. 
Where a boom is used, which to be of any use must be carefully 
prepared and not thrown up in a hurry, it should be inside the illumi¬ 
nated area and so placed that, the defence outside of it may be entrusted 
entirely to the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers, and that inside 
entirely to the Royal Navy with their vidette and torpedo-boats. 
The Royal Engineers* defence would probably consist of a system of 
electro-contact boat mines and a few observation mines in the illuminated 
