524 DEFENCE OF ESTUARIES, ETC., AGAINST TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK. 
area; but the best positions for these perhaps would be between the 
illuminated space and the boom. The guns should not be able to be 
trained so as to fire on the boom ; and the search-lights should be 
placed near the water level so as to prevent any part of the channel 
near the shore being left in the dark. 
Finally, it would be of very great advantage if the yearly Naval 
Manoeuvres were carried out in conjunction with local Artillery and 
Engineers, thus, as Capt. Wray suggests, the services would be enabled 
to gain experience of each other’s methods of working in time of war. 
A REPLY. 
BY 
CAPTAIN H. C. WILLIAMS-WYNN, R.A. 
I have waited with some interest the periodical appearance of the 
“ Proceedings” since March, in the hope that it would contain some 
further contributions to an interesting discussion which might be raised 
upon Captain Wray's paper. As, however, there seems to be some 
danger of the subject being allowed to drop, and as my own con¬ 
clusions are not identical in all respects with those of Captain Wray, 
I venture to put forward my own views, in the hope that, by keeping 
alive the discussion on this subject, we may elicit some really valu¬ 
able information from abler pens. 
Now, before entering on the questions raised by Captain Wray, as 
to the best means of discovering and defeating torpedo-boat attacks, 
it seems to me that we should first consider the possibility and proba¬ 
bility of such attacks with regard to the situation and local conditions 
of the port attacked. It is clearly a work of supererogation to pro¬ 
vide means for repelling such attacks, if all naval experience tells us 
that, in such a situation, they are impossible. Again, we are not war¬ 
ranted in demanding more than a very moderate expenditure on special 
defences against such attacks if it can be proved that, though possible, 
they are in the highest degree improbable. Let us take as an example 
a port such as Harwich. 
Colomb and Mahan teach us that attacks on territory by ships have 
never succeeded and never will succeed unless the attacker has, at least 
temporarily, the command of the sea, but raiding attacks may be made 
with some hope of success from what they call an indifferent command 
of the sea. If an enemy has, even for a time, the command of the 
channel, it is hardly conceivable that he would utilise it to attack so 
pitiful an objective as Harwich. But with an indifferent command of 
the sea, or one believed to be indifferent, such attacks are possible. 
With what object then would they be made ? Remember the class of 
attacker we are pre-supposing. There can be no question of holding 
a town to ransom, destroying docks or threats to bombard the town. 
Take four boats, the maximum number supposed by Captain Wray: 
they are evidently perfectly innocuous till they reach their goal, what- 
