COAST DEFENCE AGAINST TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK. 29 
_. . Manoeuvres seem to have clearly demonstrated one 
friendl from v ^ z * : unfc ^ ingenuity is encouraged to devise 
adverseboatT a wor kable method of enabling shore gunners to 
distinguish friendly boats and launches moving about 
at night, from attacking boats, either the fortress guns are terribly 
crippled, or at the very least, made very uncertain in their action, or the 
friendly boats are sure to be hit. It is frequently stated that the Navy 
have been so far unable to devise a plan whereby their ships can instant¬ 
ly and certainly recognize their own boats at night. Whether this is 
so or not the Gibraltar manoeuvres have shewn that, while the difficulty of 
distinguishing friend from foe, from a height not greater than a ship's 
tops may be insuperable, yet, where considerable heights are available, 
the case is not only far from hopeless, but promises to be fairly easy of 
solution, provided the shore guns are on a height and under the 
instantaneous control of a high station. This control can be readily 
obtained by the use of common electric bells at the guns, supplemented 
by the slower telephone. The signals from the boats must be con¬ 
tinuous. Fairly frequent combined practice between boats and guns 
is, however, needed to make it at all safe for the former to be cruising 
about at night within range, and even then the anxieties of those in 
charge of the shore batteries, and of the lookouts, is vastly increased. 
When a considerable naval force is available, it may at times be 
advisable to limit the action of the shore guns to clear weather, when 
it is quite certain ; making the defence in thick weather an active 
naval defence. The beautiful shooting of high, well mounted and 
well found, light Q.F. guns is, however, a means of defence which 
should never be lightly put on one side; the time may come when an 
overworked or temporarily crippled navy will be only too thankful for 
the rest which Garrison Artillery can assure them if permitted and 
encouraged to give it. 
The average Garrison Artilleryman who has not had 
practice in resisting torpedo-boat attacks by night has 
generally a very wild notion of what these craft are 
likely to attempt, what they look like, and what devices they may use 
to elude his vigilance. It is of the first importance that he should, if 
possible, be sent out in a torpedo-boat during night manoeuvres to 
watch what is done. One night spent in endeavouring to creep up 
unseen to within striking distance of their objective will go far to put 
him on his guard. It is exciting work at times and once bitten with 
it he will always try to get out again. Until he has this experience, 
his belief is frequently found to be that torpedo-boats rush about at 
a twenty knot speed, broadside on in the same way as he sees them dash¬ 
ing about when manoeuvring in the day time. If an enemy will only 
act thus, and our lookouts are high enough, the discovery of his 
torpedo-boats on many nights even without the aid of search lights, 
and always with them, is a simple matter. The wake of a rapidly 
moving torpedo-boat gives her away directly, it is often seen hundreds 
of yards behind her and the eye running forward along the track 
comes on the boat itself. But, except for a final rush, if she finds 
Want of 
practice. 
