180 TORPEDO-BOAT RAIDS ON HARBOURS. 
OurTrosts. 
Just as a field army without outposts would expose itself to surprise, 
so also would coast defences if they had no means of receiving timely 
warning of an attack. 
The garrison could not be constantly on the alert and standing at 
their guns in anticipation of such an attack, or the men would soon get 
worn out; they must be able to sleep with the feeling that the 
outposts are there to give them notice of any approach of the enemy. 
Sir George Clarke in his paper on “ Floating Defence” severely 
criticises the employment of look-out vessels for this duty; but if 
Coast Defences are to be of any use, and there is any object in their 
existence, surely some method of allowing them time to prepare for 
action 1s necessary. 
In the majority of cases, the features of the coast-line would enable 
a point to be chosen some distance in front of the main defensive 
position, whence the approaches to the harbour or channel could be 
observed, a search-light being perhaps provided for this purpose. 
In still weather a torpedo-boat can be heard at some distance, and 
on a dark night the sparks from the funnel may possibly be observ- 
able as is the case, I believe, in our latest “ Destroyers.” 
Having discovered the attack, the outpost could then alarm the 
defenders by rockets or telegraph. 
Should it be impossible to have such a point of observation the duty 
would have to be carried out by boats, but this opens out a very 
difficult question:—Would the navy ever co-operate to this extent ? 
What should the boats do, having signalled the danger ? 
A refuge might have to be prepared for them to run into for safety, 
outside the general line of defence, and the “ examination anchorage” 
would, in some cases, allow of this; however, as these points have no 
doubt been thought out by those best informed, I will not further 
venture an opinion. 
It would certainly be hopeless for them to try and retire behind our 
defences, as they would thereby mask our fire, and the artillery should 
understand that they are to fire at everything; otherwise by the time 
they have made up their minds whether friend or foe, the boats will 
have slipped by. 
Major-General Richardson, R.A., in his lecture on “ Defence of a 
Coast Fortress” said:—“The artillery must ruthlessly sink every- 
thing they see of the nature of a torpedo-boat, unless previously 
warned that it is friendly.” 
Captain May, R.N., in “Naval Attack on Fortifications” also 
remarks :—‘‘If the weather is clear, I fancy the defence had better 
trust to their guns and electric-lights, and sink or disable every boat 
they see.” 
Our own navy would have to understand this and take precautions 
accordingly. 
A boat of the “Havock” class would cover about half-a-mile a 
minute, so we see, that even with warning, there would not be much 
time for the men to stand to their guns and get ready to open fire, as 
soon as the boat appeared in the area lighted up by electric-light. 
I remember during the Naval Manceuvres in 1889, we had a false 
