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24 As regards speed, I give no fig- ures; those published are generally incorrect, and it has been possible to ascertain repeatedly that the actual speed of certain boats was far dif- ferent from that which had _ been promised, or had been stated in vari- ous documents. On this question it suffices to say that in all navies one endeavors to reach a 15-knot speed on the surface, and 10 knots under water. No submarine or submersible boat has as yet attained both jointly. Previous to 1902 the various navies had built, or weve building, 55 sub- marines and six submersible boats only; «since Jam. 1; 1902; there: have been laid down 71. submarines and Se submersible "boats; 1. am. con- vinced that evolution will continue on the same lines. Referring to statements made by Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, Vice-Admiral .Fournier, - and Lord- Goschen, the author added the fol- lowing: It is quite certain that for those nations who have absolute con- trol over their home waters subma- rine boats have a lesser scope of use- fulness than for other nations. Such is the case for England, Japan, and the United States; . but, nevertheless, these powers not only recognize the usefulness of submarine craft, but spend large sums in forming a flotilla of boats of this type. Such being the case, one may judge what great ad- vantage there is for the other navies in the acquisition of submarine boats for. the «defense of their: coasts in conjunction with torpedo-boats. Sub- marine boats replace advantageously submarine _mines, the latter consti- tuting a blind weapon, as dangerous for iyiends. as itis. fer foes. : Ht is necessary, therefore, to build large numbers of submarine boats of mod- erate dimensions, in order that the cost of a flotilla should remain within suitable limits. , The. submersible. type, in certain geographical. conditions, can take up the offensive against a moze powerful enemy, even were the latter master of the sea; it can also attack the en- emy in its own waters. -- Flotillas of submarines have an un- questionable scope of usefulness for the large continental powers, and are, it may be added, an absolute neces- sity for all the smaller states. The statement made by Lord Goschen, in 1899, that the submarine boat was the armament of the comparatively poor- er and weaker nations--an absolutely true statement--has 'so far hardly been listened to by those whom it was aimed at--namely, the secondary powers. Hitherto the construction of submarine boats has been developed THE MarRINE REVIEW mostly by the principal naval "na- tions, and the secondary powers have awaited the results of experiments made by these nations before build- . ing or purchasing the new type of boats; a very natural manner of pro- ceeding, considering the very heavy expenses incurred by repeated altera- tions and trials of a class. of" boat which is quite different from all oth- ers. Now, however; that the experi- mental period.appears to be over, and that types of submarine boats giving satisfaction have been built, an ex- pectant attitude is no longer conceiv- able. The secondary powers are those who have the most to gain in the development of the submarine boat; they cannot entertain the con- struction of battleships 'of 18,000 to 20,000 tons, costing each two millions sterling. Such outlays would greatly exceed their resources. Can they con- tinue on the same lines that most of them follow at the present time, and build small battleships of 2,500 to 7,000 tons? In my opinion, in doing so they incur very useless expendi- ture, and these smaller battleships are so inferior to the large modern battle- ships that they would be of no use whatever in a conflict' with a large naval power. Could, for example, Holland defend her Indian colonies with 4,500-ton battleships of the Tromp. tlass, against the Japanese Kator or Kashima? One Katori alone could sink half a dozen ships of the Tromp class. Another, typical example may be given. In 1807 a British fleet bombarded Copenhagen and destroyed the Danish fleet. Let us suppose (and this is but a gratui- tous supposition) that' England now wishes to recommence the same -op- What could Denmark do? (Pas is the ease at the p-esént day, she can only count on seven small battleships, of 2500 to 5,500 < tons, which carry a total of fifteen large- caliber guns, a divison of six or eight Brit'sh battleships' of the by England would suffice mastery, "But 'if, on the Denmark owned a dozen submersible boats and as many submarines, the former could bar the straits and_tor- pedo the British battleships, while the latter would await near the harbors those battleships which had evaded the submersible boats, and would at- tack them in their tucn. small Danish battleships about two millions twelve submersibles marine boats about £800,000. It is not rash to assert that during the next ten years all the secondary states will have resolutely adopted the eration. fifty owned to gain the otner hand, The seven cost the and twelve sub- would cost. together have sterling; new class of boat for their navies The development of means of defense preferably to that of means of at. tack forms a first step towards the suppression of wars. In the present state of the civilized world the hope to secure universal peace by a gen. eral disarming is a Utopia fraught with great danger. SOUTHWEST PASS CHANNEL, Col. E. H. Ruffrrer, government ep- gineer at New Orleans, sends the fo]- lowing information concerning 'recent surveys of the South West channel: 'During Dec." 11 Pass jetties with the following general re- sults: 1. Deep water is found in the pass about 2,800 ft. above Burrwood, and for 3,000 it: the depth gradually de creases from 35 ft. to 30 ft.; there being 200 ft. width between the 30 ft. curves. 2. In the next 10,100 ft. the depth decreases. from. 30. ft. to. 25-16) ae the great width of 1,500 ft. between the 25 ft. curves narrows to as little as 400 ft. between the 20 ft. curves. =. Yhe shoalest part of the aaa nel is now found through the next 4,200 ft., where from 25 ft. to as little as. 22 ft. are found, and 400° ft be tween the 20-ft. curves. 4. .1In the- next. 3,100 ft. is a rapid iicrease to 35 ft. depth, the 29m channel being not less than 250 ft. wide. 5. Then there is a stretch of 7,500 ft. with not less than 35 ft. depth, the 30-ft. channel being not less than 250. ft. wide. 6. From. 35 ft. inside to 35 ft. out side is only 700 ft. by the shortest line; the 35-ft. curve on the outside being 1,600 ft. beyond the ends of the jetties. 7. From the 35-ft. channel above the shoal water to the 35-ft. curve beyond the jetties is a distance of 20,400 ft. 8. The outer end of the channel was sounded Jan. 25. Three 20-inch suction dredges are now operating in the shoal water opposite and .below Burrwood to secure a channel 500 ft. wide. and 35 ft. deep, and the result of this work is not embodied in the synopsis. above. The United States dredge Benyaurd, and 'the General Abbot are also dredging the shoal water, and 'these five and the water with its resultant scour should materially improve existing conditions within the coming three months. dredges, eset A Aa a al aR to 20, soundings were made of the channel above the coming high