The majority of the gunboats in commission today arc rather ancient; their bulging sponsons and time-honored appearance give one a feeling of sympathy for those who must be aboard. There is no question, but that gunboat duty is none too attractive; and yet it is an important one, and one that has possibilities of development.
As a matter of fact such duty is good training for officers and men, provided that it is not carried to such lengths as to allow them to go stale. Work and meditation among the benighted and at the stepping off places, are splendid up to the point when the passing months develop into years. Then enthusiasm lags, and disgust creeps in to spoil it all; and many a good man leaves the service sore, just because the thing has been overdone, and he is unable to see the justice of it. A definite period should constitute such service. At the end of that time the individual should feel confident that he would be relieved.
To do this, it is not necessary for the vessel to be continually steaming to some United States port. Much better that she permanently keep her station in the area of operations, and that at regular intervals exchange drafts of officers and men be made. A higher condition of efficiency could be maintained by doing away altogether with the yearly overhaul period. Let the cruisers and gunboats dock at the base of the region in which they are working. To that end provide a floating dry dock for such a place as Guantanamo.
A repair ship on its rounds should be able to take care of minor troubles, and more extensive work could be handled at the base of operations. The ship’s force to do all work, and the ship to rise or fall on the efficiency of that force. No better training for war could be had from the point of view of materiel and personnel. Avoid putting the ship out of commission and the long overhaul period. The more continually active a gunboat is, the more efficient she will be, and the less chance there is for deterioration, especially among the older ones. Retain the gunboats cruising, and keep fresh the personnel by gradual change in the complements. Things to be definite; so much service, and then a change. It is uncertainty and disappointment that causes trouble in the tropics, and hurts discipline. I f system in the matter of reliefs will keep enthusiasm alive and make men content in the service—let us have it.
The number of men on a gunboat is comparatively small, but every man counts. Where it is a constant fight against deterioration, iron rust, old boilers and time honored machinery, good men mean a lot, and poor ones nothing at all. Only men with good records should be sent to gunboats; for nearly every man has an individual job and when he is a minus quantity, it is difficult to replace him. Drafts usually come, so many men from such and such a battleship; and a certain number from this or that training station. After a time it dawns, that the battleship kept the good ones. Under the circumstances this is not right. Ships that are about two hundred feet in length, and that at times patrol three or four months without giving liberty, need the men the battleship keeps.
From the point of view of developing the individual and finding out whether he is worth anything, the gunboat is an excellent test. A man that has it in him can advance more rapidly on a small ship than elsewhere, for he is always in sight, and his work is immediately felt.
The best way to be in the tropics is to be busy; not occupied continually with the same subject, but by various activities to avoid monotony. Plenty of exercise is necessary. The natives seem able to do without it, but they have a way of getting along without a good many things. The crew that is active during the entire day and is well fed, is bound to keep in shape. There is then no time for grumbling, and the heat among other things is not noticed. Time passes and before it is realized the day is finished. The whole thing is an attitude of mind which can be developed by being continually occupied, and so occupied that the interest is held.
Let a drill be short and well done and follow it by a rest; then go ahead with another exercise or with the ship's work. It is a good plan to have a working party ashore at some job such as laying out a small arm target range, clearing a baseball field, building a landing or something of the sort. It gives the men a chance to stretch their legs and something new to do. The interest they take in such operations proves its value outside the return from the constructive nature of the work.
[IMAGE: A GUNBOAT’S TARGETS]
Small arm firing can be constantly going on, engineers and all. By posting scores and holding inter-division matches, it is surprising how much competition will develop, and what sport the qualification of marksmen and sharpshooters will become. The landing force of a gunboat should he made up of sharpshooters with a good number of expert riflemen among them. There is no reason why this cannot be the case if the firing is turned into a game, and intelligent individual coaching is carried out. When a gunboat leaves port, down come the target frames and supports to be stowed away until the next opportunity arrives. Then, on the strength of a little blasting powder for the pits, up they go again, out on a barren point or against some suitable hill.
Along with the rifle firing may go the machine gun practice, which is bound to grow in importance. When the signs are right, the three-inch field piece can have its turn before the local authorities become disturbed. It is good practice to have the landing force on the firing line with the field piece when firing shrapnel is in progress. In harbors where sufficient facilities for rifle practice are not at hand, pistol practice may be able to take its place. The main thing is to keep something of the sort going continually, and have all hands become proficient in small arms. On such duty as gunboats are frequently doing, it means a good deal to have a straight shooting landing force, that can be landed in a few minutes, and is capable of meeting any situation that may be found. The force that can be put ashore from a gunboat is small, but that is all the more reason why it should be efficient. To accomplish this, small arm firing should be carried out at every opportunity.
[IMAGE: A LANDING FORCE GOES ASHORE]
Another form of instruction and exercise, that can well be taken up on board a gunboat, is swimming. Duty in tropical waters lends itself readily to this. All hands should be overboard at least once each day; while the non-swimmers can have their chance, morning, noon and night. The men to swim by divisions, part of them to go in before breakfast, and part in the evening. Every now and then, it is a good plan to mark men for their ability in swimming, and so keep track of the progress they are making.
When starting a cruise, there will always he found a number of men who cannot swim, and who firmly believe they never will he able to do so. The best way to attack this point of view is to divide them into groups and assign an instructor to each group. At this stage, slings from a davit head, or the use of a life jacket of reduced buoyancy may prove an aid. It will not be long before the spirit of competition will have its way, and some fine morning one of the incorrigibles, who swore he never could do it, will break away and go swimming around the ship on his back as “pleased as Punch.” Not only should the crew be able to swim with breast and side stroke, to dive and float, hut they should he taught rescue work, and how to handle such jobs as clearing a line from the propeller.
[IMAGE: ON A HIKE]
Let swimming be made an every day sport in which all hands are expected to take part. A stopper from a davit head with a bowline in it will act as a swing, or a spring hoard may he rigged that will be no end of fun until it is broken. Make a hall of some sort, and line up two divisions for water polo. A few months of this, will make the ship’s company good swimmers.
Baseball is a sport that needs no urging. Inter-division games can be played whenever it is possible to get ashore to either find or make a field. If there are marines on the beach, so much the better. Frequent boat sailing will soon result in some pretty keen races. Every man in the crew to take the tiller at one time or another until he makes good. Men should he encouraged to prepare themselves along some line of advancement; and whenever possible vacancies in ratings to he filled from the best members of the crew. To he occupied at work or sport the day through, is the best plan for a gunboat in the tropics. To have something in hand, and to be busy in accomplishment is the answer to any cloud of depression that may threaten a ship.
[IMAGE: A FORT SURRENDER]
Such a base as Guantanamo ought to he equipped with a moving picture exchange. A gunboat, of all vessels in the navy, needs to he provided with a moving picture machine as- part of its equipment. The meaning of “Movies tonight?” cannot fully he appreciated until one has heard it after six months patrol in the West Indies.
Another element in a gunboat that could he broadened, is the ship’s library. More of the circulating library idea should enter into its management. There does not seem to be any reason why new books cannot be sent out now and then from some main distributing station such as New York, and old books returned, For that matter, an exchange system might be arranged between ships that are on the same station. To start out with a library and to cling to it for a year without making any change seems to be a short-sighted policy. Magazines and periodicals are frequently of the greatest interest, especially during such a time as the present European War. Would it not he possible to make some of the best ones part of the ship’s library, and allow men to draw them out in heavy covers just as books are now obtained? Let the library then be open every night for the exchange of magazines and books.
[IMAGE: TYPES OF CHIEFS]
Nearly every gunboat could be improved by having better washroom facilities and baths for the men. The ice machine is another element that can be a great comfort, if it is of adequate power. Unfortunately most of the ice machines in gunboats are either old, or of insufficient capacity to do all the things the tropics demand of them. The cold storage must of course he first taken care of; then, as a usual thing, the scuttle butt comes in for a little cooling now and then, hut as for making ice, it is out of the question. Hurried trips ashore in search of ice when one of the ship’s company is lighting maleria and is suffering from a high fever, brings home the value of an ice machine that can make ice in addition to its other work. There is no place where a two ton ice machine could he installed to better advantage than on board a gunboat doing tropical duty. In this connection it may be noted that the air leads must be kept from the vicinity of the engine and boiler spaces, or the efficiency of the whole installation will suffer.
The boat equipment of many gunboats is behind the times. This is unfortunate, for efficient power boats add a great deal to the all around working ability of this type of vessel. It will he a happy day indeed when the decrepit little steam launches that once graced such ships as the Chicago and the Atlanta. are gently laid away for something with a motor in it. The pulling cutters can disappear at the same time and never be missed. A thirty foot motor boat of about twelve knots speed; two thirty foot motor sailing launches and the usual whaleboats, dinghy, wherry and punts, should outfit a gunboat in boats to the best advantage.
The thirty foot motor boat, as compared to a thirty foot steam launch, is lighter, faster and more easily stowed, and lends itself readily to such duty as is required on tropical service. The two thirty foot motor sailing launches are considered necessary from every point of view. Such boats are well suited to rapid landing of the landing force, when it is necessary to throw it ashore in a hurry. They simplify the obtaining of stores from supply ships in the open sea. And when it comes to boating over long distances under a hot sun, they have the pulling cutters beaten a mile. They expedite work and save the personnel, two factors well worth while.
The three-inch limber is rarely if ever used with the field piece, and it is suggested that another field piece or light mountain gun of some sort he issued to gunboats to take its place. Slings or carriers could be designed for the transportation of spare ammunition by pack animal. The equipment of a gunboat could also Be improved by allowing four machine guns instead of two. The machine gun is an effective weapon, and every landing force ought to be well supplied with them. They have proved very valuable in patrolling towns, and are always treated by the natives with the greatest respect.
In future construction, the gunboat and mine layer might be combined in one type. The resulting vessel would be one of about 2400 tons displacement, with a length of 275 feet, a beam of 38 feet, and a maximum draft not to exceed 16 feet. Oil burning boilers and electric propulsion to give a sustained speed of 20 knots. The general appearance would be that of a small scout cruiser with a stern of marked overhang to facilitate the depositing of mines. The officers quarters would be found forward.
[IMAGE: A DISTRICT TURNS IN ITS RIFLES]
Such a design might be called a mine gunboat. It would perform all the duties of patrol now done by the gunboat. In addition it would carry and lay mines, and be rigged to execute sweeping operations. A high powered radio outfit would give it additional value to the fleet for scouting purposes. During times of peace, it would be kept on patrol duty. On the outbreak of hostilities it would be found following up its occupation of laying mines, either at an advanced base, or offensively in the neighborhood of the enemy fleet. When the fleet was on the move prior to an action, vessels of this type would be of value on outpost duty in the battleship screen and with destroyers prevent surprise day or night attack. The larger and faster scouts would be relieved then of the possible necessity of strengthening the destroyer screen, and could be employed with the battle cruisers to find the enemy main body.
[IMAGE: THE COLLECTING OF ARMS]
The experiences of the present day gunboats arc varied. A peaceful survey may be in progress one day, with the main triangulation stations established and the soundings in progress. During the night, the radio reports a revolution; and by the following morning the ship is on its way, leaving behind the survey signals flying in the breeze. Revolutions have been the national sport of a number of little countries for some time. They have been the substitute for such a game as baseball, and give the people the required amount of excitement. In such a country, they have either just had one, or are speculating about the next. At the same time they are busy drawing up claims for the one before the last, which however, may be compromised by a small political job of some sort. When the gunboat arrives in the middle of such an affair, its good offices arc not always appreciated. The wrong side is apt to be a bit disgruntled when the game is stopped, and they may express their feelings by peppering the ship during the night before taking to the hills.
These revolutions are unfortunately more than a game, they are a disease that is frequently contagious. The men who start them do so for what they can get out of them. They arc counting on either being bought off, a method that has been used extensively in the past, or of receiving some political jobs for themselves and their friends. When the government in power does not feel strong enough to crush an uprising, it may silence the leader by giving him a position such as minister to Belgium at ten thousand a year.
Methods of this sort are apt to be embarrassing to the gunboat. On one occasion, a landing force may be close on the heels of a fire eating revolutionist, who has been declared an outlaw by the United States and everyone else. Shortly after, he may pass proudly by aboard some steamer on his way to the capital to fill the appointment of minister for war.
These constant revolutions must stop before any real progress can be made. Some countries are in need of a collector of customs and a comptroller to supervise expenditures. Until this is done, their financial condition will remain hopeless, and what money is obtained from the revenues, will be squandered among the politicians, or used in buying off trouble makers. Take the incentive out of their reach, and there will be peace. A large circle of professional politicians may die of a broken heart, hut they will not be missed, and the schools, roads and lighthouses will have a chance.
A gunboat on its rounds may stop to take the gold from a bank that is about to be raided by the government, and carry it to a safe place. An ex-president may occasionally be found who has just escaped from somewhere and would like to go somewhere else. A custom collector has unearthed an elaborate system of coffee smuggling and needs moral support. The revolutionists surrender and come in to give up their arms, provided they get something for them. They keep the good ones and the gunboat collects the bad ones, and the war is finished. Or perhaps the horse-marines 32 at the other end of the island are short of hay or oats and other things, so the good ship loads up like a farm wagon and goes down the line.
Once in a while the water supply of some town is broken by the enemy, and the landing force goes ashore to repair the damage. Just at this moment the 23rd Division of the rebel army interferes, claiming the pipe line as its special property. The fight that follows is an excellent test of the small arm target practice, and ends with the water running in the pipe line, and the 23rd Division running over the hills. A formal protest may be expected, when the commander-in-chief, and high general staff, on the other side of the mountains, see what is left of this wing of their army.
The crew of a gunboat must be prepared to do any duty from towing a submarine in heavy weather, to putting a broken up rail road into commission, and steaming through on the first run as coxswain of the locomotive. In fact, most anything is apt to happen to a gunboat.