So again, if a fleet were despatched on the outbreak of war to take up a position at sea, for the purpose of intercepting the commerce of an enemy, or if ships were sent across the ocean to blockade an enemy's coast, the speed would not be allowed on the voyage to exceed 10 knots.
I quote the following figures from Mr. Reed's tables, which show clearly that the speeds attained on trial can only be attempted on rare occasions, such as the extreme emergency of battle, or the pursuit of an armed ship of an enemy:—
| Coal supply. | Speed of 12½ knots. | Speed of 11 knots. | |||
Tons |
Time Dys. hrs. |
Distance Miles |
Time Dys. hrs. |
Distance Miles. | |
| Achilles | 620 | 3 19 | 1,140 | 6 9 | 1,680 |
| Bellerophon | 560 | 4 11 | 1,340 | 7 11 | 1,970 |
| Hercules | 600 | 4 14 | 1,380 | 7 17 | 2,030 |
| Monarch | 600 | 5 5 | 1,560 | 8 18 | 2,310 |
Too much sometimes sacrificed to obtain extreme speed.It may be doubted whether the tendency, so general among naval officers, to sacrifice every consideration, not even excepting a powerful armament, to speed, is wise and justifiable.
In the debate of 1866 on the Navy Estimates, Lord Clarence Paget told the House of Commons that 'for our police of the seas, we are obliged to employ small vessels, which would be like the brigs used in the last European naval war,' adding that he had 'never heard that these brigs were condemned because they could not go as fast as frigates.'
Mr. Corry.The late Mr. Corry, than whom no higher authority