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which will be able to maintain their relative speed, and be handled
with certainty, in all kinds of weather in which a decisive fleet
action is likely or possible to occur; say up to a single or [erased]
double reefed topsail breeze, such will undoubtedly be and continue
the principal factors in all naval tactics. A large vessel al-
ways has had, and always will have, the superiority over numerous
small vessels, because the former is power concentrated (in the
hands of one man) the latter is power diffused. Near a hostile
coast, under favorable circumstances, a large ship may be overwhelm-
ed by an immense presponderance of numbers, just as frigates in rare
instances have been beaten down, when becalmed, by a multitude of
funboats; or as large corvettes at anchor and carelessly [handled -crossed out]
watched have been cut out by a mulititude of armed cutters; but
vessels thus taken have usually been paid for more dearly, in lives
at least, than when captured in a more usual manner. Still the
clouds and swarms of torpedo boats (and torpedo cruisers), as it is
common to speak of them must be considered. It will be remembered
that we are dealing with deep sea fighting, between fleets that
are cut loose from their home ports and harbor resources.
HERE I DISCUSS SMALL TORPEDO BOATS [underlined] IN COMPARISON WITH HEAVY [underlined]
TORPEDO-RAMS [underlined]
The torpedo cruiser, being a sea going vessel, I need not furth-
er consider. If not in detail, in general principle, it is the same
as the ram I have advocated, possessing very great speed and operat-