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113 be 100 yards and the rear ram will be 280 yards behind the line. If the same bearing be maintained for the leading ram, all three will be in one line to be enfiladed by the nearest flank of the enemy; therefore the bearing of the leader from the second is made from points placing him midway between that second and the flank of the line.
The flank ships are seemingly sufficiently covered by the two leading rams from any side attack from ahead of the line while the
(hand drawn diagram)
rear ram protects its leader and B's quarter.
The rear ram is unprotected save by itself, and this suggests that if there be any choice it should be the most manageable of the ram body, and at the same time the vessel whose loss would be least felt in general action, however valuable otherwise (Torpedocruiser). In passing it may be noted how valuable the right-ahead torpedo fire of the rear ram would be.
The search for the best arrangement and position for the rams, while not so formally conducted as the examination made for arranging the ships of the line, has nevertheless proceeded on the same lines. We have provided or tried to provide such a position
114 as that:
1st. Each Ram should be able to use its powers to to the best advantage, by giving it open way to the enemy, while leaving the rest of the fleet free to use the guns unimpeded. At the same time (la) we have been ware of placing them so as to give a needlessly good target to the enemy. The conditions of the ram power however necessitate an approach to the form of a column rather than a line.
2nd. The mutual support of all the vessels in the fleet has been kept in view, and of the whole formation only one ship (two viz: the rear rams) has no other support than itself.
We have now to consider whether the arrangement proposed will interfere with the
3rd. condition viz: the concentration of the fleet, both ships of the line and rams, for the purpose of making or meeting an attack. It has been assumed before that such a concentration must take the nature of a column of some kind; as is evident enough besides, for the fleet is already deployed and with reasonably small intervals.
For any movement forward into column the rams, being already wholly away from the front already, offer no impediment. If a movement be made by the right or left flank the rams can take up the new direction also, and five of the six and form on either flank without the smallest difficulty. Thus if the movement were
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by the right flank T2 and T3 can readily place themselves on the right flank as can all of those at the rear of the column. T, by his superior speed could, if necessary, pass ahead of the column but it would probably be better to pass round the rear. If the rams were wanted on the left flank of the new column, T3 could pass ahead of the column with ease, being pointed fair. Since the rams will not hinder the ships of the line in their movement, are they also in the best position for aiding it, so as to bring the whole force of the fleet to bear in the most powerful manner in the new formation.
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