discusses chemical warfare and the ship of the line or battleship.
The ship will not attempt to project gas. Its main battery must be used for the immediate destruction of enemy vessels by means of high explosive shells.
The secondary battery and the anti-aircraft battery are required, respectively, to repel torpedo attack by destroyers and attack by airplanes; the time element prevents their use for offensive chemical warfare; also, chemicals are of little use against airplanes.
The airplanes carried by battleships are intended for observation purposes and fire control, not for the projection of chemicals.
Chemical torpedoes, as distinguished from heavy explosive torpedoes, have little value as offensive weapons.
From the viewpoint of defense against chemicals, should they be used by the enemy, gas masks and a properly designed ventilating system suffice to protect from gas shells, and toxic and obscuring smoke screens.
No additional defense is required against chemical torpedoes.
The only probable method of attack by gas is by planes from aircraft carriers, should the enemy have control of the air and succeed in avoiding the fire of the anti-aircraft battery. Smokes and toxic chemicals may then be dropped in bombs, or the chemicals may be sprayed from the plane.
The defense against such an attack is a gas alarm, protective clothing, gas masks, and control of the ventilating and air-purifying and cooling systems to prevent the transmission of the gases through the ship. Additional armor protection is not required.
J. S. H.