'The principal difficulty in arming torpedo boats, particularly the light second-class, is the extra weight which a gun and an adequate supply of ammunition entails, and the consequent loss of speed thereby occasioned, but it would appear that the value of a gun armament outweighs to a great extent this disadvantage. The requirements of such armament may be summed up as follows: 1. A minimum weight of armament and ammunition supply. 2. The smallest possible number of men to work the guns. 3. Sufficient power of projectile to perforate and put hors de combat any existing torpedo boat, or other similar boat. 4. Rapid fire and great facility of pointing during the swiftest motions of the boat. 5. The use of the same ammunition carried by the machine gun armament of larger vessels, so that the supply of the torpedo boats may be replenished from their magazines if necessary. 6. A fore-and-aft fire, and if possible an all-round fire, so as to provide equally for an attack or retreat. 7. The smallest possible reactions and vibrations from firing so that no special strengthening of the existing torpedo boats may be required in order to stand the shock of the discharge.