A.F.] TABLE I -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.|Col.| | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |----------------------------------------------------------------------------| |Value of offensive power A|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000|1000| | at beginning B|1000| 900| 800| 700| 600| 500| 400| 300| 200| 100| |Damage done in 1st A| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| 100| | period B| 100| 90| 80| 70| 60| 50| 40| 30| 20| 10| |Value of offensive power A| 900| 910| 920| 930| 940| 950| 960| 970| 980| 990| | at end of 1st period B| 900| 800| 700| 600| 500| 400| 300| 200| 100| 0| |Damage done in 2nd A| 90| 91| 92| 93| 94| 95| 96| 97| 98| | | period B| 90| 80| 70| 60| 50| 40| 30| 20| 10| | |Value of offensive power A| 810| 830| 850| 870| 890| 910| 930| 950| 970| | | at end of 2nd period B| 810| 709| 608| 507| 406| 305| 204| 103| 2| | |Damage done in 3rd A| 81| 83| 85| 87| 89| 91| 93| 95| | | | period B| 81| 71| 61| 51| 41| 31| 20| 10| | | |Value of offensive power A| 729| 759| 789| 819| 849| 879| 910| 940| | | | at end of 3rd period B| 729| 626| 523| 420| 317| 214| 111| 8| | | |Damage done in 4th A| 73| 76| 79| 82| 85| 88| 91| | | | | period B| 73| 63| 52| 42| 32| 21| 11| | | | |Value of offensive power A| 656| 696| 737| 777| 817| 858| 899| | | | | at end of 4th period B| 656| 550| 444| 338| 232| 126| 20| | | | |Damage done in 5th A| 65| 70| 74| 78| 82| 86| | | | | | period B| 65| 55| 44| 34| 23| 13| | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 591| 641| 693| 743| 794| 845| | | | | | at end of 5th period B| 591| 480| 370| 260| 150| 40| | | | | |Damage done in 6th A| 59| 64| 69| 74| 79| 85| | | | | | period B| 59| 48| 37| 26| 15| 4| | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 532| 593| 656| 717| 779| | | | | | | at end of 6th period B| 532| 416| 301| 186| 71| | | | | | |Damage done in 7th A| 53| 59| 66| 72| 78| | | | | | | period B| 53| 42| 30| 19| 7| | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 479| 551| 626| 698| 772| | | | | | | at end of 7th period B| 479| 357| 235| 114| 0| | | | | | |Damage done in 8th A| 48| 55| 63| 70| | | | | | | | period B| 48| 36| 24| 11| | | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 431| 515| 602| 687| | | | | | | | at end of 8th period B| 431| 302| 172| 44| | | | | | | |Damage done in 9th A| 43| 52| 60| 69| | | | | | | | period B| 43| 30| 17| 4| | | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 388| 485| 585| 683| | | | | | | | at end of 9th period B| 388| 250| 112| 0| | | | | | | |Damage done in 10th A| 39| 49| 59| | | | | | | | | period B| 39| 25| 11| | | | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 349| 460| 574| | | | | | | | | at end of 10th period B| 349| 201| 53| | | | | | | | |Damage done in 11th A| 35| 46| 57| | | | | | | | | period B| 35| 20| 5| | | | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 314| 440| 569| | | | | | | | | at end of 11th period B| 314| 155| 0| | | | | | | | |Damage done in 12th A| 31| 44| | | | | | | | | | period B| 31| 16| | | | | | | | | |Value of offensive power A| 283| 426| | | | | | | | | | at end of 12th period B| 283| 111| | | | | | | | | | | |etc.| | | | | | | | | |Total damage done by A| 717| 789| 800| 700| 600| 500| 400| 300| 200| 100| | B| 717| 574| 431| 317| 228| 159| 101| 60| 30| 10| -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- These tables grew out of an attempt to ascertain how the values of two contending forces change as the fight goes on.

The offensive power of the stronger force is placed in the beginning at 1,000 in each case, and the offensive power of the weaker force at 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, and 100.

These values are, of course, wholly arbitrary, and some may say imaginary; but, as they are intended merely to show the comparative strength of the two forces, they are a logical measure, because numerical; there is always some numerical factor that expresses the comparative value of two contending forces, even though we never know what that numerical factor is.

Two forces with offensive powers of 1,000 and 900 respectively may mean 1,000 men opposed to 900 men of equal average individual fighting value, commanded by officers of equal fighting ability; or it may mean 10 ships opposed to 9 like ships, manned by officers and men of equal numbers and ability; or it may mean two forces of equal strength, as regards number of men, ships, and guns, but commanded by officers whose relative ability is as 1,000 to 900.

It may be objected here that it is ridiculous so to compare officers, because the ability of officers cannot be so mathematically tabulated.