The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-27 00:00:00

TORPEDO BOATS.

The following account of torpedo boats and torpedc,
shooting in the German Navy is from the Vossiche
Zeitung : In no previous year have the experiments
with torpedo boats and in torpedo shooting assumed
such dimensions in the German Navy as in the late
naval manceuvres. Not only were all the ironclads
provided with torpedo shooting apparatus, but a
special torpedo boat division was formed, which
joined the squadron at the end of July, another ex-
perimental division being added later for the testing
of the new torpedo boats. This year's experience has
enhanced the favourable opinion of the value of the
submarine weapon for the protection of the German
coast. The idea of putting one or two torpedo
boats on board every large ironclad seems to
have been finally abandoned. It is found
preferable to make these boats larger and more
seaworthy, and to attach them to the iron-
clad squadron as a floating apparatus. In distant
expeditions in which torpedo boats could not be dis-
pensed with the boats would have to be sent on
sp7cial transport ships. This year's manceuvres have
confirmed the conviction that colossal ironclads can
be sunk by a single blow from a torpedo. Even in
bright moonlight nights and with keen vigilance no
ship is safe within reach of a hostile coast plentifully
supplied with torpedo boats, especially if at anchor.
Even in motion the blockading ships will not be safe,
for the torpedo boats can follow them, and will
recognise their victims by the lights which the
enemy, if be sail in squadron, will not be able to dis-
pense with. A stricken ship even with watertight
compartments becomes hors de combat, for she be-
comes motionless. No strengthening of her armour,
such as Admiral Symonds recommends in the Eng-
lish Navy, can hinder this. As far as one can see at
present there are no means of securing even the
mightiest battle ships which modern science has
built against the annihilative effect of a surprisal
by torpedo boats. Watch boats have been tried
surrounding the ships at a distance of 500 metres,
but experience has shown that even on moonlight
nights and with crews fresh from their sleep they do
not suffice to secure the threatened ship. Just as
little has the idea of drawing a submarine guard of
,wire nets round resting ships yielded practically
useful results, while this fence will always entail the
disadvantage that if the ships are attacked they
cannot move, and are consequently rendered almost
defenceless. Thl bcats themselves are difficult to hit,
and have in torpedo shooting the advantage over big
ships, that it is easy to give them the direction which
they must have if the torpedo is to hit. They can be
used with effect, however, only when they can surprise
the enemy under veil of night or fog or powder
smoke, or by darting out from a hiding place on
the coast. As to the torpedo itself, experiments
with the different kinds have clearly proved
that the German Navy alone possesses the
most death-dealing torpedoes. The German Navy
uses a torpedo invented by a captain of the Austrian
Navy. The secret of the invention was bought by the
German Admiralty for 180,000 marks (.E9000), and
then the further perfecting of the weapon was taken
in hand 'by the navy itself. It has now attained
singular perfection, and is one of the wonders of
modern times. For non-experts it is always a puzzle
how the fish torpedo can be steered under water.
Being a kind of underwater ship, able to move both
horizontally and vertically, its steering apparatus is
duplex. The apparatus which keeps its course
horizontal is not automatic, and does not differ in
principle from the helm of a ship. The mechanism,
on the other hand, which keeps it at the desired depth,
is automatic. In the details of its construction lie the
importance and the main secret of the German
torpedo.