The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-18
TohRDoEs.'
NEW YonE, April IS, 1910.

lGENTLEMEN,
Being informed that you have
wished to see the experiments previous to
The rising ofcongress on the 23d inst. beg
leave to state to you my reasons why they
could not be made in a satisfactory manner
in so short time as from the passiHg of the
bill to the adjournment of your body this
spring. There are not many gentlemen
who doubt that torpedo will blow up a
ship of any size or strength. providedit can
be got under her bottom But many are of
opinion that by means of booms, spars ropes,
chains or nets, vessel may be so guarded,
that a torpedo or torpedoes cannot be got
under her.. 1t is therefore interesting that
those and other modes of defence. which
may be discovered, should be put to the test
OF experiment For this purpose, time must
be given to collect from the officers of the
navy their several plans of defence, and if
any embarrassing distractions should be cou-
trived, Unjust have time to see i'll can devise
means to destroy them or avoid them, in
sending the Torpedoes under the bottom of
the ship. AS cannot foresee all the obsta-
cles which may be presented, Drudge ofthe
time necessary to overcome them, the eX-
periments should be commenced in a salts
factory and systematic manner, SO as to Sc
cure a fair investigation, and a necessary cx-
pertinent ON every plan of defence ard at
tack. AS such details may require whole
summer, and should have the advantage of
good weather, l have proposed to the score
tary of the navy the following mode of pro-
lceeding. First, that the investigations and
experiments on distractions, defesce and at
tack, be made in the harhor of New York,
in which city / can have the aid of my own
workmen to construct machinery. Second,
that committee be appointed of the follow
ing gentlemen Messrs. Oliver Wolcott and
Cadwalder Golden of this city, gentlemen of
federal politics chancellor Livingston and
governor Lewis of this state, republicans
colonel Williams of the engineers, Mr.. Can
| ct and Dr. Kemp, mathcmaticians gentle
men OF such high responsibility and acknow
lodged talents, will penetrate to truth, aud
make report which should satisfy all par
ties. That commodore Rogers and such of
ticers of the navy as the secretary of the
navy will please to name, and can with con-.
venience, will attend the committee tostate
their modes of defence.-That circular
letter be addressed 70 the principal officers Of
the navy, requesting from them memoirs and
plans of the measures they would adopt, to
defeat attacks with torpedoes while vessels
are at anchor or under sail. The OBJECTIONS
being received shall be examined before the
committee, and such as require it shall be
proved by experiment if after the ccmbi-
nations OF ropes, chains, booms, sp9rs, nets,
&c. have been investigated and experiment.
ed, 1t shall appear that can defeat all such
precautions, ard send the torpedoes under
| the bottom of the vessel, the report of the
committee containing the plans, details and
| experiments, should be satisfactory to con
gress, as tar as relate Ito such means of de-
fence, and it will be unnecessary to repeat
them on the meeting of congress III autumn.
At which time Ipropose that vessel in the
Potomac be put under the direction of the
opponents to the system, for them to load and
strengthen in such manner as they may
deem a most effectual resistance that they
anchor her and put out their nets or booms,
or put her unde, weigh, back her. or fill her
at pleasure, and believe shall shew in all
cases the torpedo will go under her, and
that shall not fail to blow herup. IF l
succeed to defeat all precautions before men
toned, it follows that the ship will have no
other moCe of defence than the fire from her
cannon and small arms her boats cannot
defend her, for she cannot put out a suffici-
Ientnumberto contend with 80 or 40 torpedo
boats. That the fire from her cannon and
small arms cannot protect her, has been prov
ed by hundreds of instances of.boarding YES
sells from boats, where the danger was much
greater than it can be in harpooning, and by
examples ofvalor in taking re doubts or for
t6cations by storm. If all other difficult
ties be surmounted, the experiment of pos
| tive attack must be left to time of actual
| war.
! You will perceive that to do justice to the
experiments, some months may be required,
that consequently they could no. be perform
ed during the present session of congress. -
1t is justice due to your liberality, and du j..
| ty which owe to the nation and to the arts,
that nothing may be left undone which may
lead to fair investigation Of the power ~
torpedoes. / have never wished the go.
vernment to adopt them as a means Of de-
fence until their utility shall be proved by
satisfactory experiment. My whole time
| and attention are now directed to WAYS and
means to secure success. And / have the
| pleasure TO inform you that every plan of
booms. chains, nets, &c. which 1 have vet
seen instead of being obstructions, will by
new combination on my part, really facii
tate my operations, and enable me &c destroy
a vessel with much less risk of my men than
if she had no such tackle. j have thought
proper to mention my having made such i'm
provements, that gentlemen opposed to the
system may exert themselves to devise
means of defence. and shall feel much o.
bliged to those who will have the goodness
to send me their objections or plans of dc
fence by drawing or letter directed TO me at
| New York. To this, hope there can be
no objection, as all plans of attack or defence
which may be discovered must become pub
| lie. hope, gentlemen, to lay before you
in autumn such report on the experiment