The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-23

them up, he has invented a simple mechan-
I ism, which holds the Torpedo under water
1t any gisen depth, and for any number of
days. and when they rise. each will lock its
lever. .' so that it cannot strike fire, and the
Torpedo may be handled with perfect safe
ty."
Another species is the clock work Torpe-
do, of which it is impossible to give a descrip.
tion-but it has no outside triyger-in
lieu OF it. it has an internal "pece Of clock
work moved by spring, which being wound
mp and SO, will let the lock fire in any mum.
Der of ;.;inutes, which may be determined
within one hour" Two of these Torpedocs
may be connected by rope-and then CAR
ried under the vessel. by their rope striking
on the cabe-as detailed in the following
interesting experiment:
Blowing ut of the Brig Dorothea, on the
ISM orOet. 1906.
| To. convince Mr.. Pitt and Lord Melville that
avessel could be destroyed by The explosion of
torpedo under her bottom, a strong built Danish
brig, the Dorothea, burthen 900 tons, WAS an
chored in Walmer road, near Deal, and within a
mile of Walmer Castle, the then residence of Mr.
Pitt. Two boats, each with eight men comman.
ded by lieutenant Robinson, were put unher my
direction. prepared two empty rorpedoes in
such a manner, that each was only from two to
three pounds specifically heavier han salt water ;
and so suspended them, that they hung fifteen
feet under water. They were then tied, one to
each eRd of a small rope eighty feet long thus
arranged, and the brig drawing twelve feet of
water, the 18th OF Oct. spent in practice.
Each boat having a torpedo in the stern, they
started from the shore about mile above the brig,
rowed do Sn towards her, the uniting line of the
torpedo being stretched to its full extent the two
boats were distant from each other seventy tect ;
thus they approached in such manner, that one
boat kept the larboard, the other the starboard
side of the brig in view. So soon the connect
ing line of the iorpedoes passed the buoy of the
brig, they were thrown into the water, and car
ried on by the tide, until the connecting line
touched the briggs cable; the tide then drove
tim under her bottom. The experiment being
repeated several times, taught the men how to
act, and proved to my satisfaction, that, when
properly placed on the tide, the torpedoes would
invariably so under the bottom of the vessel j
then filsd one of the torpeuoes witt one hundred
and eighty p ,nds of powder, .ard set its clock
work to Is minutes. Every thing being ready,
the experiment WAS announced for the next day
the 18th, at five o'clock in the afternoon. Ur
gent business had called Mr. Pitt and lord Mel
vile to London. Admiral Holloway, sir Sidney
Smith, captain Owen, capt. Kingston, col Con
greve, and the major part of the officers of the
, fleet under the command of lord Keith were
present at forty minutes past four the
boats rOwed towards the brig, and the tor
pedoes were thrown into the water the tide
> carried them, before described, under the
> bottom OF the brig, where, at the expiration
, of eighteen minutes, the explosion appeared ia
raise the ship bodily about six feet she separat
ed in the middle, and the two ends went down
D in twenty seconds, nothing was to be seen other
excepting floating fragments; the pumps and
< foremost were blown out of her the fore top
sail yard was thrown up to the trees the
fore CHAIN plates, with their bolts, were tori
: from her Sides the mizen. chain-plates anc
., shrouds, being stronger than those OF the fore
mast, or the shock being more forward than aft
the mizenmast WAS broke of in Two places these
: discoveries were made by means of the pieces
: which were found afioat.
s :" The experiment was of the most satisfact Or,
= kind, for ii proved fact much debated and den
I ed, that the explosion of sufficient quaint
S ty OF powder under the bottom of vesse
D would destroy her. There is now no doubt
left on any intelligent mind TO this most inpor
tant OF all facts connected with the invention o.
torpedoes and the establishment of This fac
| alone, merits the expenditure OF millions of dol
lars and years OF experiment, were it yet necessa
ry, to arrive at system otpractice which shall
sure success to attacks, with such formidable en-.
gines.
For America consider it afortunate circum
stance, that this experiment was made in Eng
land, and witnessed by more than a hundred res
pectable and brave officers of the British navy
: Tor should Congress adopt torpedoes a part Of
our means of defence, lords Melville, Castle
reagh, and Mulgrave, have good knowleds re II
: their combination and effect. Lord Crenville
earls Grey, and st. Vincent, have on their mind
strong IMPRESSION of their probable consequent
ces, Sir Home Popham, sir Sidney Smith, anc
colonel Congreve, the latter now celebrated fo
his ingenious invention of Pyrosechnc arrows, OF
:, rockets, were my friends and companions in tax
. experiments they are excellent and brave men
and from my knowledge of those noblemen ant
gentlemen, and their sentiments on this subject
:, can predict, that they would feel much dispo
sed to respect the rights, would they entel
d, the waters of nation who should use such en-
e gines with energy and effect.
- his fortunate experiment left not the leas
: doubt on my mind, that the one which mad.
iii the harbor of Newly in August 1907
, would be equally successful. The brig on thi.
OCCASION, was anchored, the torpedoes prepared
and put into the water in the manner before des
; cribed the tide drove them under the brig neal
her keel, but in consequence of the locks turn
ing downwards, the powder fell out of the pan,
and they both missed fire. Tins discovery OF ar
error in the manner of fixing the i0;cts -
torpedo, las been corrected. On the second -.
tempt, the torpedo missed the brig the explos;.
on took place about one hundred wards from her
and threw up column of water ten feet diane
ter, sixty or seventy feet high On the third At
tempt she was blown up: the effect and resul,
much the same as that of the Dorothea b.for.
described About two thousand persons ,vere
witnesses TO this experiment. Thus, in tic
course OF my experiments, two briggs. each M
1.-TWO hundrd tons, have been blown I'M. The
'racticabty of destroying vessels by this means,
has besn fully proved. 1t is also proved. n, -
4 he Mechanism, Nui N'-''e