The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-04-19
mo 100.

dence and ardor, to extinguish he flames
and save their ship; yet the danger with
which fires ships impress an enemy, makes
them respect the ports where they are
prepared for action.
In the year 1776, Commodore Tolbere
graPPled fire ship to British two-deckx
er in the river Hudson: He set his ship
/ on fire. and returned to shore under hea-
Wy discharge of musketry and cannon WITH
/ out losing man. He failed to burn the
enemy but he drove the vessel attacked
and one of equal force, from seven allies
above New-York, down to Staten Islands
he following note is his account of this en-.
terprize. (A.)
Asst does not require so much bravery<
to make an attack with a torpedo ship.
as to grapple hre-ship to an enem;, the
use OF hre-ships proves tha' courage is to
be found to attack with those which may be
armed with torpedoes
suppose. then. two torpedo ships, fasten-
ed to each other by a chain of eighty or
one hundred feet long frrming a bride op-
posite to the fore chains. in the manner r
| arrange my floating torpedoes then to be
| sailed or hoated down on he tide, the tor
pedoes let down % feet under water
one ship steered for the larboard and one
| Tor the starboard side of the enem, F: I'm
| tins manner, the chain would cross he, ca.
Die, before which, she must either slip or
cut cable and run, or the NONE ntum O. the
torpedo ships would sheer round stern ont
wards, and press the torpedoes through he
nets under her bottom. where instant ex-
plosion would be instant death; such ar O.
! Peration gives no time for IN enemy 10 d.Iis
berate or exert themselves TO push off ar,
cut torpedo vessels adrift or TO calcplate On
getting to shore in boats. The tremendous
consequences OF explosion under a shin. de
prlves common men, such as sailors, of all
I ~ m and 49,
also influence the major part of Ulcers.
Hence, this mode of attack is in6ni,elv
more to be dreaded than sha of fire. shin.
| and Tor these reasons, an enemy will nor
care TO enter our ports to put it to The TEST.
| Should any one doubt che piacticabilit of
TINS msde OF passing torpe does through ..e,a
! and under vessel, the importance :, the
oDJect merits the experiment. l. there
fore, conserve it useless, at this time. IN or
more TN the theory
| or the aRcsored forftedoes, / have had
the pleasure to snow you the imp,oven. nts
nave made on these sine. The M et,ne of
the committee at New York, 20 give tn, m
| STABILITY under water. or q Tx. M n, nut
mem down when necessary; here isaN.rv
SIMPLE mode 90 convince ants NJ Ie.er o0
the advantage which this kiud OF rnpne
Will present, and the respoc, Tor our har
bors which 1t will create IN the mind at Am
snem\; let me put one under water ana
they who do not believe IN its effec s,.,,
put their confidence TO the proof by sailine.
over it. n6
a compound engine of this kind will coae
from $40 t" 1000 dollars; 800 of them could
Dc made Tor the fl:s Crst Of ne hin q, IN
guns Oh which $40, say 100 It New Y, rkr
loo II required, at Bos on +; 400 AZ ,eha,l-o-
ton; and 90 IN the Delaware. ia ne ,I.cas
IN the waters between the for Is or t,aiIer;ss
| -and thus tonr ports could Be guarded an
as 10 render ii impossible for the enen,,ss
shiPs 10 enter eth r of them, unless tbev
mad strength first to take possession q, ths,
land and forts, and then time to deIiberaIe-
On } In the year 17r6 I quas Caatain in
'Ne SerDtce. 81 the United Statas, at no
same time attachedto Gen. GREEN'S b,irodn
then stationed ar Lons-Lslqnd III fh;s
Time, General bd8hington 8eut far n,a
requesting that 4Osuld 4ake conmaod a.
orig 7vhich 7uas frefiared as q tire sh;m
or Uesset consented, and m The lo,ts..
fars Of rte year, lying in The river Hudaon.,
nearly chh?StteM 8nszN ripe, (Which ma
rafe8 me Island Of .Neav Yerk fjon fhA
nan tana 4 took advantage IF a. tai, 7und.
ran aoson me T'Uer 10 t7vo Brush Shins of
avar 7vh,ch lay at anchor about seyen m le.
a6ove Ne7v- York, and grahhkeda tzyo drck..
Grand. ffrhattS, arrange 10 Sav. / Lau,,,
der her SIDE, until I gof ouf offhe 1,ote,.
where I Guas forced 6y the utoLence nj tS.
Ire after (which It0ok uh a brape NAM
6y he name oJ Priestiy svho zuas aIso foro-
ca INTO the rtDer by fhe flame musrkf AMI
all my men ESCAPED in my boat 10 he -
sey shsre under u fire from the broado;d.
ana mHSquetry Of tie shin nof PrahhIeG
T~fhont The toss IF life. / zuas hozyeze,
80 much 6nrnf, that cyuld ma see the Gobs
J9r f~enfy dayS. This enterprise took hiace
40 ut 5oHr o'clock in the nornine. ondtb.
battle Of Haerlem on York Island con,-
meneed at day light on which occoo;n,n
me american arms zvcre hroba6Ly n,uch
ataed oy TIE attack NTH this one fire -shjh.
/or drove every shit Of suar out of tbs
HudS6n riUer do7vn 10 the zsaferrDe hLao.
az Staten Island, and cleared me tIycr for,
some time Of shifts IF zuar witch IL mas
eU'denf we're sent uH the river 10 ro1,e,.
the keff 7oIng IF the British arsu.
SILAS TOLBERT
October Is, 1911
+ NoTE. Mr. Golden has pery b.o.
ferIy remarked. "fhat if an ene11y (, dr;
zen to the necessity to fro ecs herseIC mir
nets from abpUe her vater line 20 NE 6ot
rom 81 the 7vc4fer in qOhich she man be co.
ehored, and (Which anil ssmetimes br IN
or more feet deep UShe must hlace roU1S
heT, 6ooms, sf1ars ken,Ledge and erah,,L
and thus trannmeL herseIf so az 10 be D,,Ss
for acttUe serviee that alone. IL n an;
eHt reason /or ad2ffiug forhedoes . g',e
the hLdn I nom hro6ose ,o 80