The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-04-12
@nne6ttc.
TORPEDO WAR. a
{coST1NvED.)
Ceermont, Drc. 7. 1910.

My distance from New-York having
prevented my meeting the gentlemen OF
the committee at the time they made up
their report, and being so unfortunate as to
differ with them in opinion, as to the uti
lily of torpedoes as mean of defence. i'm
addition to those usually employed against
naval armament, think il my duty in
compliance with your request, to state my
opinion with more detailed account of the
experiments, than is contained in their re
port.
On the 2lst of September, the members
of the committee met, and chose Mr.. Lii
kingston President. and Mr.. Garnett Secree
fary of the committee. Not having tn
minutes of Mr.. Garnet, shall not be a.
Bile to specify dates SO precisely as might
otherwise do.
Commodore Rodgers and Captain Chaun
Cey, and number of other naval officers
attended.
Mr.. Fulton opened the business by ex.
planning he principles of his mode of at
tack, and exhibited water proof torpedo
lock, and the model Of a boat with two NOV.
able projecting spars. al the end of which
swo torpedoes were to be fixed. twas then
agreed that the experiments should 6e
made with blank torpedoes upon the brig
Argus, lying in the East river, and at a
COW enient distance from the navy ward,
and that such defence should be made :.
esinst them, as vessel of war could ex-
eFt.
On the 26lh of September The commits
si0ners met at the navy gard, at which
time they examined the brig Argus. pre-
pared for defence against an attack by tor
pedoes.
This defence consisted of a net suspend
ed from the bows of the brig, and reaching,
= n L /.
spars dashed together and suspended from
the bow-sprit and yards, with a view to
prevent boats from coming into contact with
the vessel. The studding-sail yards and
booms were armed with kentledge and hea-
W slot. and provided with grapples tor
the purpose of sinking or seizng the attack
ing boat 1t was stated, by the officers of
che navy, that these means of defence were
such as ships of war usually possess, and
chat they could be fixed in thirty minutes,
and of this they afterwards exhibited proofs
al the request of the committee. Mr.. Full
con admitted that he was not then prepar-
cd to show how vessel thus guarded
could be attacked but that he would inves-
tigate the subject by the time of our. next
meeting. At this meeting, Mr.. Fulton ex-
hibited his harpoon torpedo, and fired it at
a target, but without the promised success,
che rope at the end Of the harpoou chang
ing its direction and preventing the point
from reaching the object at greater dis
lance thanl5 feet: at that distance, it struck
firmly into the oak plank, carrying the rope
with it MIR. Fulton also exhibited his ca
ole cutter, which consisted of small piece
OF ordnance, with a water proof lock, to
the end of which a hook for catching the
cable was adjusted : from this, an iron rod
with broad end, similar to that of a chiasel,
was fixed at a cable placed upon the ground
before it, which it Cut through.
The committee also examined the an
chored torpedoes, which consisted of piece
OF tiGber of about sixteen, to eighteen feet
long, from the bottom Of which the anchor
pope was suspended /; the torpedo was pIac-
ed within the hollow Of this timber, in such
way as not to be fired by sweeps passing
over it, nor easily taken up by them. Ii
was TO be maintained 10 It's upright position
by means of bride and small anchor.
On the 29th of September, the committee
again met at the navy yard, when an at
tempt was made by MIR. Fulton to cut a
cable under water. In order to effect this,
the cable cutter above described was sus
pended by float, but from the inexperi.
ence OF the boatmen, and their rowing down
instead OF up the tide, the float got entan-
g,ed III the anchor rope. and the gun was
discharged without cutting the cable. This
experiment was, on tho 1st of November,
rspeatedi and fourteen inch cable com
p'eteiy Cut IN two, many feet under water
tnid not see this experiment, but collect
y iron the report of the committee, and q
view OF the cable after it was cut. Lean.
ho'y tnEgeiorc, say TIC zine ,has tho boat