Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-07-03

The ATLANTA AND HzR ToRPEDo-A Port
Royal correspondent Of the Philadelphia IN
qlarsr in an account Of her construction and
armament has the following
Upon seeing the white fac. Captain Rodgers
Immediately despatched Captain Harmony Of
tie WeehaWken, In a small boat 10 the Atlanta,
70 receive her commanders sword and take pos
session Of her in the name Of the navy Of the
United States. IS soon as Captain Harmony
arrived on boari he received the sword of Cap
tain Webb, hauled down the new CONFEDERATE
flag which was flying at her stern, and ran up
our own victorious ensign He then went for
ward and was ordering his men q cast anchor,
when Captain Webb exclaimed, For Gods
sake, captain, don't cast of these anchors. We
have a torpedo uult rneath this bow" Captain
Harmony turned % him with the Utmet rr7-
cblla7ce and said, q" don't care ANYTHING
about your torpei0es. can stand them # you
can, and if you don't wish TO be blown mp with
ne, you had better tel me how 70 raise the t1r-
pedo.'
To this Capt. Webb readily assen,ci, and CALI
Ing some Of bis men. pulleys were attached 20 q
large iron rod which ran out from the PROV, and
soon there appeared coming ont of the water q
huge torpedo attached 20 the end Of this rod,
which projected thirty Ieet beyond the bow
Capt Harmony ordered his men 10 carefully re-
move the cap from the torpedo and then fiji it
with water, in order that the powder might De
destroyed. This was done, and the torpedo.
holding fifty pounds Of powder, was raised alott
on this rod. and was secured no an angle If about
forty-ive degrees from the deck.
TIE ToBTEDo ARRANGEMENT
It is evident that the rebels have taught ms
lesson on the torpedo subject, as connected with
ir0n-cllds from which We may well afford %
learn Il has been n question how % torTelo
could be safely carried in front Of vessel with
out interfering with is steering and other move
ments, and be at the same time secure from OK
plosion until the proper time. The Atlanta ;0r-
pelo gearing solves the question. The forward
par; Of the ram Of the Atalanta Is solid iron. 20
feet in length. AMI so0ver-lai by steel bars. with
their ends protruiing below the cutwlter, that
huge steel saw is formed, which would cut any
wooden CuubOat in existence. This ram NJ It's
bow end comes TO point IL may so call II.
about two inches square
From the deck Of this iron ram, just ahead Of
It's iuncture with the vessel. arises a strong iron
bar with a rivo, a; is top. 90 which is attached
a massive iron boom which runs lust over the
rams PROV, and then forming an elbow it de-
sends three feet below the water line, whore IL
forms another elbow, ana then running ont some
two feet, it forms at its end powerful socket or
ring. In this socket Is firmly inserted another
iron boom, which extends beyond the s1cke, IS
feet, and at its end Is hung the torpedo. all cap
ped and ready for the explosion.
From this cap runs M insulated wire si.u. the
boom and ending in the pilot house, where are
the necessary electrical arrangements. with which
the pilot can explode the torpedo as soon as il
was run under a vessel 1ou ON hqri1v con-
,eive Of more perfect or efficient engine Of de-
strucuon than such a torpedo and thus carried
The iron ram Is also savage enough IL It's appear
luce, and would saw q hole ~ a wooden vessel
without much difficulty.