Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-04-05

Gc1teaerEte Eofpcdoes and ArOE-ClHda,
The Washington correspondent Of the St
Louis Republican furnishes an interesting com
municsticn concerning tho Oonfsdsraie torpe.
does and iron-clsds at Charleston, which we
rave not met with in any Of our Southern ex.
changes. l. has been kindly furnished the
Petersburg Express by a friend:
REBEL T~oRPEDOEs.
Private letters received here from of Charles
ton give some interesting particulars of the
sinking Of the Housatonic by a rebel torpedo,
which do not appear in the official account. II
is not known on our side that the machine CO.
ried any crew on the contrary, it is supposed
the torpedo was Of q new kind, lately invented
by the rebels, which are rendered soil moving
by clock work, and was brought down the bar-
Dor, directed coward Tho latd vessel, and started
by the internal machinery, the conclusion be-
ing relied upon to explode il.
When first seen, about one hundred yards
from the HoussiOnic, it looked like a broad plank
upon the water, and there were no signs of its
propulsion By steam or man power. IL struck
Two minute after first seen, and exploded in
about one minute, directly under The stern. The
power Of the explosion wsS terrific, tearing out
the stern completely, breaking the gun aud spar
decks, and shGttering the huge beams shove
them. The HousAtonic sunk Immediately, the
officers and crew being pushed to save them
selves, by ascending the rigging ss she went
down.
If this torpedo was : selfmoTfng one, it is
the first instance where such machines have
accomplished any practical results, though
much time, labor and expense have been Of late
years devoted to attaining success in this peeu-
liar branch Of warfare by nearly all civilized
nations. Under these circumstance the event
must be accepted as evidence of the energy,
perseverance, and inventive genius Of the rebels,
though the application of these attributes in
such = manner is justly open to the charge Of
righteousness
H EBEL IRON CLADs.
Speaking of rebel tOrpsdoes brings to mind
other features of the situation before Charles
ton worthy of notice. Lately we have heard
considerable about the rebel iron-clsds in that
quarter, both from Fedsrsl and rebel sources.
There is no doubt hss the officers Of our iron
clad Aset expect to be compelled to accept q
challenge to combat some of these fine days
from q feet Of MerTimacs which will steam
down the Ashley aud Cooper rivers, out into
the hsrbor, and there below forth the bold de-
fance from their armament Of tho celebrated
Brooke gun and, further, there are Indications
that they do net anticipate tee result of such a
contest as certainly to be favorable to cur side.
The rebels are known to be building two or
three more iron-clads in the above rivers; there
is good reason to believe that the Chicora, Ls-
dies Gunboat, and other nondeseTipt craft, fn-
ished loag since, are now being clad with adj
iron plates. When this hass fs finished.
Il is not likely to remain behind Sumter aad
should il come out, the monentous question is,
our iTon-clads hold their own against it
Some of our officers think not. They say the
old msrTimsc, in her first CONTEXT with the little
Monitor, was provided with nothing but shells
that with these she could not injure her antago-
mist, while the latter succeeded in hitting her
below her iron plating whom grounded and ca
resned, but all efforts to penetrate her mail were
unsuccessful subsequently,, the Norfolk mon
SER being repaired, came out provided with
sohd shot, and steamed around in sight Of the
Monitor for several days without gettiog q fight
out of her. Had tho Monitor accepted a SIGHT,
the result is to be inferred from the manner in
which the solid shot and steel bolts of the rebel
guns battered up our iron-clsds in the subse-
quent engagement before Charleston.
Surprising the rebel iron clals Of tho Merri-
mac order in Charleston hArbor are able to with
the fire OF the heavy ordnance of our mon
itors, it follows that tho latter must succumb TO
tho terrific power of the Brooke gan, with is
steslpointed pTojeetiles, at close quarters. Bat
the old MsrrimAc was probably The best Of her
class ever constructed, and though her mail was
enough to resist the missiles Of the N on.
it does not follow that those lately con
struetOd by the rebels are as invulnersble. The
case Of the FingRl is altogether in oar favor;
but the experience gained ia that affair very
suggested to the rebels tbs idea of in
the strength Of their craft, and when
next they run q lit with Us tor supremacy in
construction, it may be discovered their
vessels are not SO easily disposed Of as the Sa-
abortion.