The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-01-10
Submarine Warfare.

From the London Review, Dec. H.
Few things the present American conflict have been
much spoken Of and have produced such small results
a. the much dreaded "torpedoesn One, several weeks
ago. was exploded Charleston harbor under the bows
and extngushed the engine fires, but without njuring
the hull Another, early in the present year. exploded
under transport in the Yaz0o river and destroyed her
But though the Confederate coast, harbors rivers
have been described thcky planted with these agen
abandoned by the federas out OF sheer terror or
encountering this unknown danger, these
result has been Elected This indeed Was aa
mitted by Captain Maury in the OF the discus.
sioDs a. the late meetings Of the British Association
Our own experience IN this species Of Is somewhat
similar. We have never indeed, attempted stationary
explosive vessels, for the sufficient that
not in the habit Of standing merely on tho defensive the
only situation in which they would be serviccsbe But
when sought TO attack the French 6otilla At Bouognc
BY means Of casamarsns. as they caed--vessels
forty barrels OF gunpow DER loaded till hcy 1oated
Lowell with the surface and fitted with clockwork
the explosion any given number OF minutes being
cut adrif and sent with the tide among the epemys
selsony one proved elective, the rest blew up harm
before Lord Cochrane prepared in The AK roads
FIVE "explosion vessels" filed with fifteen hundred
shells and grenades only performed its properly
though IN that single case the violence OF the ehocK
great that II broke into fragments the boom
which guarded the harbor, and drove the French in
terror from their ships while the II raised almost
s.amped the gallant author Of the device in the small
boat IN which The crew were pulling for their lives from
the vessel after The fuses had been lighted. Perhaps
therefore, even in the case OF with Russia need
feel any very great the new deiences with
which Crorstadt s being surrounded which consist
cordDg to the last advices, OF numbersss torpedocs,
each containing seventy pounds CT powder sunk in the
channel and OF mysterious submarine boat, composed
OF two hundred tons OF iron and Steel which " 10 attack
Our chips in that part which IN them as in the human
subject, is least capable Of defence.
The confederate devices differ from these anticGated
arrangements IN other respects besides the fact OF their
Ue,ns s,aSnsy 0or explosion ressss and csama,ans
under IL, and at fxed period after being fred whie
theirs are Submerged and intended 70 explode being
touched by the hostile ship But whether IL is that the
machinery for this purpose 10 too delicate and becomes
easily deranged or that the tody OF the
shock aud It's object deadens i,s effect the result seems
singulary Ineffective. new agent, however, is likely
soon 20 be introduced which may modify this result II
has been sscertaned that gup cotton, properly pre-
pared viii act with immense violence through distance
Of several feet OF water II possesses a quslitY which
can De gwen TO gunpowder only in very limited degree
OF having It's rapdity u Inflammation aud consequent
mode Of action very easily modified 10 sut the special
purpose for which u s designed. II may he made either
sISw ana, a were, prosress,vey Or ~
rent results slow explosion s best fitted lit heavy
masses, as in mining or used large guns; rapid
ls most elective IA SCATTERING Ia the immediate neigh
oorno0d mus several ounces OF gunpowder may be
fred upon porcelain plate without injuring a. but
a single drop Of chloride OF nitrogen will grind Il
into minute fragments Gunpowder, indeed. when
used large Quantities even in the opeu
the large body OF air which must be moved by the be.
rated gases drives their effect IN part against the moro
solid obstacles 10 the neghborhood Thus the gate Of
explosion o. bag Of gunpowder nailed against H. And
no doubt u such bag could be brought Immediately
aga me- ships side. would be easily stove IN But
the interpretation OF the supplies buffer the ex.
pos on has rather the eject Of strong sudden pres
sure tbau Of blow; tie effect Is rapid but that
TIE wster can move partiy out or the way, and
. communicating 10 . this motion the power Of
The gunpowdcr is lost. Gun cotton, however
wbch specially prepared and confined in n box
cSplodcs with an instantaneous action almost
equal 70 that OF chloride Of nitrogen the water has not
time 10 move away. and tho bow IS thus transmitted
sharply ~ bv hammer striking end OF an iron rod
20 y spcssibe that this new explosive material may
render "ioFpedoes' hereafter little more lively and
active ihan they have yet been.
Meantime, however, some eyper rnens conducted last
year ~ tne officers or the Excellent a, Portsmouth
winch have lust been published 10 the appendix 10 the
report o. lne Ordnance Committee, open up n field
Tor speculation. II . well known that gun be fred
the being that the impetus acquired by The gases
brought 10 sudden check by the resistance of the
water and before the water move away the blow
has bursl The piece But II Tho gun we're wholly sub.
crsed he reason would not bold for there would then
ho sudden check and the imnloblity OF the water
would be gradually overcome while The combustion of the
pow ier prosaeds, having indeed much the elect
dauie rr ircbe ghCiIng the gun. Tho proposal bns,
crecrc. often been made that we fhoud try the cect
q gln thus tired under water but ~ has not TN
&c af ~ 20 know boen put 20 decisive proof The ex
pefhaenss A. portsmouth, conducted Ia this
sstBo vac erected In the harhor within tho tdennrk;
o. ttS an Al aFtroug il0poupdcr mounted, loaded
ana aimed NJ low water at target placed also within
tie rec " The lids When both gun and target were
covered ~ tbs .ntcy 70 depth Of sx feet .he gun vss