The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-18
OF " Buried Torpedo Beat or
nrieeton---Ne emnrkable Career or a
Remarkable 'Crnft, Va

keonaarkablo Graft.
In 1864 the fleet of Admiral Farragut
was blockading Mobile, whilo a heovv
land and naval attack was directed
against Charleston.
During our long defensive war n orcot
deal OF ingenuity had been expended by
Inc Coniederates upon torpedoes and
torpedo boats. The most remarkable of
1nese boats was constructed in Mobile by
Messrs. Hundley e McClintock, and
launched IN 1864; and nothing which has
gone gown into tho sen was moro won.
oer19ily or mare fearfully contrivcd to
"reak destruction and vengeance upon
!rlend ana Toe. She was built of boiler
T' uon' ana lmpervlons to water or air.
1er extreme length was about thirty
feet, with five or six feet beam, nni
about five or six feet depth of hold. In
general contour she resemblcd n cigar
sharn at both ends. She was propelled
ny screw, the shaft of which ran hori.
zontally along her hold, almost from stcm
10 stern, and was turned by the manual
1orce OF eight men, seated along it on
either side. The only hatchway was cir
cular, about two feet in diametcr, with n
low comblng around it, which was placed
we'll forward, and when desired. could
De closed by an iron cap working on
hinges and made air-tight. In tho for
ward part ct this cap was inserted n
clear glass bulls eye, through which the
pilot could sec. She was provided with
Water-tight compartments, by filing or
emptylng which she would sink or rise.
ana to enable her to rise instantly, her
oa'lastlng OF railroad bars was placed on
her bottom, outside Of her hull and by
means of keys accessible to her crew.
she would rise quickly to the surface.
Besides her rudder, which was of tha
usual form, this vessel was equipped
with side paddles or fins, which, like
those OF fish, served to guide it up or
down with reference to the surface of
the water.
10 prepare for action floating torpe-
do was secured to her stern by line
more than 100 feet long, and her crew
having embarked, the water tanks we're
filled until the boat was in eouilibrio
and almost submerged. The hatchwav
was closed, the men revolved the shaft
the captain or pilot, standing under the
hatch, steered the boat, regulating at the
same time, by the action of her lateral
Tins, the depth at which she would move.
Her greatest speed did not exceed fonr
Knots. She could remain submerged for
half an hour or On hour, without any
great Inconvenience to her crew-and
on one occasion has been known to re-
main nnder water two hours, withoutoc.
tual injury to them, although no means
were provided for procuring fresh mir
and from the moment the hatch was
closed,' tho men, thus fastened in their
living tomb, inhaled and exhaled con
tlnuously the atmosphere which was en-
closed with them. The plan of attacl,
proposed by the inventors, was to dive
beneath the keel of an enemy's ship.
hauling the torpedo after her. It's trie.
gers or sensitive primers would thus
press against the ships bottom, explode
the torpedo and inevitably sink the ship.
Not anticipating III early opportunity of
using this dangerous vessel against the
fleet OF Farragut, Gen. Maury sent her
by rail to Gen. Beauregard, at Charles
ton, believing the waters of that harbor
better suited to her peculiar construc-
tlon, while in the Ironsides, or some
other gigantic war.ship then attacking
Charleston, might be found an object
worth the great risk TO which her own
crew was exposed IN any enterprise they
might undertake in her.
Gen. Beaurcgard changed tho arrange
ment OF tho torpedo by fastening it to
the bow. Its front was Terminated bv n
sharp and barbcd lance-head. so that
when the boat was driven end on against
a ships sides, the lance head would he
forced deep into the timbers below the
water line, and would fasten the tor
pedo firmly against tho ship. Then the
torpedo boat would back off and explode
it by Il lanyard.
Gen. Beauregard's call upon the Con-
tederate fleet for volunteers to man this
dangerous craft was promptly answered
by Lieut.. Payne. II Virginian, and eight
sailors. They were soon ready for
action; and on the evening set for their
expedition, the last preparation had
been made. The torpedo boat was
lying alongside The steamer from which
the crew had embarked; she was sub
merged till tho combing of her hatch
alone was visible above the water. Her
commander, Payne, was standing in tie
hatch-way, in the act Of ordering her to
be cast OF, when the swell of passing
steamer rolled over her and sunk her in.
stnntly, with her eight men, in several
fathons of water. Lieut.. Payne spranp
out OF the hatch-way us the boat SINK
from nnder him, aud he alone was LETT
alive, In Il few 1nvs shr rr.,.. r,;ro1 ,,,1