The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-11-04
Misfellauenas.
Death Beneath the Wave.

In 1864 the fleet of Admiral Farragut
was blockading Mobile. while q heavy
land and naval attack was directed against
Charleston. During our long defensive
war n great deal OF ingenuity had been
expended by the Confederates upon tor
pedoes and torpedo boats. The most re.
inarkable of these boats was constructed
In Mobile by Messrs. Hundley & McClin-
took, and launched in 1864; and nothing
which has gone down into the sea was
moro wonderfully or more fcarfully con-
triyed to wrcak destruction and vengeance
upon friend and foe. She was built OF
boiler iron. and impcrvious to water or
air. Her extreme length was about thir-
ty feet, with five or six feet beam, and
about five or six feet depth Of hold. In
general contour shc resemblod n cigar.
sharp Mt both ends. She was propelled
by n screw. the SHAFT of which ran hori-
zsntally along her hold. almost from stern
TO stern. and was turned by the manual
force of eight men, seated along 1t on ci-
ther side. The only hatchway was circu-
lar, about two feet In diameter, with q low
combing around 1t, which was placed well
forward, und when desired could be closed
by an iron cap working on hinges and
made air-tight. '. ..
In the forward part of this cap was in
serted q clear glass bulls eyo, through
which the pilot could sec. She was pro-
vided with water-tight compartments, by
filling or emptying which she would sink
or rise, and to enable her to riso instantly
her ballasting of railroad bars was placed
on her bottom, outside OF her hull, aud by
means of keys accessible to her crew
could be detached In moment 50 that
she would rise quickly to the surface. Be-
sides her rudder, which was Of the usual
form, this vessel was equipped with side
paddles or fins, which, ike those OF n
fish, served to guide 1t up or down with
reference to tho surface of the water. To
prepare for action, n floating torpedo was
secured to her stern by limo more than
one hundred feet long. and her crew fay-
ing embarked, the water tanks werc filled
until the boat was ia equtiibrio and almost
submerged. The hatchway was closed.
the man revolved the shaft, the captain or
pilot. standing under the hatch. steerod
the boat, regulating at the same time, by
the action OF her lateral fins, the depth ut
which she would move. Her greatest
speed did not exceed four knots. She
could remain submerged for half nm hour
or an hour. without any great inconyeni-
ence to her crow, and on one occasion has
been known to remain under water two
hours without actual injury to them. al
though no means were provided for pro-
curing fresh mir. and from the moment
tho hatch was closed tho men thus flsten.
cd in their living tomb inhaled and ex-.
hausted continuously the atmosphere
which was enclosed with them. The plan
of attack proposed by the inventors was
To dive beneath the, keel Of an enemy's
ship, hanling the torpedo aflsr her. Its
triggers or sensitive primers would thus
press against the ships bottom, explode
the torpedo and inevitably sink tho
ship.
Not anticipating an early opportunity
OF using this dangerous vessel against tho
fleet Of Farragit Gen. Maury sent her by
rail to Gen. Beauregard at tChnrlcstown.
believing the waters Of that harbor better
suited to her peculiar construction, while
In tho Ironsides, or sOmo other gigantic
war ship then attacking Chsrlestown.
might be found nm object worth tho great
risk to which her own crew was exposed
In any enterprise that might undertake In
her. Gen. Beanrcgard. changed the ar
rangoment Of the torpedo by fastening Il
to the bow. Its front was terminated by
sharp and barbcd lance-hesd.' 50 that
when the boat was driven end 90 against
the ship. Then the torpedo boat would
back or and explode II byn laodyard.
Gen. Be.uregards call upon the Coufeder-
ate heet Cor volunteers 70 man this dan
gerous crah was prolnptly answered by
Lieut., Payne. n Virginian and eight sail
ors. They were soon ready for action
and on the evening set for their cxpedi
ton, the Last preparation had been made.
The torpedo boat was lying alongside tho
steamer from which tho crow had em.
barkcd she was submerged till tho comb