The Shasta courier., 1870-10-29
AS q nts.
DISCOVERY Ot A BURIED rORPEpo
BOAT OFF CHARLES ON-Ni.E
SkEt Ell Ms AT THE WHEEL
DEAD CAPTAIN WITH CANDLE
IN His HAND-REM aRKABIE CA
REi.R of 4 REMARK ABLE CRAFT

~ u
IN His HAND-REM aRKABIE CA
REi.R of REMARK ABLE CRAFT
In 1864 the feet of Admiral Falragu'
was blockadin. Mobile, while heavy land
and naval attack was directed against
! harloston.
!'uring cur long defensive wa a great
deal Of ingenuity had been expended by
the goniederdtes upon to ednes and tor
l.e,ic boats
The mes rcniarkab of these boats was
constru Ted IN iobiie Messrs iiundley
4 McCliiioek, and launched IN 1864 anu
nothing which has gone d'wE mo the sea
was more WI d..fuiiy or more fearful y
contrived 10 wr. ak destruction and ven
geance upon friend ur foe
She Was built of boiler iion aud lmper-
vious to water or air. Her extreme length
was about thirty feet. with Eve or six beam
and about thirty feet depth of hold 10
general contour Che resembed a cigar.
sharp at both ends She was propelled by
screw, the shaft Of which ran horizon
tally along her back from stem to stern.
and was turned by the annual force OF
eight mon. seated along on either side
The only h tchway was circular, about
two feet in diameter. with low comb ny
around it, which was placed well forward
and when desired could be closed by an
iron cap working o. hinges and made air
tight.
IN the forward part of this cap was in
serted a clear -sllss bulls eye.- through
which the pilot eou d see, She was pro-
vided with waterlight compartments by
filling or emptying which she could sink or
rise aud to enable her to rise instantly her
hallasting Of railroad bars was placed On
her bottom. outside OF her hull, and by
means Of keys accessible to her crew could
be detached in moment So that she
would rise quickly to the surface
Besides her rudder. which was of the
usual form, this vessel was equipped with
side paddles OF fins which, like these of
fish, served 10 guide il up or down with
reference to surface of the water.
To prepare for action, floating torpedo
was secured to her stern by line more
than one hundred feet long and the crew,
having embarked, the water tauks were
filed until the boat was in equilibrio aud
almost submerged | he hatchway was
closed. the men revolved the shaft, the cap
tain or pilot, standing under. the hatch,
steered the boat, reulating. at the same
time. by the action of her literal fins, the
depth at which she would move a
Her greatest speed did not exceed four
knots She could remain submerged for
half an hour or an hour, without any great
Inconvenience to her crew-aHd on one oc-
casion has been known to remain under
water two hours without actual injury to
them, although no means were provided
for procuriu fresh air, and from the mo-
ment the batch was closed the men thus
fastened in their living tnnib inhaled and
exhaed continuously the atmosphere which
was enclosed with them.
The plan of attack proposed by the in
ventors was to dive beneath the keel Of an
enemy ship hauling the torpedo after her
Its triggersef sensitive primers would thus
press against the ships bott IN, expl de
the torpedo and inevitably sink the ship.
Not anticipating an early opportunity of
using this dangerous v, ssel against the feet
of Farragut General Maury sent her by
rail to General Beauregard at Charleston.
believing the waters of that harbor better
suited to her peculiar construction, while
III the lronsides, or some other gigantic
war ship then attacking 'hareston, might
be found an object worth the great risk to
which her Own crew was exposed in any
enterprise they might undertake in her
General Beauregard changed the ar
rangement oi the torpedo by fastening 1t
To the bow Its front was terminated by
sharp and barbed lance-head, 50 that when
the boat was driven end against ships
sides the lance~head would be forced deep
into the 'imbers> below the water hue. and
would tasten the torpedo firmly against the
ship. Then the torpedo boat would back
of and explode by a tanyan.
General Beauregard's call upon the Con-
tederate feet for volunteers to man this
dangerous craft was promptly answer d by
Lieutenant Payne. ViRinian, aud ei4h
-ailors They were soon ready for action;
and on the evening set for their expedition
the last preparation had been made
l nc oo' Peuo podt was iying dio"Sriue &c
steamer from which the crew had embarked,
she was subdued until the c"mbing Of her
hatch alone was visible above the water
Her commander. Payne, was standing IN
the hatehwsy, in the act Of ordering her
to be cast of when the swell of passing
steamer rolled over her and sunk her IN
stantly, with her eight men. in several
fathoms of water Lieut.. Payn. sprang
out OF the hatchway as the boat sank from
under him and he alone wasleft alive.
Ins few days she was raised and again