New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-25
TORPEDOES.

CONDITION OF THE TOkfEDO ololEh
Orders have Just been received at the Brook
ivn Nayy-Yard 10 tbs United States screw frigate
Colorado with torpedo appliances, and also TO put the
same npon each Of her two steam launches
This is the first IN the history Of our navy that
largo vessel has been sent out having this powerful
weapon Of onse attached TO her part Of her equip
ment aud Il IL the forerunner Of what Is 10 be done
10 all OF our naval By the adoption Of the torpedo
system the offensive power OF vessels is Increased
many fold, and 10y told dash and the proper appi'
cation OF this terrible Weapon an eneny's ship be she
either wood inpenetrable ron-clad, is completely
at the mercy Of her antagonist The fitting OF The Colo
rado tho flag ship Of the East India Squadron with the
torpedo apparatus viii astonh European naval powers
and them that this difficult problem is solved TO the
extent that it has been rendered practicable ana saie
The Colorado Will carry out quite number OF tese ma
chimes. Lieutcnant- Commander Edmund q. Mathews
chief of the Torpedo Corps Is at the hard n
struetug Lieutenant Commander IL. f. Pickering III INC
use aud application u the torpedo.
Quietly but surely the Navy Department has oeen
developing system Of warfare which will probably rem
der navy most powerful ana destructive IN tue
world. This system, while 1t may not DC tealeu Oh IN
detail. has a history alike and interesting TO the
general publc. The first person who appears 10 nave
practically tested submarine shells was David Bush
pei born In Connecticut about l742 Ia lT76 he de-
vised a machine for blowing up ships. and named II
Torpedo or American Turtle from its resemblance Ia
form 10 the upper shell OF the turtle. Two o: these shells
contain the opcrsor with air enough to support him
about 30 Minutes The. portion OF the IN.
strument occupied by him was close cham
ber poudug the head Of the animal and IN this
seated ia proper position TO use an oar for pro-
pulson The instrument furnished with ballast and
provided with force pumps that could he made to
sink or rise at pleasure. The powder magazine was con
etructed OF oak, followed sufficiently 10 contain $50
pounds and arranged at the stern Of the machine
IL this magazine gunlock and olock'work for op
Grating the Intention Of The Inventor TO attach
the magazine the vessel to be destroyed by screw
under the coniro OF the operators attendant, whose
duiy It was after making the attachment, and mned
acly before casting o. start the cockwork the latter
being timed that the explosion could not take place
until the aeudant had reached safe distance from the
vessel Bushnell had the hatlhood TO attempt with this
singular machine the dest rqction of the British sigun
ship Eaelc. commanded by Lord Howe, then lying in
Ncw-YCrk lulhor. Fortunately for the Eagle, the at
tempt faded, owing. was supposed, TO the screw
striking bar iron In the bottom Of the vessel The
operator cast Of Tho machine Governors Island
and in about hour IL exploded throwing mp vast
column Of water. the great alarm Of those board
tie British Shil.
In l777 Mr.. Bushnell made attempt to blew up the
British rgate Ccrberus in New London harbor. In this
ease the machine attached 10 a rope with the view
of drifting against the frigate but 1t was driven across
the bows OF a schooner by and exploding blew
that vessel to pieces 1t Bushnell ALSO who. in De-
cemher i77 attempted destroy the British vessels In
The Delaware and his attempt rise to the ballad OF
TIE Battle of the Kegs" by Francis Hopknson Most
Of the kegs exploded among the Ice and gave the British
big scareso much that for days they fred upon
sny object they floating down the river.
Robert Fulton, during residence Of years in
Paris with joel Barlow. beginning in 1871. directed his
attention submarine warfare and devised instru-
mont which he termed the "Nautllus," connected with
which machines termed submarine bOabs, after
ward called ped0os, from Bushuells prior Inventions
Fulton offered his Invention several times TO the French
Government without meeting with much encourage
nent Ia 1901 nc opened negotiations with the British
Government. which induced hm to visit London. where
he lad ~ interview With Mr. Pitt and Lord Melville to
whom be explained his invention. Mr.. Pitt declared
that the Torpedo introduced into practice, would
nihilae al military marines" while Lord Melville
demned the Nautus without moments consideration.
IN the wing June commission appointed. at the
head Of which SI Joseph Banks who declared the
subioarne boat TO be npractcabe. In October 1905,
' III; 70 eSperimen on Danish orls OF
der. In fifteen minutes after the application OF the
charge the c l0sOu took place, and the brig blown
into fragments. Despite his succcss Fulton doomed
be disappointed far Government patronage was
concerned. and 10 abandoned the affair." returned tho
United States aud i've years later published this city
pamphlet Gu Torpedo War ard ssHRAdS liberty i Of
viii be happiness 10 the earth" From FultOn's
Hast efforts TO Introduce the torpedo system into the de-
fense Of fInec aud England time elapsed before
he prepared 10 develop his plans in this
Try, bat finally Ia 1907 he renewed his experiments
and made two attempts to destroy kthe brig Argus
in New-YoiS HarhOr. The first attempt failed.
owing 20 the powder the pans OF the locks becoming
wet and the second failed owing the torpedo missing
tho bring and exploding a distance 100 yards from
her. Tho third attempt successful and tho
was the IN tire OF Danish brig Dorothea
which blown up infrOnt Of Walmer Castle. tho resi-
dence OF Lord Pitt. IT was Fulton who proposed to
anchor torpedOes I'm channeways and cause them to ex
plode by "a vessel passing them. The Rebels evi
IDENTIFY copied TIE plans of Fulton the submarine tor
pedoes which were found at Columbus, KY, In 1861
The late Col Colt presented plans 10 the United States
Government for system OF torpedoeswhlch, however.
we're passed by, Notwithstanding they were acknowl
edged to be Of great power and effect.
The Russians the first extensively test torpedo
warfare, and during the Crimean anchored large
numbers of them in the channel leading 70 Cronstadt
They consisted OF magazines held certain depth by
buoys, to-whch they werc attached by rope flexible
leaden pipe upper end, extended from the
magazine tho buoy. and contained small glass tube
holding suphurlc acid. which caused explosion
coming in contact with preparation Of chorate Of
potash etc. occupying the lower portion of the lead
pipe, and communicating with the gunpowder In the
magazine The concnssion caused by vessel striking
the buoy would break the glass tube and thus the
explosion No damage appears TO have been done TO the
allied feet by these Instruments many OF which were
dshed up by exploring boats.
From this time until fow months after the opening OF
civil war, but little was heard OF torpedoes; the
Rebels then attempted prevent tho passage of United
States vessels ia Southern waters by putting down
less than varieties The writer has In his possession
sOe intercepted letters before made public which
throw some light upon the efforts Of the Rebels this
direction Que James JOues. under date OF Oct 49, 1863
writes bis correspondent that he set 10 tOrpedoes
the PamInkey River. and have II more ready, which
will be set this week, have "a nearly Sir. have