The Republican journal., 1870-05-26
THE PROPELLER TORPEDO.
From the Detroit Post,

Capt Ericsson, to whose genius the world
is indebted for the screw propeller, the air
engine and the American monitor system of
IRON clads, thinks he has now perfected anoth-
er great invention for war purposes, in the
form Of Il controlable submarine travelling
torpedo This torpedo consists of great
shell of iron charged with 500 pounds Of dy-
Mantle, equal in its destructive power to
5000 pounds of powder. The shell has al its
stern two propellers, turning in opposite di-
rections. When loaded the shell weighs eX-
aclv as much rs an equal bulk OF sea water
It's propellers are to be driven by compressed
air, which air runs through hollow, flexible
tube one end attached to the torpedo and the
other end wound over a large reel on board
the torpedo ship, monitor, or any other ship
of war. The air is compressed by powerful
pumps driven by the steam engine of the
vessel. The prepared torpedo is put into a
tube, ten feet, more or less, under water,
tor, OF other war ship fitted with the appara-
lus Above the torpedo is a wire, having at
It's end Il float, or bladder, designed to float
upon the surface of the water so that the
course of the torpedo she'll under water can
be seen. This float, or bladder. will carry u
small electric light at night, with 4 screen in
'front.' so that it can only be seen from the
rear The air tubs may be a quarter of Il
mile, or even a full mile long. The torpedo
is SO arranged with fins that it will keep lust
as far beneath the surface as it is started
Ten horse power, or more, may be made to
work on IFS propcllcrs Ii is thus driven
rapidly through the water, dragging after it
the floating air tube which supplies it with
power. The torpedo has rudder, too which
is so arranged that, by increasing the air
pressure through the tube, the rudder steers
the shell to port but diminishing the air
pressure steers the shell to starboard. This
change may, of course, be effected at any
moment, with the greatest ease.
Now suppose one of our monitors, armed
with Il dozen or more Of these torpedo Shells
observes a British iron clad, Or is engaged
with one, the hostile vessel being quarter
or a half n mile off. The bow of the monitor
is pointed at, or nearly at, the hostile vessel
and Il torpedo is attached to the air tube
pressure is made and the torpedo started
The officer in charge watches with his glass
ter, and is thus able to steer the terrible shell
exactly for the opposing vessel. When the
torpedo reaches the opposing vessel, and
touches its bottom, ten or fifteen feet beneath
the water line, an explosion is sure to take
place, with 4 force equal to two and q half
tons of gunpowder, which would be sufficient
to blow the vaunted British iron-clad Mon
arch into such absolute bits that not a frag-
ment as large as mans body could ever be
recovered.
These machines may also be operated from
the shore or from any kind of vessel; but
they are mainly designed as q supplement- to
our monitor system. Capt Ericsson does
not believe in building immense sea-cruising
iron-clads, after the English style; and he
says that he has thus proved "thc futilitv of
encasing ships of war with huge masses of
iron, and the absurdity of wasting millions
of tons of coal in propelling weight which
does not protect" He is now engaged in
experimenting with 4 view to arranging his
torpcdoes so that they can be used in rough
water at sea, at all times, and under all con
ditions The Army and Navy Journal de-
clarcs that, with this terrible invention in our
hands, we need have no fear of the naval su-
premacy of Great Britain, but may conlidcnt-
ly measure strength with any power in the
world that ventures to tramplc upon our
rights.