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

matter lie proposed to discharge tho torpedo BY means
of weight which 1t contained to be reieasea Dy hns
withdrawal OF pin attached to cord 20 .nas
1t might fal on percussion cap communicating Win I'VE
powder Mr. Lay made nanl t, 81 sucs rrecnesfai
results that they attracted the attention OF ms ~;
Oscr; On bis ss% iG s WV Wod @G 1us
tleman whose extensive professional abilities anh exper
Snse have been duly 0S, l. Tas % @ that
Woods atten had also directed earnestly 70 'e
considered the Foundation Of aud the most mportat
feature in. the improvements III p'nned ia act
togeIh her and exercise their united abitles nh pr
enco perfectng their designs Inc lao'ss p =, ,hs
torpedo nnuipuators has been to Apply inc smell 10 ne
Object 10 be d, stroyed by means OF long spar projecting
from the vessel carrying it. OF course inc sprr T rs
no Snnnied with a new one before she could resume
her attacks Mr. Woods plan differed from TINS, III lhaI
when entirely beyond the possibility Of doing any gam,
age except 10 the vessel intended 10 be blown up III
November 1863 Mr. Wood sent to Secretary Weles com
municatOn giving brief account OF his proposed tor
pedo vessel aud 50 entirely was the plan approved tns
Board OF laval officers composed OF Capt. W0fueu Con
manders Craven and Nichols, Chief Engineers La%to,
and Faron, and carpenter snuthwck exonneu e ,pr
and recommended that Mr.. Wood DO granted oPportnn
ties for testing its merits. After variety OF sAfcI,
ments highly satisfactory. as wen as OF new n i5
ling Character the matter wa. pronounced on a Sue J
be Of such vital Importance that private parties sond
build the vessel provided the Navy Department. "ou"
take 1t, paying specified SUN for H. - a., ,ho
In the mean me experiments were carried on IN Tue
Mohawk Rye near sehsnectay, am anra GREGORY in
May 1854 From brief synopsis OF the report, ~ i
raised column OF water IN diameter IT'S feet nigh
a second containing charge Of GO lbs, raised cOlunn
of water Is feet In diameter ~ night OF AnOut wv
destroying strong and heavy timber rat about 10 Ieee
SQUARE the pieces OF the raft being carried np Dy ino
column nearly its full highti third sheiI, conu"s
SO lbs raised column Of water feet in diameter to
hight of about $50 feet The result OF the eApeIlh,1
with shells containing such small chWrgts -
with those IN the torpedoes used by BUSHNELL FUTON lhe
Russians and the Rebels mOst OF them containing iion
100 10 900 tbsl, created great astonlsI1u'oh' CIV:
Tie most surprising feature Of the WQqd torpedo was
the concentration OF the force a0ere was a noae
OF the usual lateral propulsion OF Will
no dangerous swell the force was direct the coluhh
OF water concentrated that boat 10 leet ifO thc
point Of the explosion MAS perfectly SAFE lhrSe cAp,
torpedo system aud the torpedo beat spuyten Duyvn
now known as the StromDo, was at once started one
built at Fair Haven, COniI and was htNu oui ~
NcwYOrk, eventually performing excellent sciVlee ~
the James River. Her construction was lOoWeu W 'o
converting OF u number Of picket boats INTO torpedo
boats aud the gallant Gushing, In onc OF these Tiny craft
DESTROYED the AbeDatle, proving INC tefllOe chcClu
this species OF submarine Warfare sun ateI seNea
light draught monitors supplied VITA tho N.ou NJ
paratus. The closing OF the Rebellion prevented lnese
vessels frOm accomplishing Anything OF hstoilcl lcI
est tho Navy Department is nov quietly woikhg
the system to the highest point OF encct'thess ihe
peculiar construction OF Mr. WOUds torpedo tue canse o
its extraordinary power tho Ingenious nhclnely OF inc
StrOmbOlt, now lying at tue brooklyn Navy. iaI"
are secrets which duty OF Americans 10 preserves
|, Will suffice TO say that IN torpedo system we
far ahead Of any other nation IN The World hhu III wv
event of foreign war could demonstrate the Tact IN
nm Incredibly snort space OF time, TO the asOnlshchto
even our own people Future generations. whlle rtihth
warfare IN this or any other country VIII not forget that
Il vas Chief Engineer w. W. w. Wood OF the u D. navy
who first practically demonstrated It's power as vel Us
its pTacucabnity