The New York herald., 1874-08-18
TORPEDO TERRORS:
Experiments with the Deadly Machines
at the Newport Station.
INTER- ESTING RES ULTS.
Inspection by the Senatorial Naval
Committee.
NEWPORT, r. l., August II, 1874

NEWPORT, r. l., August II, 1874.
series OF very interesting experiments took
place here this afternoon in the presence OF the
Senate Naval Committee and large concourse OF
spectators, mostly naval officers and others anx-
ious to witness The result Of certain Inventions =
brought to practical test. In the main these ex.
periments proved successful; and. while afrording
much pleasure to those interested in their safe
and satisfactory execution gave pretty fair In
sight to the uninitayed looker-on OF the deadly
mode Of warfare In which the torpedo Is used as
the chief agent OF destruction.
The Naval Committee 1t should be mentioned,
arrived at this port a few days ago In the United
States steamer Despatch. They consist or Senators
Sargent, OF California: Anthony, OF Rhode Island;
Morrill,, OF Maine Cragin, OF New Hampshire; Nor
wood, OF Georgia, and Conover, OF Florida. These
gentlemen are accompanied by Rear Admiral c. r.
R. Rodgers and are now on a tour of inspection
with the view of diminishing the number OF navy
yards. or, If possible, to consolidate them, SO
that, while greater economy may be exercised,
the same state OF efficiency that now exists may
be preserved. Doubts, however, are expressed
as TO the result OF their undertaking. One OF the
main objects OF this committee was to make q
thorough inspection OF the hospitals at the dtf-
ferent navy yards. The Despatch LETT Washing
ton on the 4th inst, and proceeded to Norfolk
She subsequently went to League Island, and
afterwards to West Point and New Lon.
don and Philadelphia. At these places the
committee were received with all the requi-
site h0nOrs, o salute OF nineteen guns being
fired on their arrival. They were then conducted
through the yards, the operations being fully ex-
planned to them by the officers in command. AL.
though no opinion has been expressed on the SUBJ
ject, they seem to have been thoroughly satisfied
with the WORKINGS of each deDartment.
T. TIE HOSPITALS
attracted special attention, and interesting re-
port on this subject may be looked FOR. The
steamer Despatch by the way looks exceedingly
trim and neat, but has been entirely divested of
her appearance as yacht TOR which she was origi-
nally intended. large saloon has been arranged
ait, so that she has now regular poopdeck from
Which the senatorial eye can look calmly into
the broad Of polllcs, sometlmes sInooc1, some
times turbulent and restless. Indeed this might
be called practice cruise for the distinguished
legislators on board. since they will learn more
about me practical working OF the navy in one
day than all the statistical rubbish and provincial
rhodomontade Of which we have heard so much,
could enlighten them dunng the whole term OF
their senatorial careers. Under all the circum-
stances 1t Is agood thing for The navy that the
members OF this important COMMITTEES have un-
dertaken to see for themselves. The resdlS can
not be DOUBTED.
1t was understood that Secretary Robson would
be here to-day and as the Naval Committee had
already arrived, Captain simpson, the command
ing oficer OF the station, deferred the carrying
out Of the programme until this afternoon. The
Secretary did not come, Intelligence having been
received that he would meet the committee az
Boston.
Aiter partaking Of the hospitaties OF the sta
tion the committee, accompanied by Rear Ad-
miral Rodgers proceeded to witness
THE TORPEDO EXPERIMENTS.
Commander r. r. Lull, OF interOceanlc canal
fag,e, WA9 ts the executive officer OF the station
personally earyled on the operations lie was as
wards two O'Clock huulbef Of ladies and gentle
men assembled on the gI&nhd. Wnile IN the
trepld scores OF small craft crowded With specta-
tors, clustered in thick array. The weather was
unexceplonable. The nrst experiment was the
explosion OF a ground torpedo OF fifty pounds OF
the main landing by Farmers dynamo electric
machine. Then followed the explosion OF two
ground torpedoes OF fifty pounds Almost simulta-
neously, winch were forced 1y the contact OF
boat with circuit closers. The object IN this
instance was TO show that the circuit closers
would readily ire mine by contact with ship.
Then followed the explosion OF spar torpedOes,
which are something similar to that employed by
the gallant Gushing when he made his daring and
successful effort blow up the Confederate vessel
AiDemare. After TINS experiment came the ex-
piosion Of improyised torpedoes made from
that tOrpedoes could he manufactured from mate
rial ordinarily at hand on board ship, and winch
did not require any skilled machinery to work
them. After this followed the experiment Of ex-
poding five pounds OF nitro glycerine on an iron
block weighing hity-seven pounds. placed on solid
FIRED by ELECTRICITY.
From some unexplained cause the experiment
Ola not work well, but on second trial the iron
was rent in twain, While the rock beneath was
completely shattered. Prior to this, however, a
three hundred pound torpedo was fred by the use
OF alidades or plane table an instrument by whlca
the sight Is accurately kept OF the approaching
vessel Of the enemy SO that when the two sights
coincide this mine Is exploded. The explosions IN
some Of the foregoing experiments sent water up
to height OF nearly two hundred feet But,
perhaps,
THE FEArURE OF THE DAY
was the intended destruction OF the Old Cornfeld
Point llghtShIp, which. having done It's duty as a
guide TO the traversers OF the deep in that vcin-
iry, was now doomed to be shattered to smith
Sandbox Between Fort Adams and Goat Isaind IsIand
each Of ntro-glycerine. anchored IN seven fathoms
OF water, at fifteen ieet below the surface, upon
which were SET ouoys to mark the positions OF the
destructive weapons. The old hulk was towed out
by tug from the wharf opposite the station and
taken around the BreaKwater light TO the scene
OF people mad congregated in small boats, while
on the island itself u throng OF officers. with u
@aced the the
Her posuon was determined by tetemeter and
the torpedOes were fired by the use OF battery OF
cells from the land The approach Of the
hulk was watched with great interest and
every one expected her immediate demo-
litl0n. loud report rung in the air
and the hulk bounded from the surface OF the
ter like q football, only, however, to resume her
position, to the great surprise Of all the specta.
tors. It seems that the torpedces were placed q
little too Tar below the surface OF the water, for
the hulk, being quite empty. drew only five ieet,
and that in being towed across the dangerous
ground she had not been placed directly over any
OF the deadly instruments. As 1t was. however,
she was severely damaged, and had she been O
heavy vessel would doubtless have sunk in o short
time. mole was blown through the huk, which
was quickly towed or Tor repairs, and she will be
used on another occasion.
OUT OF RANGE
An excellent feature OF this days operations
was the explosion OF torpedo on Rose Island,
through mile OF cable by means of d battery or
ce lis. The main object was 10 show that this
means OF defence or offence could be safely carried
on beyond the range OF the enemy's fire.
Professor Farmer, who, by the way was very
ably assisted throughout by Lieutenant Merrill