The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-23


torpedo station have met with none who seemed to
have invented any thing or proposed any improve
ment on what has been done before. This Is,
think, because they are not suffclent y Interested
1t should be the pOcy to encourage every oficer
to use all his faculties to bring the torpedo sys
TEN to perfection In my several visits to the tor
pedo station during the present year and during
my sojOurn there OF two months 1t was evident to
me that the means OF instruction were made
quate. There are only two or three small
launches attached to the station, and they
are not at ali suited for the work ana there is no
course Of instruction whatever defence against
tOrpedoes. 1t is evident that to make the torpedo
school what 1t should be more liberal expendi-
war annually for this purpose would be money
well spent. There should be added to the present
S feet 81 in enTtS ana ten eet bea saee with dous
screws for quick manGuvring, and all other
modern appliances; also the different kinds OF
torpedoes Tor harbor defence, the nets and
spars for the protection OF vessels against tor
pedoes ana good monitor from which to send
Oh the Lay torpedo, Tor do not believe ships Will
come close enough to port to be injured by that
device, and we must consequently go some DIS
lance IRON shore to attack them.
In addition to this, there should be sections OF
ships or iron buoys made equally as strong TO test
the effect OF the different t0rpedoes fred from the
all foreign tOrpedOes should be bought aud tested
and remedies applied against their attack. Such
teach our oficers now to encounter and use them
under all circumstances. l merely make these
suggestions without going into details, but the
liberal expenditure OF money in this matter Of tor
pedoes would, doubt give birth to many de-
vices not thought OF at present A great deal OF
Importance has been given to me Harvey torpedo,
the Fish torpedo and the Lay torpedo, and the
probability OF their destroying ships under all CIR
cumstances.
No doubt all these are formidable contrvances,
to certain extent, and q commanding Officer
ignorant OF the manner In which their attack
should be met would be in danger OF losing his
vessel; but with an understanding OF the subject
and vessel off equal speed any commander could
elude and destroy either oil the torpedoes men,
toned.
SHIPS AND foRpEDoEs.
No towing diving or swimming torpedo vet In
vented is matcn for smart vessel properly
armed, with her crew at the guns, and 1t b for
this reason that | recommend the construction Of
20 many large launches for The purpose OF teaching
officers how to manGuvre in attacking and repel-
ling the attacks OF tOrpedoes or torpedo vessels.
Oficers would soon find out the difficulty OF de-
str0yffg ship properly handled by means OF tow
ing torpedoes, unless the torpedoes were hidden,
although 1t might be easy enough to blow up
vessel not the alert or one improperly handled.
A vessel OF equal speed need have no lear or an
opponent carrying either
THE HARVEY OR FISH TORPEDO,
for these inventfOngcan only be successfully used
against ships taken by surprise or lying at anchor
Az protection against snch contr,vances l