The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-09-04
THE TORPEDO EXPERIMENTS.

END OF THE EXHIBITION AT NEWPORT, R. L.
MORE NOISE AND GREATER DESTRUCTION, TO
THE GREAT DELIGHT OF THE LADIES.
NEWPORT r. l., Sept 3, 1875.
The concluding portion OF the experiments of Goat
Island today successful those of yesterday
Everything under the immediate control of the
Secretary OF the Navy, but Captain Breese gave the
general orders for the evoutions. The programme
was first for Admiral Porters ironclad torpedo boat
under command of Lieutenant Barbour TO blow up an
old coast survey schooner OF about 100 by means
of submerged torpedo the end of tho prov OF tho
Alarm; then to riddle the wreck by means
of the Calling guns mounted the rail of
the Alarm and to prevent the imaginary foes from
climbing on board. After this it intended that tho
Nina should heave alongside and with Harvey torpedo
dcmolish what might remain. Then there to havo
been naval battle between the Nina and the schooner
Joseph Henry but the Wind dropped completely that
the schooner had TO cast her anchor for without wind
II useless to expect that she should Function with
the steamer. Commandant Brecse and Secretary Robe
son had invited large number of guests on board the
United States steamer Despatch
Among those responding to Mr.. Robesons invitation
General Banks General Burnside, General r. d.
Porter, General Hunt, Rear Admiral Case Commodore
Gore jones' Royal Navy; Major Randolph, General
Warren Aristarchi Bey, the Turkish Minister,
with his secretary r. EGendi the Swedish
and Norwegian Charge d'Anaires, Senator Anthony,
Senator Cragin, of New Hampshire; Ex-Governor
Arnold, of Rhode Island; Admiral Rodgers, Rear Adj
miral D. D. Porter, Hon. Samuel Powell, Baron Du
Jardn, Of the Belgian Legation; Mr.. Perry Belmont,
of New York; Commander Marvin, Captain McCauley,
Lieutenant Commander Pierson, Colonel Palmer F. T.
Smelling r. s. Hone and Charles H. Russell, of New
York; j. Smith Bryce, Lieutenant Merrill and Mrs.
Merrill Norman Wizard and many others, in all about
100
AS soon as all were on board the Despatch got
under way and steamed round to the west side Of the
island off Fort Adams. Here the Alarm tho Nina
and Mr. Have meyers steam yacht Ideal, with 100
other small craft awaiting the commencement OF the
experiments The Despatch passed the Alarm off the
fort but the signal officer informed her
that she should get ready TO blow up the old hulk
which was lying quietly at anchor about half mile
from the shore The Alarm then turned almost
easily ms though she had been upon pivot and made
for the object of attack The old hulk about 100
feet long and had n tonnage of eighty 1--WE tons All
eyes turned toward the Alarm, whose massive
PROV, armed with seventy five pound torpedo
making slowly for the schooner slower and slower
she went, approaching the hulk though certain
destruction awaited her. but IN few seconds volume
OF hurled into the air two hundred feet
speckled with spms and timbcrs, which inn
mediaely began to fall pellmell into the
spent sky-rocket Tho schooner had disappeared,
and there remained of ner but chips and splinters,
literally reducing her TO oothpcks The old schooner
gurgling commotion ensued, and the
lower portion had settled the bottom hopelessly
crippled But the Alarm had not done with her. She
still to all ncnts and purposes enemy, whose
might Chamber board and seek revenge. So she
backed or and let fly her terrible fifteen FOUNDER
which supposed to finally demolsh the improviscd
RATS made by the enemy's drowning sailors. Then she
started her rapid Calling guns which were mounted
her rail- and $50 balls ratified among the supposed
struggling men in the water and the floating debris
1t was a real war scene The Alarm envelopcd in
smoke still the thunder of the Gangs reverbemtcd
from the neighboring hills until the last struggling
wretch supposed to have been sent to his eternal
rest beneath the waters of the harbor
THE SMOKE CLEARS AWAY
Before the smoke had cleared away came the Nina
to the rescue, and before the schooners debris had
fairly been scattered by tho tide she hurled against
Harvey, which caused lrghtiu commotion and as it
supposed, put an end forever to the enemy Now
the Despatch turned round and came close alongside to
view the wreck and while doing another spar tor
pedo exploded by the Nina ms a warning not to APP
proach close Signals were then exchanged with tho
Alarm, asking ''Sha send boat ~ To which Affirm
alive reply sent, and soon after Admiral Porter
returned in his boat to tho Despatch. Scarcely
nounccd that she was going to FIRE another
round Of Gatings. She did so, and most
Despatch was her most terrible enemy OF course
this was delightful experience for the ladies,
who had been thus brought within view of what might
have been fearful naval carnage Scarcely had they
recovered from their surprise when Commander Bar
bour gave them thorough shaking up. He ran out
on the submerged iron spar of the Alarm genuine old
seventyve FOUNDER beneath the water and quite I'M
by the visitors the Despatch of courscl On the
sarboard side he ran out lty and on the port side
grew nearer and nearer and like unsuspecting vic
tim right on the ram. whom three huge columns
of water flew up in front and on either side OF tho
Alarm, followed by terrible concusson showing that
tho three had been exploded at almost the in
The Despatch quite staggered under the attack
but the Alarm delugcd by these three inverted
waterspouts, for tho water out of her acrwad
though she had just returned from visit TO Neptune
This was least retributon for the insult TO
tent and so the Captain ordered Engineer Harris to
show the iron ''heeL"
or course this naval battle had been short sharp and
decisive and the Despatch determined get of
the way.
Navigator Hughes jumped from point to another,
the Captain talked and signacd, blowers turned
the furnaces and the Sccrctarys party were soon
fleeing before tho iron clad at the rate of eleven knots
hour. Soon Mr.. Havcmeycr's steam yacht Ideal
gave chase but, with triumphant rush. the Despatch
headed north now increasing TO twelve knots hour
and leaving the yacht, before she reached jamestown
nearly mile in the rear beating her at the rate of
two aud quarter miles per hour.
After passing jamestown she swung round suddenly
though to dodge the pursuing yacht but the chase
had ended and the IDEAL after giving three blasts of
her whistle, headed straight for Narragansctt Pier
leaving tho government vessel to return in peace
Newport harbOr.
All the experiments being over and having received
the Secretary hearty congratulations for the accuracy
and completeness OF all his arrangements during the
days, Captain Brccso invited his guests dsjsu
the cabin, with which the functions for 1915
were at an end