New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-06
TILE ALARM.
A HULK BLOWN TO ATOMS.


| rFEoN A sPECi,L CORRESPONDENT TIE TRIBrsE.l
! NEWPORT, Sept 3.-TO-day Secretary Kobe
u!sLed his inspection OF the torpedo station ana
everything seemed TO combine to bring TO fitting close
the Of experiments 80 successfully Degih ih'
lay was all that could be wished and at 10 O'Clock
brilliant party OF ladies and gentlemen embarked on tho
United states Steamer Despatch with the naneuves
in the outer harbor. The Alarm Ia vessel whose ap
peaance strikes at once as beiDg that o an eheee
ingy dangerous opponent She Ia tho enaodmeht OF an
idea thoroughly original ss was the hont~ ana ID
close action such as would naturally result from heet
attack on one Of hayjors, she would doubtless
have a much more dcmOralzing effect on an
enemy than one OF the little " cheeseboxcs' OF
which Americans justly proud At inst sight she
appears to be simply small ironclad ram about IbV
feet in length on tine watene, with hight OF side Or
frcebonrd Of sbou feet forward and art Her bow
differs in share from that OF ordinary vessel being
formed like powshare. and presenting very threaten
ing appearance. At present her armament oons'ho
single I5nc gun placed in the sharp angie OF the bow
and intended only fire hight ahead On the quarter
deck rail peched four Calling guns arranged 10 IRE
in any direction and single look at her shining teeth Is
enough to convince the whitening effect OF their ire
into the open ports bots o. an enemy 50 far TINS vessel
does not differ materially from many foreign cOashcle's
ships The novelty lies in the arrangements by whch he
can at will project tOpeoes from her bow or DrOadslue
Heavy iron bars arranged that they can be snd
ont rapidly through ports below water so as To plant Tor
pedoes un Ter the bge Of enemy AZ distance OF %
feet. The torpedocs containing 100 pounds OF eans
powder be readily attached TO the ends Of the bars
AL ngeniOus electrical contriyance places me niIhg
the torpedo under control Of the commanding officer
in the plothousc, and the manipulation OF the pars is
performed by means OF tiny engines OF the simplest con-
sruction The interior Of the vessel Is divided MOI
numler OF wate.tight comp limcnts The forward ono
contains the bow tOrpCdobar which Is projected through
tie point Of the RAM vt to this IS compartment Tor
the brOaislc tory dO-Dars These TWO diNsOhs HcrNo
aso as decks for bortl!ng the men, 50 mat
the small crew required for tie ship arc
~ comfortably qualteged as they would be IN
sea-going ship Abaft those in separate COMPARTMENTS
the rc-roon storcroons and the quarters for te
accommodation OF six officers. The engneToom Is ID
the last compartment and here tho only place I'D TAG
whole ship where meets with complicated ma
cincry. Her propcnS power is wlat Is known as me
Fowler Wheel" an arrangement which boh prrpe3 ahn
steers ship thus Oby iang the necessity for fuer
20 far 1t operated successfully On this SHIP an her
pOwcr Of manouYorhg Is but little 5hoIt OF naraeus
eh,o Nv well eopg astern or ahead All hrr movements
controlled By single lever worked 10y on9 ma ~
troll; both Of propulsion and steering. IN vessel wv
,endSd FOR rannnS s With All pas Of
ship kept by system of electrical wires, 50 tat
otoTo. and controls the movements Of hls enelnes
w;hout moving from hl posi- in the pot-hoIse. no
rail be- ny the sinok,tacH and ploh6use together wh
galley, which IN time OF action could he shot away
without harm. Her buiwark, as about iour iset "a ~
80 tat al sea .he !, $50 snd ,,n.15tD' as Las NC"
proved in nr recent trip .ifiS tir coast
This morning Admiral Porte took command OF hef IN
person, and .tcF lew preliminary man9Uyeis 5tsiIAi
ue. fort "Laf, heading tOMIit the hiA, IA
readiness for charge, with splinter MEETINGS ubx over
read catch the falling pieces 1he signal Dohg lace,
tic snip started ahead slowly sac dld not iu al lno
hulk under full speed iHdsuch the power or her rom
WAS uRuuest,UDed sr1 II was only INTENDED 10 snow
the working OF tIe bow torpedo. INC hulE
drew 90 llttle water that tao torl@iO spar
when iun would pass .lucrnelt1 ana Gear 81 itf
bottom; thus there could be min shock ot cohHr
desired to explode the torpedo 50 as 70 aenot
ism the vessel instead OF maiIDg hole IA Ac As,
there Il RISK IN gong at IL! speed that nc sLI ~
passias through the crater made by the explosion NIGHT
catch large piece OF wreck her deck AMI 1ue
c,aeP some tie tDe eCA lscii. Tie OtttIO
WAS plated 6c, and im.' 4dtJt eXpVd, u, throwing
up a mass OF water ana spine"s abCut 20 teet;
Tho hdll was completely demolished, ana VIC
Alarm running through the crater, turned SB9tS
agumd and fired Ler lJ.nch gun into the ", - III
A signal was immediately made IL the Nina to charxe
Snd ngn o. boom torpedo sue rushed past ~ I
Speed sns al OFT Large piece % ~ u ana eNYlyii
her tcru.d0 directly under IL. Continuing snort as
lance she turned win intention putting her ether
torpedo unltr anything nrse enough shoot ST. Dut
WaS OBLIGED ~ stop and wait until seYcial ,as~f
boats Lid been driven away from the Neibity
As soon all ele.u she came down second time
ANA blew the last floating raft tie hulk INTO atoms
Tue ALARM then ran dow around stern and ed Ter
th.ce t0rpdoes III rapid succession. The eff Ct was Fer'
tne spouts rising high over tho slp AMI looking az
If tncy would amp her liOr decks We're oeIsG WIN
wafer cleared Is5CI ia lev moments Another
yolcy the Gatlinss followed, turning the water IN
vicinity the ship into sheet oI foam as Tie
balls crowded down IN rapid saceessiOn
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