, 1875-11-12

TORPEDO pErExsEs.
Gen. Humphreys las prepared an elaborate
lilo last year have been directed particularly to
the perfection uf tic details Ut ths apparatus
aud ulateraa, and 10 Investigations designcd to
determine in u thorough but yet economical
manner tho laws Which limit the rauge Of sub
hquoous exP1osiona. Tie great difference in
ttoal curronta and tidal oscillation which exist
between our lnEborn rendeE II difficult TO
mako corresponding variations III Our torpedo
caaos and buors. Experiments TO determine
this lave besn made. The result Is that tho
Bions of torpedocB Hutod for glvcn harboF tho
manner OF which equally avoids undue expenss
from eAeesslye size aud uudue detection IRON
the buoyancy. The
1f:sra OF INSULATED cAerE
during tho soar havc beeu satisfactory: II still
remains TO determine by actual experiment the
forco required to rupture tho null OF standard
type OF mar-reBsel, and to dciluItely fx tho
tho last yeax tho ts.als have been especially
directed to tho last stage Of investigation, viz.
to determine Tho force sc3uslsc 70 iniic: gttal
blow upon q ifEHt~claea iran vc*Hel OF var 1,ru-
vsde4 WITH double cellular button Of tho mos:
approved atylo.
{iep. Humphreys Bsys Il ls requisite THAT the
battalion uf engineers be Increased to \ mini
1nnna ponce organization II 51tf men. that pun~
ber being requisite fos tho e.sc.ets condition OF
tue torpedo defenses Of the hsrbors Of tho
D soa-ccast frontier Of l., 600 miles. For
continuing tho puschane OF aaeh parts Of tho
torpedo apparatus aid material as canno: he A1d-
hshly obtained III t,me OF ~a5, the amount Of
4l50,000 Is aakDd.
Gen. f1nmplrcya. 10 correct wbat he calls m
tr10ntous impression thAt seems to ryeyA3l con-
cerning tho ,He Of jstties III this coslsry in i'm
proving the chAnne!s ~ the .noasa ct s'scss. Says
it Ia not ts1.e that tho United States Government
has mado no use Of jettics, ~ has been alleged.
Tho Breat 1akes we're aiusuat'Y destitute Of nAt.
nsal harborr. and, a8 population began
10 appear along their shores. more than
fifty years ago The Uultcd States Government
commenced y System of jetties in harboE iua-
proycnients by opening The months Of the rfTefs
and lnlc.s on tic lakes by the construction OF
tettios anu By that system Ees created more
than forty harhols in Which tho Eatt commerce
that commerce could not exist. TITO Engineer
Department Of tho United Statcs las accom-
pshcd oven gteoter results on tho lakes than
hhyo been obtained OH tho Baltic and
Hack Seas. for 1t has constructed greater num-
Der VI hnrbors than thu EMtopeans. The gain
in deptll Ut tho entrance las Leon substantially
NJ gtoat ~ tho gain in depth in European On
frances, The dopth Of our lIafboEs eau be skill
further Increased. T4o important l1Atbota Of
Europe, III the Baltic and Hack Seas, including
lie mouth ot tAo Danube. have been ncaslY I5ea.
tical III character with those OF our harofa OH
tho lakes. We have not copied from the Eu-
ropeau cHg!neera but our projects have bean
based upon certain wel!-estabt!shed psnc,p!es
aud ascertann,ent Of tho eondttlong exlsting at
the mouth ot rivers aud inats, Is plans hASo
proved to be cminently successful, ant whore,
IN the natltra! condition OF tho river mouth OF
inlet not eyou the smallest sloop or scAlop could
euter steamers OF 5O00 aud =, 900 tonA now en-
tor oasiiy. The Government engineers ot france
At icaat 11o we'll acquainted with these facts,
oven II those Of hu other European Btate IRE.
II 1t should be considered desirable to con.
tluua the antvey Tor water-ines to the aeAboAsd,
Gen. uumph,e}s suggests that it will DO noces-
saty 10 make all additional appropriation OF
$lg0,000