New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-11

-"fSN'
or torpedo defense Gen Humphreys sl}s:
The trials designed develop The hest system OF sub
marine dcfpnscs for hariurF nave received cI"s'
attention during past year. Tneae trials lave been
objected try 10 the periccting Of the apparatus and
material and partly - 81 SannS designed 10 u"i''
mine i'm a thorough and yet economical manner. he rw-
which limit the effective range OF subaqucous eSpiCsoG'
The great ,life.cuees D ilGa currents dud udal Osc
lion which exist between hlbOrs render IT advisable
10 make corres 4ondiAg variations Ia our torcd-c;Scs
and hu0ys. TO insure this beng done ~ a satsa'toi!
inaner an elaborate system OF observations Wa con
Quoted al He'll Gate IN October last, ~ deducr
- practical formula for coinpn,sn& INC e"oy
Experiments t. les, the strength ~ me adopted patterns
OF hn0yHt and ground mines 10 Tcais the p0siJs OF
ncehboring tprpcdocs have hccI terminated WIN ar
factory results; tras nave also HhoWn that No dahS'
dct0natin- charge 0i our dynanic ny u sh1cH OF
firing ncigienring mnc aecd DE- ielreI Iht7e f,,''
were obtained with distance between the mines whc9
Is sulHcicnty small 10 render eIsy 20 ndr -. cn'u
against IN enemy. AZ 10 ehinfaice' 'uI"lo', r"'y
sept t0r iear ana more submerged ID tie ','u
ypetnrnts with tc electric light have been continuec
49, ne" lois .," i ~" ~, ti,n In cI~.r dlrk
nigh Tins ilht forms an important AUXILIARY III prH'rt
ing Tie against eoaattdcK, hui ~ logs AMI als"
in bright moonlight It appears TO 10 Oi b!r uliiy 10
property amply tls OF any other torpedo System IN
wolves two conditions
l. 10 50 piar the iccation Of the mines 10 render IT
reasonably that vessel can pass without coming
, 80 have readiness euiiiciont .orce ~ trained
men 10 plant the mnc-. according % tle plan, WIN
when in position. Each Of these conditions VII nc con
Tue ms, involves knowledge Of the rropcr charges
ior tho nine. and OF tci destructive range ior sew
res. II Wileis Point 10 inrow isht upon hesa points
ny f,rS,in"s c61Tpcd Win different cxtlosiye sub
faucps both i'm Their near vicinity and al YaIicEs dis
"a ces, horizontally aud vertically For the near
vicinity use has been made of strong iron rings
rounding tho cEeTre ana hearing gauges designed to
record tie cJrct Of Inc explosions For greater distances
employed Tee charges exploded centrally and ~"
effects registered upon gauges firmly attached to ie
ihps secured ~ every shot several hundred nl1s
have been thus ucasuTci, and ny preliminary d'scn-
sion Major Abbot has framed Z; iorhnia wtc 'o"
remarkably with the results 90 "hpfIbitl' 1ht mus
affords grounds fol oelleWns tht ny - . pi -, -
be formed OF The relative forces eAtf'e1 ny any eA-
ploeion at any dftance lt suh rmiE- ~ determine ~
actual experiment the force required ~ rupture me hu'
of standard type OF war vessel 70 thlh!r ls 10 ELt'a
iz.sfc results Of tie whole investigation ana thus to
definitely fix lAe Destructive range oi any gwen cnic
COnN need Stat none 1dt trained soldiers can ee os,G W
torpedo operations Il Is earnestly recommended 'hd Use
battalion Of eucr"ors ba increased 10 alnihnnm pe&ce
organization OF 90 men i'Ht humDof p!hs ,' y, i"'
an efficient condition 81 the torpedo defeuse ~ .e tar
scoast frontier of 12,00J n!ics These yiews are IN
Concurrence with thosc Of 1e Board 0i Engineers iof
FORT f,;,i,uns For continuing me ph:fhds" 81 sucd
parts tue '0rpedp APPARATUS and material az cannot M
suddenly opalned IN zine OF wu an amount o! Fl1vn
ia ncrdrd the appropriation ior Nich II Respectfully
recommended.
Concerning river and barber improvements Gen.
Humphreys says:
Il arncars propcr that should take this opportunity
T.! au erroneous suppression That seems ~ pre-
val concerning If jctties ~ Lhs country III III
'.y Tic ,.f,nn % hi, the m1ntus ol rivers. 10
,,rou The ipuroveu,n oi ivrrmuuthF during ON iai
ui1ceediGSs Of The G0v"In'lgn', That neither te UH
States GOycln;ncnt ~ vate parties Ia iii~ country
Rad made use of j'ltes ioF snch purposes Nh'c III
Furorc that systtn of improvement bad been ~ s;ccos
mi nee tor 30 years Tue cases adiuccd IN support oi
fis statement we're the improN DeAt 90 the cii.re 10
certain vveTs and nets on Tie tidel'ts, nearly l'si
W3frr inland seas OF Europe. that - me Bi'llc ana
Bcg seas The lake. our inland frc'h-wIer -eiir,
were sinsrilaiy dcstnt" ni natural urr0ls. ana, a.
population gan to spread along ten shores, more Than
20 YcpIs ago the UUitod STATE. Government COHn"i al
q system narnor improve. cnti 10y ""linS the h"nthf
If tne MYERS and ir.te On" TAKES ~ The cpntlturHh
bois IN whrh the vast commerce ~ tee Lakes carried
on and without wboh that commerce could not tN~t.
TIE Jnunccr Department OF ibc Nuurd Stac~ has az
clnpi cd srt.lcr results nibc 1~ts i'an nav
he.n ontaiued On tie i.C and .ck SriS; fpr u aar
constructed greater nBiunVf OF ai1tF- iili 10" EFo-
pcar, have, ard Tho gain in depth a. the entrances
na- been Substantially - great ~ the gam III
depth m European entrances The depths 81
our harbois can be increased sin further.
Te 44t annual report gave the condition The several
uue works and halilf a tine close OF the ne
cal year 1884, and the character AMI extent 81 I'M
pruycnout proposed to DC mad at each locality win
inch ilauce remained OF the appropriation ot Ia
3, 1873 together with TIE amounts made aVailane by
Tie Appropriation act OF June 80 ISL IOis latter act
made 1N FOR l3s separate ana distinct works. ana
ipu Ofiated sums yari ing 81 Loco 10 NtnhUo,
amounting in al 10 - 5000. Du1nS the pat sesSi III
OF Cunglcss provision made la thc RIVER ana Habor
Apnro dtiOn act, approved March d 1870 lOf cunlh
ng public works and harDOrs al l13 different
cc..i.tlcs the total amount APPROPRIATED hnE T'o3S-
SEQ with the amounts dur made available for Improve
neut- heretofore authorized operations nave been CON
t,nuei in a,c1dance with approved prO,ects.
If il should be considered desirable continue the
surveys for water iines the soboTd, GEN Humphreys
appropriation OF 100000 The estimates for The in-
prov of the rivers ana b9ibOrs of NeVi0rk and
New-I.ngland have heretofore been published