The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-08
THE TORPEDO STATION.

EXPERIMENTS WITH MIR. FowLERs STEAM
YACHT BONITA IN THE OUTER HARBoR-
GREAT INTEREST MANIFESTED IN HER WORK
INGs BY ADMIRAL PORTER
NEWPORT R. l., Oct 7, 1875
1t has been known for time that Admiral
Porter has not been perfectly satisfied with the
workings of his torpedo boat Alarm which has
been here for the past six weeks, and although a
most formidable monster of modern warfare he has
cen that some improvements could be made in
another He accordingly sent to Bridgeport Conn.
for Mr. f. G. Fowler, who made the drawings for
the propelling apparatus Of the Alarm to here
with his steam yacht Bonita, which has all the
steering appliances, &c, which the Alarm has, but
upon an improved plan.
Mr. Fowler accordingly arrived here's Tuesday and
yesterday, with Admiral Porter and others on board
proceeded with her to the outer harbor She was
by the English man ofwar head first and then stern
first, circlng around her several times
and doing everything that her claimed that she
could do The party highly pleased with all of her
performances and expressed themselves as being en-
tirey satisfied that the propeller equal efficiency
to the screw.
The vessel has just been completed and is model Of
neatness Her length is so feet all by feet BEAM
and she has a draugh OF 80 inches The material used
in her construction is wood her pankng being cedar
and her frames butternut. She is constructed with
cabin forward, 10 feet long, and cockpit aft Of about
the The middle of the vessel devoted TO the
boiler and its details including coal bunkers water
tanks, donkey pump &c. The engine Is OF the high
pressure class and has bore of inches by 9-inch
stroke with the valve chest ON the under side thus
allowing the water to out The bed plate Of The
engine is tubular in form and secured to three bulk
heads to which the sternpost and dead wood are also
lv hat Tho
propeller and engine secured rgldy in position,
which greatly adds to their smoothness in working
The propeller and steering apparatus is her most in
teresting feature and occupied the strices attcl-
ton of Admiral Porter Ii Is hung on vertical
shaft, to which the engine IS attached di-
recty, without the Intervention of any gearing
whatever thus doing away with the objections to that
mode Of coupling the engine and propeller. The arms
of the propeller are three in number and to their
tremty their blades attached by pivos the pivots
being constructed that they can be renewed without
much trouble or expense The blades are of forged
Steel OF peculiar curved FORM which greatly adds TO
their efficiency and smoothness Of operation. They
have eatheringV motion as they revolve 50 thai they
produce a perfect sculling stroke for each one-haf
revolution. their action being continuous throughout
This "ieathering motion is produced by an eccentric
with which each blade connected The eccentric Is
also connected 10 the helm, and the arrangement is
such that the scersman, by turning the helm
the propelng force IN every direction, by which means
she can be made 20 move backward and sideways or
made 10 revove IN each Objection her centre and this
is accomplished without revolving the engine and with
out the semblance OF a rudder
She steers and propels equally WELL going ahead or
backward at will The diameter of her wheel is
inches over all and its depth II inches So notwith
standing the light draught of the vessel the wheel is
always well submerged. It's effective pitch is feet
inches, and with speed OF 300 revolutions
ute she make fourteen knots per hour.
Captain W. Gore Jones. naval attache of the British
legation who Is ever on tho alert for any naval
invention, to arrive at tho torpedo station to-mor
witness its working, and IL it proves satsfac
tory the English government will have torpedo boat
constructed with the above mentioned steering aud
propeling arrangement
The vessel will remain hore for several DAYS and Ad-
mra Porter will personally test her workings III every
particular.
Tho United States steamer Despatch, Captain Rodgers
which has been here for The past six weeks, has
cevcd orders proceed TO Washington the first favor
able opportunity. The Alarm will remain here long
as Admiral Porter is in the city.