Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-11
A NEW TORPEDO BOAT.
Interesting Experiment with Wond.
full Invention.

NEW lOhfEDU bUAl.
Interesting Experiment. with a Wonder
full Invention.
The Paris correspondent of the Lon
don Times writes, onder date of March
18th, as follows: "Some very interest
iLg experiments were made few DAYS
ago at Cherbourg with the little submar
rine vessel called the Thorneyoroft. It
was the first occasion of testing in
French waters whether a torpedo could
be launched against ship in full sail.
Accordingly, Admiral Jaurez, who COM
mands the squadron, ordered q dis
| abled ship, the Bavonnaise, during q
rather rough sea, to be towed out by
steamer belonging to the Navy. 4
Second Lieutenant, M. Lemoinne, was
sent for, and informed that he had
been selected to make the experime nt
of launching the Thorneycroft against
the Bayonnaise while both were in full
| sail. He accepted the mission without
hesitation, picked out two enginemen
ana pilot, and went down with them
INTO the interior of the Thorneycroft,
OF which only small part was above
water; this visible portion being painted
OF grayish color, SO as to be easily
confused with the sea- The torpedo
was placed SO rs 10 project from the
bow OF the vessel, at the extremity of
which were two lateen sailyards about
three metres in length. The towing
steamer then took up it's position in
front of the squadron, and the Thorn
eycroft also assumed the position as
signed for it, an interval of three or
four marine miles separating the tor
pedo and the Bayonnaise. On q signal
being given, both were set In motion,
the steamer advancing in straight
line, and the Thorneycroft oblio uely,
80 rs to take the Bayonnaise in the flank.
The steam-tug went at II knots an
hour, going at full speed in order to
escape the Thorneyc-aft. The latter
went at 19 knots an hour, rate not at
tanned by any vessel in the squadron.
The chase lasted about an hour, the
squadron keeping in the rear, SO as to
witness the operations. At the end of
that time the distance of the Thorney-
croft and the Bayonnaise had sensibly
diminished, and at a given moment the
former, In order to come up with the
latter at the requisite distance, bad to
slacken speed to eight knots an hour.
The whole squadron watched this last
phase Of the struggle with breathless
interest, and people asked themselves
whether the shock of the torpedo would
not lnfallibly destroy the little vessel
which bore it. It was feared that the
lives Of the Second Lieutenant,
Lemolnne and his three companions
were absolutely sacrificed. However,
the two vessels got visibly nearer. All
at once the Thorneycroft put on q last
squirt, and struck the Bayonnaise with
it's whole force on the starboard bow.
The sea was terribly agitated, q deafen-
ing report was heard, and the Bayou
naise, With a rent as big as a house,
sank with wonderful rapidity. AS for
the Thorneycroft, rebounding by the
shock about Is metres off, even before
the explosion occurred, it went round
and round for few nom ents, s nd then
quietly resumed the direction of the
squadron. No trace remained of the
Bayonnaise; it was literally swallowed
up by the sea. Unanimous plaudits
greeted the courageous sailors as they
joined the Admirals squadron to re-
port on the mission they had accom-
plished. The experiment was repeat
ed two days later, under the same con-
ditions, with another disabled ship, and
with the same success, and in the
opinion Of competent men, this is one
of the most decisive torpedo expert
ments which have yet been made.
The little torpedo boat, with it's lateen
sail-yards, resembles small gray
lizard, and is scarcely discernible in
the water. It is evident that single
boat of this kind would be unable to
approach an enemy's ship unless at
dusk, or when it would be impossible
to distinguish it at a distance, for had
such an attack been attempted in day.
light the Thorneycroft would mani
testify have been knocked to pieces by
the guns of the threatened ship before
it could have carried out it's project.
On the other hand, it would be quite
impossible for one or even several
ships to defend themselves against O.
simultaneous attack, say by twenty or
twenty five Thorneyrott and as
these cost only q fftieth part of the
expense of q man-of.war, this expert
ment presents g. formidable problem
to state navies. What is certain is
that those who witnessed the affair
were greatly Impressed by it, and are
| persuaded that it is the starting point
of an inevitable transformation in
naval tactics.