The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-18
EFFECTIVE TORPEDO WORK.

THE SINKING OF THE TURKISH MONITOR ON
THE DANUBE DARING AND sKuFUL TX
PLOT.
TFrom the Poeest correspondence Of the Daily News
May 81.
Tho little expedition which succeeded IN blowing IN
the Turkish monitor was composed Of four small steam
lau nches two OF which TO mako tho attack and
the others to hold themselves readiness 70 ron
assistance in case, probable OF accident
10 either OF tho attacking ones The two launches
which were 10 mako tire attack werc commanded by
Lcutcnants Dubason and ShestakoT, aud manned, ono
by fourteen, the other by ninc men. The werc
projected by an iron awning, winch covered
the boat completely from stem TO stern
and which Sufficiently thick TO stop
abuiteI This screen, well the boat was pai nted
black. TO be scarcely dlstnguIshabie al night
and tho thus projected against tho nrc OF
small arms, except the man at the wheel. who d.
rectcd the movements of the boat and who was
necessarily exposed. The crews embarked in tho
boats little ahcr twelve O'Clock Friday night at
. distance of about seven miles from where tho Turk.
ish monitors were lying. Tho night was dark and
rainy, and the clouds com pc,oIy obscured tho moon
which nevertheless prevented ,be night IRON being ono
OF complete pnchy darkness There was just enough
light to enable them to distinguish tho dark masses
OF tho Turkish gunboa,s without themselves being
easily seen. Ater an hours steamiug they came
within The immediate ncighDorhood OF tho enemy s
h0tillA The engines OF the launches were con.
s,ructed AS ~ make very little NOISE, when
were slowed down all the sound hey made WAS u low
duh kiud oil thropbing noise that amost drowned
by The croaknR oil tho frogs which are very
large and very numerous along The marshes Of the
Danube
rmx ALARn GIVEN
Nevertheless, the quick car OF Turkish sentinel
caught The unusual SOUND, and cricd out, "wn
goes tbcres" IN Turkish. The ooats advanced
withou, replying Tho sentinel again called
out and again remained without al answer
he called out tho third time, and IL
was becoming evident that tho ship would be alarmed
Lieutenant Dubason replied IN Turkish, 'Friends ~
anu continued 20 advance The senuneL however,
was BY NO means satisfied, and, alor gaining out again
two OF three ,itncs he nnally fred Then The Russ,ns
who wore oy that time very near The doomed monItOr
heard nose IN thu snip. There was scuffng 81
fcc tbc rushing about Of sailors ores anu shouts
prepare tho guns for action. 1ncy heard
the order gwen Tor the gun In the bow
70 be fired They heard II given three tines
and three times they heard the click OF the hammer,
showing that an attempt had been made TO Are aud
thai tne Run had refused 10 10 OH Finally, the third
the SIDE OF the punboat and shel went wnistnq
over their heads They we're evidently socn by the
Turks One oil the Dpats--tnat ot ShestakoIi-DOw
drew on while tnat Of DubasOH continued TO advances
Each boat was armed with Two torpedocs attached 70
The ead OF long spar that prcsoted from Tho bow,
These spars were arranged 10 move on psvsts and
could DO swung round so as 10 describe bali
circle The torpcu0es were SO placed that
they could be detached from the spars at
any moment, and, IA addition 10 THIS. long
we're 10 he vcd to any projecting part oil the at
tsckcd snip, and they we're ccnnectcd with the boat
by nue. nexbie wire about 100 yards long. The ON
cor IN command carried . ANAL sscsr,c battery