New-York tribune., 1877-05-29

likely fo he largely illustrated In the Eastern
war; The point of interest to be ascertalned
i whether torpedocs are or are not an elective
defense against ironclads. 1t is question OF
more Importance to this country than 10 any
other great nation in the world. 1he haVai
Powers OF Europe have been busy Tor years III
buying or constructing the most formidable
iroucads I'm case of a war between thls cOtui-
trv and any European Power, our seaports
would be the points inviting attack, allkc De-
cause they have the few halbors upon our
coast where men-0f-war can anchor, ana Dc-
cause several of our largest cities adJ0in the
sea, The coast Notifications OF our seaportS
are no match for the artillery which lroncladS
can carry. 1t is indeed by no means certain
that shore batteries can be built winch ron
clads cannot pass. In our own war there were
at least half a dozen prominent instances where
our vessels succeeded in passing strong forts
and batteries. and there is already an instance
of the kind IN the East. 1t is no secret and
indeed It is almost n fOregOne conclusion, that
in case of naval war we must rely very
LARGELY upon torpedoes for the defense Of our
scaports. Doubtless the usefulness OF shore
fortiGcations, such as we have, can be very
much extended and increased by employing
torpcdoes in connection with land batteries, to
guard the channels of our harbors.
II was mentioned in The TRIBUNE article
which has been referred to, that Russia Of
late years has not been behndhand in patron
ling the newest torpedo Inventions Mr. H..
Baden Pritchard, in a recent communication
to Ndiae. describes some of the new weapons
of naval warfare which are most likely to be
used ON the Black Sea and the Danube. Lord
Charles Bcrcsf0id said OF the Whitehead tor
pcdocs, that they "cOuld do almost anything
but talk - they are manufactured at FiUmc,
Austria, and il is believed have been sold in
large numbers to both C0mbatants, but
especially to Russia. Great Britain manufac-
lures her own Whitehead tQpedoes, having
paid handsome sum for the use Of the in
veution. Although the details Of the ma
ciinery are kept secret, the following fea-
lures Of this torpedo are known: it Is
cigar-Shapcd, about twelve feet in length,
and its motive power is compressed air..
1t is shot from tube, under water, the
direction being given by pointing the tube as
if it were a gun. The compressed air within
the prnicctilc has pressure on starting Of
600 pounds to the inch, and operates ma
chincry that Tcyolycs screw propeller in the
stern of the projcciile, so that the whole ap-
paratus goes through the water beneath the
surface at a speed OF tUcnty-four knots per
hour for 200 yards, or sixteen knots per
hour for ! 900 yards THIS projcctile Is
appropriately called fish" the explosive
charge carried on its snout is from 20 to so
pounds. The artllcrist who sights the tube
ont of which the fish is fired can obtain the
range Of the object aimed at by means of
number Of successive shots, rs IN cannon prac-
tce, since the fish rises to the surface rs tine
imprisoned air becomes more rarcIicd toward
the end of its course; and the depth at which
the missile proceeds can also be regulated
There l. no doubt that an irouclad struck by
such a "deyiI-fshn would be sunk almost IN
stantly. There is serious talk of providing
ironclads with sort of crin0linc garment ot
wire, to extend to some distance outside ihe
vessels, ana this is said to be an effective de-
vice. But m0nclads are quite awkward
enough to manage now, without sqch
additional incumbrancc. Ii will be rare fun
for the caIicatursts if the mcn-Oi-War have to
rely on crinOlinc for protection. But with or
without crnone there could be no doubt Of
the courage of "a commander who would rIsk The
impact of Il Whitehead torpedo. 1t is further
iud down as part OF the programme that these
fishes and their firing tube can be taken out
upon a surface t0rpedC-bOat, which carries also
small crew. Three different accounts ae
given as to the method of applying the tor
pcdo by which the Turkish monitor was sunk
i'm the Danube few days ago. The accounts
aglcr, however, in representing that the eX-
ulo,ivcs were taken out IN small boats TO thc
vicinity Of the monitor. and were affixed 10
the doomed vessel by an act OF daring enter
prise on the part Of the boat crews. A few
such experiences will be apt to dcmoralizc the
Turkish navy; its usefulness on the Danube
will be circnmsclibed by its pelils, and in the
Black Sea it will be as wary OF entering the
cncmy's harbors as was the French fleet of
so on the German coast. There is, besides,
the rockct-foat to be tried. \ description of
that cOntIivance was given in THE TBTBUNEs
science column on April II. The speed of
the rockct-foat may be roImdly stated as ten
times that of the fish torpedo, and the range.
il is said, has been latterly extended from
900 to 5000 yards.
There are likely to be one or two siege op-
ert0ns in the present war. If the besegcd
towns are fortunate in procuring the services
Of some smart Frenchmcn, we mao see rcpc-
ttlon of the ballooning performances which
were 80 successful at Paris. From that city
81 balloons were sent out while it was be-
lcaguercd; three were lost and five were cap
turcd, but the rest did good service. The re-
dutlion Of war messages to microscopic size by
means Of photography WAS practiccd in our
war for the purpose of conccament; in France
it is calculated that 10000 messages were
.I...- -.L.I, L-lirnrDl in pllis LN rnLnrnin.