The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-09-28
NAVAL INSTRUCTION.
Graduating Exercises at Goat Islara
Station.
TORPEDO EXPERIMENTS.
Young Officers Showing What They Know Of
Naval Warfare.
icy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. I

ton IS located. This annual practice show
the public that the onccrs navo been diligently at
work. and that, without previous notice. they Gun i'm
provisc torpedo and, II fact do anything connected
with these huge missiles OF modern warfare Tor tho
study OF which they sent hero by order OF the
Secretary OF tho Navy. None OF tho class know DO.
forchand what experiments are to be made.
The Official Board who were ordered to he present
to witness tho experiments and also TO examine tho
class upon tho various matters which they had boeu
taught while at the station, consists OF Commander d.
NJ. Fairfax. United States Navy, president; Captain
Brown. United States Navy; Commander Bushrot
Taylor, United States Navy, and Commander E. T.
Potter. United states Navy.
The station Tor the past three years has beeu unde
the charge of Captain X r. Brecsc, United states
the means OF prirglng this important OF tho gov.
crnment 10 Its present standing He has been assisted
by III able corps OF officers ana professors.
Since the station was established here in 1859 o
large amount OF work has been done. large and
com modious machine shop ana laboratory havo been
built, buildings for the various movable torpcdoes, &C.
have been put up and neat cottages havo been
for the officers The grounds have been neatly laid
md tho whole island does credit to Uncle and
his corps OF officers who detailed for duty here
Nearly two hundred officers OF all grades IRON cap.
tain do To ensign have attended tho usual
OF instruction. With the exception OF Professor
Farmer and Uill, the two exports employed at tho
station all tho Instructors AFRO officers, graduates OF
the tor pedo station. All OF the gentlemen who have
had charge of the station since ITS organization
town Ut the present time.
Tho graduating class, owing TO the nsuniccncy OF
the appropriation did not commence their studies hero
untn July l. at which time the appropriation was
available Tho officers complain that tho time TOR
structon is 100 Short and that they cannot get
practical idea OF all that they supposed to know
after going through tho prescribed course Of insruc.
ton.
Those OF the classes VINO show tho greatest aptitude
with tho subjects treated are usually retained ior
further Instruction, and In turn are appointed IN
struc,ors TO others, and thus The government not
put to extra expense III hiring tutors.
The utmost secrecy is maintained IN and about tho
station, technical minute details given
by tho officers. Everything. however. which would
DO interest the country Is irocy gwen. No pcr-
land on tho island without the permission OF
| the commandant. and watchmcn are on duty TO see
that person lands on any part OF the government
reservation
The Board arrived ut the station Mt ten o'clock, In
| the government launch, which had tho Commodore's
flag nyng AZ the bow. They wero met ut the landing
by Captain Broese and othor officers ul uniform.
A few moments aitcrward submarine torpedo salute
| IN honor OF Commodore Fairfax was fired. Tho
torpcd0es were placed IN tho inner harbor and
all OF them (cievcn) were ignitcd very successfully.
Had they been placed IN more shallow water they
would have presented grandrr spectacle than they
| diu; however they sent column OF water hcavcn-
ward distance oil ono hundred aud nltv feet and
ward. The Board escorted to tho Captains
residence, where they were subsequently Introduced
according rank to the officers OF The station
cnss Ihc latter were soon attcrward informed that
they need wear their uniforms tomorrow, tho
being that they would be called upon Tor tor
pcdo warfare IN every sense OF the word and might
| pcct to get wet The visitors were shown all the
property OF the government, nrst visiting tho
nitro.gycerinc and the gun cotton mauufac.
| the hauids and acids located. Tho analy zing
chcml cal laboratory and tho lecture room connected
various articles manufactured tncr uses, &c.
explained far AS practicable TO tho interests OF tpe
eovcrnmcnt by Professor Hili the chemist The cioo.
iricity building which located the cable baitorS
and lecture rooms, also attracted little attention.
Tho Board more than satisfied with the store.
house, whore TO their surprise, they found the iull
torpedo lit for twelve all arranged as TO DO
shipped at moments notice. The machine
was found AS neat as pin Ia order that tho Board
might hear the various explanations OF Tho subjects
assigned TO the class 10 DC given ut this place tho
engine was stopped While the examination was
gong on the public should not Tor n moment presume
that anybody those IN the employ OF the govern
mcnt allowed TO listen. Tor the department has
gwen imperative orders III reference 10 such mat
iers In ali examinations of tho minor subjects,
however there did not appear TO DO any serious OBJ
jcclion, but In tho examination OF tho movable tor
pcdocs, &c, u was found necessary TO exercise con
siderable caution.
| PRACTICAL MATTERS.
To-day the subjects explained were all Of practical
nature and the GLASS; instead OF The Instructors
always boon the the past history OF tho station,
were called upon TO furnish the Board with all the
necessary Information, which would convince the
latter tnat they were fuua with the various sub
jecis The subjects were all written and drawn
haphazard, and not until alter Tho arrival OF The Board
did tho class know what was required ofthem
| The object was,
Frsf-ro use part OF the regular torpedo outfit Of
SHIPS and show their familiarity with IT,
Second-to test their ability TO discover and locate
faults which might be developed IN actual service.
Third-ro ascertain their knowcdge OF the special
torpedo and their appliances aud tho condition
OF the torpedocs Issued TO the service aud also
their general practical knowledge OF electricity.
The subjects were gwen In groups OF two, as Will be
seen below.
THE ExrxRlMESrs AND EXAMINATION
| Licutcnanis Sclridgc and swift tested the perma-
ncut wires on board ships tor continuity. Sew
era faults which might possibly happen were put IN
by tho Instructors and these officers were required to
make tests which you'd determine the iaults aud thcr
locality They also explained tue workings and arrange
ment OF the Ericsson torpedo IN the machine shops.
Leatenants swift and Stevens, IN tho torpedo room,
tested reel OF insulated and spare leading wires
for insuatiop, and subsequently proceeded 10 tho Lay
boathouse and explained the Lay torpedo u very
satisfactory manner. Lieutenant Cominand Stirling
and Lieutenant Franklin ~ tho torpedo room detected
faults IN one OF the 'C machines which is designed
Tor boat use, the trouble having been previously ar
ranged by the instructors without the knowlcdge OF
the class. They also explained The Service cast-irou
| torpedo Lieutenant Elmer and Master Kiiburn gavo
IA minute description OF tho use OF articles found 10
suppIy box which sent board oil all -oi-war
as a part OF the torpedo outh They were also called
| upon to detect faults IN wires In these thu
! conductor was purPoscly BROKEN ana the officers
we're required to locate the difficulty and TIRE
cause us we'll Lieutenant Forsyth and Master Ellcry
set up service nribg battery in the battery cellar.
the object beng II they familiar WITH
It's manipulation They also explained Lays torpedo
ant Hunkcr Ensign Windcr given 100
igncrs arranged IN ave groups OF twenty each with
300 icct OF icadng wire and number OF coils oil q
station battery, OF which the H. VI. i. and H. wero
gwen. They were required TO arrange the cells IN
manner 10 give the best results Tor the
work required Tins was wonderful success,
| all but OF tue igntcfs exploding they
also explained the manufacture OF Ignltcrs aud
| fuses the OBJECT OF tbtH Lieutenant Berry
and Ensign Fiskc had the dicult task Of detecting
| fault IN two fuses, In one OF which the wires iiad
! boon shortened the other the connection
had been broken The Harvey (EDgIishJ torpedo was
satisfactorily explained by the sa,nc officers. I,eucn-
ant Gilmore and Ensign banner were also requested 10
detect "A fault IN "a" machine aud thay succeeded
in locating the same They also explained the OBJECT Of
insulating ana the method OF making spices nd
insulating wciL Lcutcnants Scbrce anu BochlingcI
described the torpedo OUTFIT Tor mcn-of-war rhoy
were then gwen battery ana thrce lengths OF
lated wire, call bells and Two press Knobs
qurcd connect them inhc circuit Tor signalling
that tho signal repeated at the sending station
Professor Farmer, tho ELECTRICIAN, gave "a very In.
crcstin M cxper in the lecture OF the cicc.
rc,ty building. lie snowcd by the mani puiation Of
wires how a boats steering apprenticeship KIND which
| are be put into the service launches Is soon as
Congress votes the necessary appropriation--co
perform operations, such starting, stop
Iipg, steering backing OF tho oDgnc ana hiring torpc-
does well. all beng done at WI, and at the sano
tmc. The machine is tho Invention OF Professor
Farmer ana " can hrc lbs torpcdocs In success