, 1877-05-16
THE LIGHTNING ToRPEDo.vEssE1

This vessel Of q new class. our readers will
r%ecolleot. has been constructed by Messrs.
Thorneycrofs and Donaldson for the Lords of
the Admiralty, and was lately inspected, at
Westminster-B Bridge Pier, by q party of naval
and military officers, members of Parliament
with the Speake; of the House of CommnpsI,
and other gentlemen, on the invitation of Mr.,
Ward Hunt, First Lord of the Admiralty.
They went on board The vessel to test her speed,
and ran down The Thames nearly as far as
Long Reach, a distance of more than twentVs
two miles, returning to Westminster within
two hours and forty minutes Of starting from
there. The Lightning, indeed, although only
81 #. in length by 10 #. 10 in. beam, has the
distinguished hononr OF being the fastest vessel
In her Majesty's Navy, the mean speed attained
on the preliminary runs being considerably
over nineteen knots per hour. 1t is proposed
to arm the Lightning with the Whitehead tore
Pedo and from the recent debate in the House
of Commons, when this subject was brought
forward by Lord Charles Beresford, It would
seem that the Whitehead torpedo almost
threatens to change the character of naval
wart~re. This explosive instrument IL IA #.
m length and lG in, in diameter. II is made
In three pieces-the head, which contains a
bursting charge of $50 lbs. of gun-cott0n the
h0'ohOC-Nild'uOObt WulCu COnldIUS u COulEIVNuCd
for settling 1t so as to remain at any depth 1t
Is wished TO travel under the water.line and,
lastly, the air-chamber, which contains the
engines and the compressed air to drive them.
Their length is 10 it,, and their diameter Is in.
the appearance being exactly that of a cigar
pointed at both ends. The head or foremost
end contains the pistol or detOnator which ex-
pl0des the charge. The after end supports the
rews- right and left-handed ~screwvwhich
prOpel the torpedo. and are made of the finest
steel. The Air-chamber is tested to 1900 lbs.
on the square inch, but for service it is only
loaded to SU0 lbs. The Whitehead torpedo
can be made to go al The rate of twenty knots
for 1000 yards, and at any depth that is wished
from ift. to 80 #. 1t can ba set to ex.
plode either on striking an object or at any
particular distance under 1000 yards. It can
also be set so that if it misses the object aim
ed at, it would go to the bottom and explode
on halt cock or come to the top on half cock,
30 as to be recovered, aS it has buoyancy
enough just to float on the surface Of the water
when not in motion. It Is fred by what is called
an "impulse tube" which, out of a frame fitted
TO port, discharges the torpedo into the water l..
Il can be fred above the water, but will at
once 60 to the depth it was set for, and straight
TO the object, no matter how fast the ship from
which It. IS discharged Is going, or how fast the
object aimed at may be sailing or ~steaming
1t il calculated to make a hole on bursting Of
10 #. area, and there seems to be no doubt
that if ona of them hits a ship of any sort or
description at present on the water she must at
once go TO the bottom. The torpedo vessel
need not be nearer than 1000 yards, and, sup
posing that the first three shots did not take
eRscf, she could still deliver more, as the vessel
fred against would be positively unaware of the
attack until she was blown up.-l. L. Ne0s.