The New York herald., 1878-11-20
THAT AWFUL TORPEDO.
Its Effectiveness Increased
~by American Inventors.
IRON-CLADS IN DANGER.
An Internal Machine Whose Every Move.
nsent Can Be Easily Controlled

yesterday at Ramapo. N. j.. with q torpedo man.
utactured by the United States Torpedo Company.
which promises to exert an important influence in
future naval warfare. The system on which the new
weapon is has already been applied in the
well known Lay torpedo with some success. but ths
improvements effected important to give tha
now weapon q claim to distinct recognition The
ground system of both inventions is the power ol
controlling and directing the movements Of the
torpedo by means of electricity after it has been
launched to the attack, and the experiments made
achieved within certain well defined restrictions.
1t would be premature to say that the new torpedo
has demonstrated its power to be controlled under all
the varying conditions of naval warfare but the
hibition at Ramapo left room to doubt that in
snooth water and within the distance of twothirda
of mile the control Of this terrible weapon is suf
fciently perfect to render it o most formidable
CINE of war. well adapted to the purpose Of harbor
defence Whether 1t would give equally satisfactory
results in rough water is question that only be
decided by demonstration.
TILE TORPEDO.
This namelcss torpedo resemblessomewhasin in form
the body of shark. 1t is circular iron tube
twenty-one feet in length and fifteen inches in d.
ameter at the thckest part This tube is divided into
. number o. air and water tight compartments The
first, or snoot contains an explosive charge Of 100
pounds of dynamite nitro-gycerine, which II
exploded impact with the object Of attack the
second holds the carbonic acid gas in hqufed form
which furnishes the motive power; the third .
cable coil Of copper wire, through which the move
ments of the torpedo controlled from batteries
placed on shore on board ship; the fourth con-
tains the engine which works the screw. and fifth
is devoted the steering apparatus and is connected
with the cable coil in the third compartment The
detailed manner in which the machinery acts is, OF
course, known only to the nventors but it is no
secret that there two distinct and separate motive
forces brought into action.
MOTIVE POWER.
The principal motive driving power is derived
from the compressed carbonic acid gas contained in
liquid form in the second compartment. This
tive power, it is claimed. be stored in the COM
partment for forty years without losing any of its
virtues. and it is further claimed that q sufficient
quantity of this gas be stored in each torpedo
drive it four five miles at speed Of twelve miles
an hour. This, however. remains to be proved by
demonstration the rate OF speed attained during
the experiments yesterday did not reach anything
like that figure for much shorter distance. 1t is,
however only fair to say that the inventors informed
those assembled to witness the experiments that there
intention of testing the speed of the torpedo
but that the experiment would be strictly confined to
demonstrating the possibility OF con trolling its
course and directing ot the
will, Of the operator on land.
IMPORTANCE INVENTION.
This.queston is one of the most important in the
whole theory Of torpedo warfare because the weak
point of these terrible engines OF naval combat has
hitherto been their unreliability due to the inn
possibility Of controlling their movements once
they had been sent their course the least error
in aiming rendering them harmlesss and turning
them into of danger to those employing
them. This is the chief drawback TO the celebrated
Russian governments have sought to bring 10 per-
fectun, but which has far fniled to produce the
a II pMSich the ov wb.9 'M1 Sas s
used in actual hostilities during the fight be-
tween the British nan-of-war, the Shah. and the
Chiiian ironclad Huascar the coast of South
America when the British discharged Whitehead
torpedo without effeit, and when the taissans un.
successfully used the class OF torpedo against
q Turkish ship lying ut anchor In port.
iNrEREsr IN THE EXPERIMENT
The greatest interest has theroro been aroused by
the reported perfection u system which promises
complete control of the torpedo, and there
sembed yesterday representatives OF the British
witness the experiments with tho new weapon.
Among those present were Vice Admiral Cove JONES'
British attache Captain Monojo. Of the Spanish
service; Leutenant 9. H Vest late of the Newport.
torpedo station; Lieutenant Commander Elmer. Of
United States Navy Major sicks. o, the Mississipp
Commission; Professor Barnard. of Columbia Col
legc, and number OF scientific gentlemen. N
SUCCESS or THE EXPERIMENT.
The experiment appointebto take place at half
clock r. NJ, about that hOur uffy.
sixty gentlemen were assembled ut the little piei
from which the experiment. wus to be directed The
inventors Martin Hubble and Marcus A. Hardy. were
present and the appointed hour MIR. Hardy ordered
the torpcdo which suspended the end of tho
pier, 20 be lowered into the water, while Mr.. Hardy
took his position the key board, FROM which the
movements OF tho torpedo were TO be directed
The spectators gathered about eagerly and glasses
were drawn from numerous pockets, the better to
follow the movements of the Internal machine. A
man In boat turned the head OF the torpedo
ward. and Mr. Hardy touched one OF the Ave keys on
lnxl, ttup flp
out with rush. the body Of the machine almost com
pletely disappearing under the water. It's position
was, however, well marked by two slender rods bear
ing rcd and white nas. placed fore and aft. The tor
pcs!o moved in almost straight line. at o rate OF
per hour. II swervcd somewhat to the right
Of the boat at which it was Directed
tAnce which was announced to be twotnirds Of mile
and the torpedo reached this point. which was the
limit of its direct course. in exactly three minutes
In obedience to the will or the operator the torpedo
then cireled round the boat to the left and
turned again toward the shore II then changed
direction aud travelled at right angles ~ its lats
course at q good speed. which could be better APP
prcciatcd crossed the line OF vision. II then
mo moved ses cutting resnsr r. h ns suses - N the
obeying the helm In q most admirable manner.
Durg these nlannuvres the torpedo stopped. slowed
down increased it's rate of speed at the will OF the
operator demonstrating in the clearest manner that
the inventors hal succeeded in getting their internal
have been no deception practscd, neaf
the torpedo from the moment II started from the
picr until IT returned TO the point from which it had
been sent out.
HOW TORPEDO CONTROLLED.
Tho means of control is by . cable wire, which II
coiied in the third compsrtment. and BY system OF
quadPIplcx relay reels obcys the direction Of the key
board battery with which II is connected ut the point
OF departure.
Az tho torpedo along this coil pays QUA and
by this means the connection with the point OF dirsc
tion is maintained. This quadrupex arrangement Of
the relay reels. worked by single cable is the main
feature OF the invention. by this means the
stopping starting and turning starboard and port
iG gfft rftd i'm n and he
ventors claim that. with pressure OF s0O pounds.
they can obtain speed of twelve miles per hour.
with motive power sufficient 10 drive the torpedo
miles, They also claim that the torpedo be
made TO travel four i've feet below the surface of
the water, depth which they consider sufcfent to
protect IL from being destroyed by cnemy's guns.
It's total weight is not 300 pounds weight
which enables IL to bo handled with Case. For tho
purposes OF storage bc divided into three parts,
which can hn nuf tnrcther in one minute should IN