, 1878-02-02
WOOLWICN'S WONDERS.
The eParachufe.-.TheT Tcrrcdo---Hh hitcacad's
Invention.


The ParaChufe.-.TheT Tcrpedo--.yS hitchcad's
Invention.
One thing was shown us which to me, at
least-is perfect novelty. 1t is aspherical
shell about foot in diameter. 1t is cast in
two hemiSpheres and the parts are lightly
fastened together and are separated by thin
perforated plate of some hight material. In
one of the compartments Is parachute
packed very closely, and which has cords
like an ordinary parachute, and which are
several feet long. At the point where the
cords all unite, there Is chemical plate
composed of materials which, when ignited
give out most brilliant and far reaching
light. There is light bursting charge, just
sufficient to separate the hemispheres and
free the contents. 1t Is designed to be used
nights to discover an enemy's position 1t
Is fired high IN the air over an enemy $ works.
| The two pieces fall apart, the concarity OF
the parachute catches the air, the cords,
weighted by the chemical plate. fall till they
become tau:. tie chemicals are ignited by q
fuse leading frem the bursting charge, and
the parachute slowly deScentis, making every
thing beneath il as bright as day. frovid-
/ ing the thing warks as Wei In practice is in
| theory, it VIII BE- invaluable IN night opera
| tons.
The torpedo supply is large one. The
specimens are of all kinds and sizes, and are
all charged with gun Gotten, whose power is
much greater than that Of gunpow.!er. Some
are arranged to be i,oa.ed against vessel,
when they explode with trigger which
catches against the side OF the ship Others
are to be sank and fired from shore by elec-
trieity On the matter Of torpedoes, our
guide was enthusiastic.
That one, said lie, pointing to a huge
iron cylinder painted red, lis planted at
harbOr entrances.
Hundreds of them are SO placed that no
vessel can enter Il harbor without having to
pass over some of them. All of them have
wires connecting with an observatory on the
shore, where, by a system Ill use, the exact
position Of every torpedo and every approach
ing vessel is known. When 4 vessel Is at
the right spot, the electricity is applied, and
the vessel is blown out of the water.
There is another, pointing to smaller
and irregularly shaped structure, also of tine
fashionable red, which is to be tioated
against vessel. This Is the lock, and this
the trigger This slender rcd Is pulled back
this way ; the least touch, and of 1t goes,
blowing cyerything to pieces, and
Heavens, :" said the only lady IN the
party, as she recoiled III visible alarm. ''ls
there any danger -m-your handling
those -things:'
.'0h, Eot at all We never load anything
until it is ready for use But the beauty of
this torpedo is that If al enemy sees it, and
undertakes to take it out OF the water, OF to
tamper with it in any way, he Is sure to
exploie it. Only one familiar with Ii knows
how to handle IL, and there's only one way
it can be done without certainty OF sending
1t of"
OF course. We were all duly Lorriiied and
impressed.
THE WHITEHEAD TORPEDO
Evidently Frantz was keeping the best fur
the last. He led us into another room and
halted rs before sharp cone, painted white,
about fifteen feet long aid twenty inches lii
diameter at the base.
Here said he, "is the most wonderful
thing of all. This is the Whitehead tor
pedo."
Il thought everybody had the Whitehead
torpedo, | said.
''Yes, they have, but we've got some fea-
lures which nobody else has, and which
makes tkis tie most formidable torpedo IN
the world"
"W'hat are these feasGses:'
That is secret. Nobody knows that
except favore,i few"
He then proceeded to give US some details.
'.What you see here is Just half the torpedo.
There is another cone just like this. They
are Joined at the base, and thus 1t becomes
Ike a cigar which should he pointed at both
ends. In this small space III the centre Is
placed machine for impeiling the torpedo,
which generates seventy horse power
The space referred TO was about IS large
as the interior of twelye-quart pail or
bucket.
"WLen launched, the torpedo can be set
to move in any direction. and at any depth
required, or to hit broom-stiek half mile
away. Not only tins, but IT can he SO ar
ranged that. after moving gwen distance
at any depth, it VII. then rise to the surface
any angle tha. may be decided on IN advance
If it should strike netting surrounding
ship. it would lack of, dive and come up on
the otter side. '-ChicGJo Times