The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
err rnrcssov's DESTROYER.
vessel ,hn'. u T. ESPcct'i. win He"dsr
,,..,c.. tFe Moattsr War EauIncs.

nsetcs. tFe Moait"r WHr EHEIncs.
,t Iohu Hricss0ns tornado conductor
O.,ir,rcr will 70 on the dry do'k IN few davi'
...., o. fitted with now propeller. Shc lics NJ
OF OF III rtccnth street North River. and
.s,s o. much nit' uton Although tut lSn ret
81, .,h. she cnrrire boilers lurro enough {"
,,,i the p1r i.r ~ cnr'nrs ~ ~ .rec river
.,., ,boa' MS toe Mary Powell or Tho Chnuh'ey
vgl,rI. In thr w'j"e' rarI 4ho is but fourio q
,ss l.un U.r lrlu-m ten fr.t
~ Destroyer is expected to run NJ in clos,'
,r.,..,u.t, To nh,eti." ship and discharge int,
a.. hpprine torpedo which she carries in her
oro. below the vnttr line. The torpedo h
Tor Through ~ water by nienns II power
r,li petus applied before quitting the cOnluc.
ior.
lc atrial ON the Hudson River last Dccomhcr
,l,.,..lo % feet md inches long. wcighin,
tDtpouuIs vns expelled horizontally uud"
,,,,.,. b, means - compressed mir nj moan
I'd. .a.ty ~ 80 nautical miles an hour for ~"
nr.i $50 f,et BY DIS hnrting th" torpedo ut O.
r,i'Iln inclination 10 took uu upward course
ant after pusslne thrDu IA about 80 foot 81
vl.r. performed a ldt traJe. try in tho air
q. ring tho water again at IL distance o. 2D
n Then nOvin- near the ruriuco IL truv
,l, he ncKl iOU feet in 20 seconds being at
u..,tc OF 23A nnuti mi miles an hour.
Anate'A upon Il ship. tho ID 'siroyrr IL in
.o, ul tn BIZ ~ deeply Immersed il the winter ~
1., Monitors. but tnis deep in.nersion ncod
q ,iatin tie shi p's coz. pnnl. '"l tde'k-housc.
,.nt, feet long composed Of plato iron. is
NV IA wnt'r-ti..h: ~ tho upper rNu " the
igr As Nus cabin. which has mo- opening ir
OLD. side. virtually frins unri W the huh. II
s..i boz srf. io run with the upper de.k con.
.I ably below 80" Wutrf-liuH. ON NJ to the
.. art, OF con-tru ton. Mr. Ericsson suys
i..| NV tori. eco NH--Ni WIi live at ~Hu In
-n. N'ntI "r. iH't uhrY slr' lie stiffness Is
co. tN,n'uhnry. pn advantage rrsuitine
Co.,. dit cr -inu'' tnHt ihe bottom must be-
III hiI.H-tul 300 order To- iu urr dceu I'M
o. ..nu. tIrrr T. .nE no HHHr weight plnnSl
b.t. utAo two dcces than cor unI inflated
oriifn ~ tho rrojs,'ile which tho DO.
df. .tr Ia infrhdod ~ disrnntEn dyfrs hack To
no .lrr pnu of 1854. at which time Ericsson
DC .lor NAPOLEON I'll. ~ a scli-novlng YES
50 Hplhie OF passing within runge "
%! i2r H., ar , 81 81 m r.s pHHTSgr. y
r. tutn oi thn uiun. apart from the peculiar
at,' r' " llc vessel. WIS TINT NJ PROJECTING
un wr'"r bv n"'h1nical mrnus indcpru-
l,Dl u cNp'aive energy. ~ woud"n torpedo i6
~ 'h.- 10 diameter. 10 feet long. having a 10
m. .ur inserted 40 the forward md. provided
VII percussion lock for iguitiug tho charge
w ntnf the aft end 81 the torpedo beng
p5N q IN oruer h facilitate its passage through
q ,moihod ~ operating the torpedo was that
" sorting Il into u horizontal tube near tho
".
49, 90 ior k'rpfng out the sea during the pro
r'-. ~ Insertion. When near the vrssal at
a.. u the valve excluding the ga WIS opened,
iu' thr torpedo expelled by p'aton Hciuut'd
nv rHan power the expulsion haing effected
~ fore stated without recourse 10 gunpuw-
So r. o.hrr iva agent. IL merits sperial
r"i' nee TINT ID" area OF the actndtng piston
Is ger than tie area of the TRANSVERSE section
~ 'h iorp@io. This feature hhe boen copied
IN nstruting the proi"rtiln torpedo OF tho
DE- oyer. the piston which eNp'ls the same
pr, nting an area 81 3li square in'hcs. while
ihc ,,fionu area Of tho pr0Ic.tl" il only 1876
Az r" iu'hce, Consequently, AS the tension ut
o. citing medium employed In the u stroyer
eE'' vi- 200 pounds per square inch, the
lnrI 80 will b. pushed out 10y force OF
~, 20 go pounds per square inch.
Gt' distance passed by the piston while i'm.
o. ng IN" torn"do b'ing 80 fsFt. an energy
Of Marty 2OVOOp loot pounds viii thus bc i'm
pan Il To H.
z torpedo Of the Destroyer ike the device
OF l'li - composel OF solid block ~ light
wood the cXpioeivo charge being contained IN
nr allie Vessel inserted NJ The forward end.
The irm. however. ~ different. Instead Of bee
Ing 'uar. a. In the plan presented To Tn
French Emperor. The trdnsv"r-s section ~ the
wood" n torpedo ~ the DESTROYER ~ square
with parallel top md bottom. and v.tii~a. siirs
forming very sharp wedges nj b 'h ends cas'4l
WITH stcel PLACES. lie extreme inilssIh being %
tee.
Tho detail u the instrument Is particularly
dnt'ribei To- tho p1tent granted Tor ne inven-
tiun hy The British GOvernn. ~. Tho upper
and over uart- ot the hull M divided hy nn
informed ttr water -tight. ~tr.tnFI' -rihiHd ulut'
iron deck. running nom tnd 10 end OF lhr
sLnclure; the lower division ventilated h}
powerful muwHrs-cof. go ming the machinery
and aIorhing safe rctr"ui for O. crow durIug
Ati trk. Will" the uDn"r division IL tied with
blnsAs Of cork. rNcr ItiLg sUun part near tht
bow. occupied by wood bl. KING. and an in
clned transverse armcr plate r,-ting on the
lngrnio us arguments have been adducod hv
n-sN men TO prove that tn ID s'roYer, 10 cvn-
sequence Of its extremely In" lines. viii turn
VerY slowly. ant thus be- dangerously posed
should the attack fan. Thrs" arguments grr
mo- by Mr.. Erireson ~ suYinr thnt the dis
charge Of the torpedo md the reversing of tic
setipn OF the propeller viii be simultaneous
llan@'. rrtr"at Of ths vessel Ia the oppusit"
lL'1on 10 that oi thu advance, VIII commence
befnre the submarine missile has reached the
eh'n attacked. AlDin. The recol attending tho
1is'rergc ~ bid weighing 4 10 pounds inn
pcu by the great force bsfors mentioned and
moving through q distance ~ thirty feet before
entrring the wat..r viii greatly assist in i'm.
parting q r'trlgTide motion b. tho vessel.
Finally. II should ho observed that owing 10 liz
p~uhar construction. the speed o. the De-
st1rr Il very hearty as great In backing as IL
rtr hun ~ the Destroyer Is ~ peculiar for.
Sah very hne ws'lnes. probably sharper than
hli soasel ni deep draught yet built Its dilnan-
hohr present tue unusual proportions VI eleven
umc- greater length than beam.
The ruid-r Of this craft deserves especial N o.
tenuon, ne IL u wholly unconne"trd with tho
visible part OF the stern. being atiHched o. n
vertical wrought-ron post welded 10 a pro-
ltnghtlou 81 the Keel lu-t at ~ III" propeller
ia upuer part beng nearly four let below tho
N-tor ine Tho uIlers consist of thin ulntrs OF
iron rNetad on opposite side oi the rudder. q
NV 'n'lcs from ~ bottom. These tlll'rs ar
lp-' lei by straight ode connected g. tho uis-
ihn7 pi horizontal hydraulic cylinders Of i've
inches diameter attached u the sides Of tho
ssA Tho steering gear II thus pincrd tan iet
ou'"W tuo water Inc. white the top Of the rudiltr
az caches within four feet ot The water linz
rt. ,'eung wheel ia applied hehini awoot
2" indr-wHy cox near the stern, by which
Nrtrf pr' Nsure II admitted alternately a. H..
H}diauir cs llBlors at the stern. tue motion -
~ r' pislnn4 A'tuate TIE rudler The lower
1N 40 Oi inc weasel Is supplied with air fOr
NE '''fi-r turuHe-e nY powerful blowers draw
ias iL ar from dtuVe.
NH'pid thls Vesse. tulnl the conditions On
- D NJ 90. 70 Hiil render usfie-s tuus' ioHti nE
non .nalles NJ war otilrd Monitors which wore
erj' 'ni uy the same mechanician Cupt. John