The daily gazette., 1878-11-15
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A DANGEROUS CRAFT.
TIE STARTLING TRIAL TRIP OF A FIERY
AND UNTAaED ToRPEDo.

l
AND UNTAaED TORPEDO.
+ A number Of gentlemen yesterday
afternoon met by invitation at Pamrapc,
n. J.n to vii ness the practical working
OF new torpedo boat. Among the
visitors wore Admiral Gore Jones, OF
tho English Legation, Baltazzi Effendi,
OF the Turkish Legation, Captain Monte
OF the Spanish Navy, Lieutenant @. IT,
west United States, Navy, the Hon.
Benjamin X. Phelps, Scott Simms, the
electrician, and many other gentlemen
interested in explosives, motors of one
Kind or another, and electrical and other
inventions more or less remotely con-
nected with submarine warfare.
The craft itself is a cylinder of thin
sheet-iron with airtlgbt compartments
tweniy-one feet long and fifteen inches
In diameter, and tapering to point at
each END. In the bow section is the
magazine, with capacity for 100 pounds
OF dynamite-which under the mo-.
destructive conditions would blow up a
considerable navy. A strong res, rvoir
for compressed air or car bonic acid gas.
which gives motion to the propeller
wheel, forms a middle compartment,
In as ection further. astern is coil Of iLsu-
lated wire two or three miles In length,
which pays out as the boat advances,
ard sinks to the bottom. Through this
wire, from a bal terry at the shore end.
the craft Is started, stopped and steered,
and, If need be, the charge is exploded.
The implement has been improved from
the original inventioD Of Mills l., Col
lender by Messrs. NJ. Hubble and NJ. A.
Hardy, and while In some particulars it
differs little from other torpedoes, it Ia
Claimed that owing to its light structure
1t can be more easily handled and mana
ged than any Of its rivals. The COM
plete apparatus weighs only half ton,
SO that single vessel might be arme d
with several OF The and the facility
with which It was launched yesterday
shows that It might be lowered from
davits into the water in a few seconds,
and stated on its swift errand of mercy.
1t is said that previous experiments
have proved II to be under perfect con
troll; but on this occasion it was peryer-
sely disobedient. When all was ready
the President of the United States Tor
pedo COMPANY announced that his craft
would first be directed straight offshore
for half mile, then 1t would turn to
starboard, next to port, and fipal2y to
starting point. The concern started off
smoothly .at an eightknotspeed, with a
red signal fiutteIiDg from a short staff on
the bow, and a white one at the stern.
These are the only visible signs DISPLAY ell
when it is fully submerged. 1t moved
with great steadiness, but it was soon
apparent that the steering gear would
respond to no starboard appeals; and the
look of dismay on the face of the opera
tor, who was contending with the KEYS
of the battery, showed that the machine
was rapidly getting the advantage of him.
IL first began to curve towards Caven
Point, then 1t swung completely round
small circle, then headed for land, and
finally ran its sharp bow high ami dry
on the low shore, while its screw kept
throwing mud industripusly. Fortu-
by impact, and Hudson county escaped
with slight damage. The irenclad was
safely tioated Off with little delay, and 1t
was found that the wire, which had
already been used several times, had be-
come worn or oxydized, or the electrical
apparatus had been dsranged, so that
the rudder could be moved only in one
and the engine could not be
persuaded to stop after 1t had been set
In motion. The experiment, therefore,
came to an uniimely end.
The accident, however, did not seem
to stagger the faith of the propiietors of
the invention, nor yet the faith of the
spectators. But il was universally agreed
that an engine with such possibilities of
speed and destructlveness ought not to
be let loose for business until it was under
perfect control. An untamed or vindic-
tive torpedo, one likely to take otfense
at its electrical treatment, and to turn
round to chase the vessel which dis
charged it, would certainly be an embar-
RAISING weapon.