, 1878-05-31

The following. taken from a European
paper. speakes tor itself:
\ Iarsc number Of the members n the
I ilnu-r oi Commons paid a visit tn Ports
mouth dly or two ago ~ view the pro-
gre>, nUlr in thr construction of several
/ iron .clId.. and la the ,nur>e OF the day,
aiter pirtakiug of luncheon. the party
were transferred from the jurisdiction OF
/ the Admiral-Stipcrinleud Ia that uf the
/ Port Admiral; aud, whereas they had
bcou previously shown how ships were
, designed and constructed, they were now
/ tO be Informed how they could be mos,
readily sunk and destroyed. Having taken
up positions along the >nper.tri,ture aud
hurricane decks tine visitors witnessed two
runs with the I6-inch Whitehead torpedo.
The one was fired from steam pinnace
as in actual warfare, its course for about
200 yaris being distinctly trlccab.e by the
exh Iust air-bubbles which IL threw up.
The other was diSch lrged from the sur
face OF the water for { he purpose OF show
ing how readily it sank automatically to
the required depth The next novelty
submitted WAS the steam pinnace, which
without having single man on board.
can 10 everything but stoke and keep its
own fires alight. Its engines are worked
and its movements are controlled wholly
BY electricity, the cable which supplies 10
with its mysterious power being unwound
from winclles as the pinnace sails OH its
mission. "And drags ut each remove
lengtllening chain" Its principal Use Is
to drop and explode coun'ermines in the
neighborhood of IN enemy's mines, and by
Il, al,
proach of the fleet. II performed its work
to the alnazelnent OF the beholders. The
countermines were represented by
couple OF barrels containing small charges
OF gun-cottOn, and with these slung over
the sides it took its departure from the
boat containing the battery and dropped
the casks at a distance OF about 200 yards.
igniting at the same time the fuses which
blew the barrels into matchwood and re-
turned obediently like thing of life" to
the controlling hand after having accom-.
plished its duty. Near at hand in the
basin the torpedo MEETINGS Tor protecting
ships against the locomotive torpedo were
exhibited on the sides OF the Acteon while
the Prov of the bloodhound was armed
with the trawl with which 1t Is proposed
to pick up sunken mines. But now the
notes of the bllgle are heard as summons
to quarters and for the Thunderer to be
cleared Tor action, the Legislators being at
the same time asked to clear themselves
away from the tops of the turrets. More
over, as the magazines of the ships were
now supposed to be open, and as the reg
lllations must be carried ont even In sport,
II was Indispensable that all cigars should
be extingushed In an incredibly short
space of time the stanchions and guard
rails were flung down the water-tight doo.s
closed, and the couple Of Gating guns
dismounted from their carriages on the SUI,
perstructor deck and hoisted up to the
crows nest, whence they could each dis
charge 200 SLOTS per minute upon hostile
boats. Presently the process OF loading
the guns were gone through, in the fore
turret by hydraulic power and in the after
turret by hand gear, the turrents were
rotated and the guns run out, and the
swapping OF tube fuses told the spectators
that IL furious action had commenced. A
number Of steam pinnaces and launches
were next awaiting with steam up to con-
vey the party to the Vernon torpedo
school. where Captain Arthur and Com
mander Wilson had still more surprising
wonders in the art of warfare for them to
witness. First of all Commando Wilson
delivered Il hurried lecture on. the mys-
teries Of torpedo science, explaining the
differences between offensive allddetensve
torpedo warfare, the nature OF the several
explosive substances used, and the methods
OF firing torpe,lOes-meChaEically, by
means OF glass tubes Of sulphuriC acid
which explode oil coming in contact with
chloride Of potash, or class tubes filed
with potassium which causes explosion OIL
mixing with the water, or, electrcically,
by me;ins Of detonations produced by full
inmate Of mercury. Commander Wilson
also showed by meas OF y model In
tank the method OF ascertaining when
ship Is over sunken torpedo. by means
of croSs-bearings, and how the mine is
fired rs sOon a the telescope which Is to-
lowing the movements Of the ship conf
pletes the electrical circuit. AS the mod
el did not sink with great alacrity In Its
mimic ocean, Commander Wilson ex-
planned that the torpedo did not profess
70 destroy a ship instantly, but only to
knock hole IN the bottom about the size
OF barn door. AT the close of the lect-
IRE the company again went OIL deck, and
saw discs OF dry and damp gun cotton
harmlessly consumed, and how solid
block OF wood could be sliivered by the
same material when exploded with de-
tonator. Next OH looking over the bull
warks, they beheld practical illustration
of the boats crew creeping" for an en-
emy's torpedo, the process consisting In
Idragging for the moorihg dfiaihs, and,
when found, destroying theme By dis.
charge Of gnii-cottOn. They were also
shown the manner of attack with star
torpedOes. firing lines of counter mines
by dumping the circuit closer, and,
lastly, how attacking boats can be des-
troyed by glenades fired by fuses held IN
the hand. These beautiful experiments
closed the days programme.