The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-09
PamrapO's Sea Demon.

shores of Communipaw, near the little
village of Pamrapo, Is growing into ex-
istence, quietly and secretly, an infer
nal machine which combines score OF
the wondrous inventions OF tho past
iuto one, and which may be fittlnglv
characterized as sea demon or lnanl-
mate octopus. Before it the navies OF
the world are expected to disappear as
leaves before the autumn breeze, or as
the race of giants or mailed barons III
feudal ages vanished in the flash of gun
powder. Skirting the pretty shores of
the bay the voyager sees on the beach
a thing resembling both n double. bar
relied cannon and monster soda water
fountain. A short distance away Is Il
small house adjoining 2. McGilhan's
yacht-building establishments In this
the marine monster lies on a set of
ways, almost completed. 1t Is built of
iron, and is II feet inches long over
all b inches in diameter. and nearly four
feet in circumference at its largest part
amidships. From this point 1t tapers
down to the bow, which is shaped ex-
actly like the sharp end of II cigar.
The stem is very like the lighting end
IL
as to leave an overhang.
Divested of technical terms, good
idea of this wonderful craft may be
gained by the following explanation:
At the bow, and screwed in, Is the tor
pedo, with brass cap at the end. 1t
Is charged with one hundred pounds of
giant powder, or enough force to whirl
into the air in fragments the largest
ship atioat, or, it is said, in fact whole
fleet. AIT of this torpedo Is the cylln-
der which contains the motive power,
OF gas. This is generated i'll the queer
machine ashore and charged in the cyl
inder. SO powerful is it that several
cylinders have been bursted, and an
other of peculiar composition is now
being constructed. Amidships is the
engine, and aft Of that is the steering
apparatus. The craft has centre
spring rudder, aft of which is II two
bladed propeller on hollow shaft. in
which are contained the wires by which
the craft is manned, sailed, steered, aud
fought from ashore.
While gas is the motive power, in
stead of steam, singular to say, cleo
trlclty from ashore works the valves,
starts the machinery, and does the
steering. There are two batteries
uboard-one for the motive power, and
Que for the steering apparatus. All the
apparatus Is IN alright compartments,
except the engine, which Is Hooded con-
stnntly by holes through the ship, for
otherwise, 50 intense is the coli gener-
ated by the gas, the engine would freeze
up. Ia the vessel, astern, is a huge
reel on which several miles of fine cop
per wire, coated with gutta percha, Is
colled. This wire Is attached to the
battery ashore, and is gradually I'M
wound as the vessel goes toward Its
destination. When it returns the wire
Is, by another process, wound on SINH
lar reel Oh shore. In action, however.
this vessel never returns, for, after de-
stroylng the enemy, 1t blows Itself up.
aud when GU want to use 1t again you
have to build another one.
This singular craft has speed OF
fifteen miles an hour, and can be des-
patched TO u distance OF four miles and
return. With "a greater supply OF mo-
tive power and more wire on the reel
this distance can be extended. Here
ID no risk to be run and no lives to be
lost, as ON other torpedo boats. The
craft is charged at the bow with the tor
pedo of dynamite, Il charge of motive
power being put into the cylinder from
the gas-gener.tlng machine. Then she
Is launched from II set Of ways, and
wires connecting the shore battery and
reel on board are attached. Then a
man quietly seats himself at the bat
terry, and another, provided with apow-
eriul glass, gives him orders. The
craft floats just under the surface of the
water, but two elevated and painted
sights by day, and two lights by night,
forward and aft, show, by ranging, just
how the craft is sailing. At the words
"StarDoatd, OF Port, from the man
with the binocular to the man ut the
battery, the course of the vessel is IN II
twinklIng changed. Far out OF range
of the heaviest guns, these two men SIT
AS quietly as u telegraph operator at bis
desk, and await the approach OF hostile
crafts unconcernedly, whether by night
or day. Sailing mysteriously along
under water, the approach OF the Sea
demon is not known by the enemy
ship before the ship and its occupants
with the torpedo itself, are blown te
atoms.
1t is understood that a gentleman
named Hubby is the inventor OF this
mysterious craft He Is said to have
experimental largely with torpedoes
for the Russian Government and tc
have been connected with heavy rail