The New York herald., 1879-09-14
is no recorded instance where one of them exploded

is no recorded instance where one of them explodef
at the proper moment.
more ingenious mind conceived the happy idea
of applying principle OF the turbine wheel to ths
| torpedo, and having constructed can with moi
remote resemblance to whiskey jar. be thereupor
! erected q simple piece of machinery whereby, Al
the floating can was arrested by any obsta-
ce a wheel turned by the action OF river cur
rent and a hammer set free. which. falling
percussion cap. exploded the machine and blew the
obstruction into the air of course ~ the mind OF
| the inventor, the obstruction to be Yankee
man-of-war, but, by wise dispensation of Provi-
dence snags were more numerous than gunboats.
and most oil these internal machines blew up pre-
naturely. In another corner lay mcdel or rather
a sample. of the torpedo used by Gushing in blow
ing up the Albemarle and when Major Abbot ex-
blamed the cumbrous and complicated machine
by which that gallant action was accomplished.
the reporter felt that Gushing had shown more dash
and GOODNESS than even the public had given him
credit for These crude forms OF the torpedo had y
double ntetes for they not only recalled stirring
scenes IN the nations life but marked clearly the
great strides which had been ade since 1860 In the
development OF the torpedo as reliable instrument
OF The Major then pointed out that the per-
fected types which after years of experiment have
been adopted by the government. differ widely in
form from the earlier models and are divided into
two classes-the buoyant torpedo intended for use
III deep water, anu what might be called the torpedo
perda. which is laid the bottom in shallow water.
The former y spherical case of steel capable OF
holding charge OF LOU pounds or dynamite and
strong enough offer stout resistance to
the effects OF counter explosions. This internal
machine is secured by q heavy iron anchor. and is
prevented from sinking by au iron buoy, to which
is attached. This class of torpedo can be Sd ar
ranged as be exploded by contact with passing
vessel or by electricity from the fort The charge
100 pounds of dynamite contained in the spherical
steel shell sufficient destroy the owertul
ironlad should the vessel receive the full force Of
the explosion. The shallow water torpedo differs
widely Ii form. resembling closely the back OF
tortoise. 1t contains the same charge as the buoy
ant torpedo, but is fred only by the electric spark
from the batteries. These torpedoes depend for
their effectiveness the difficulty OF discovering
their location. In graphing for them enemy
could not easily discover their whereabouts, Is. on
account OF their peculiar FORM the graphing iron
would be likely slip over them. leaving them un-
injured
could not these torpedo detences be destroyed by
enemy's fleet countermining or exploding other
torpedoes in the vicinity OF those laid down for de-
fensive purposesY' the reporter asked.
'.That claim has been made by foreign officers. -
Major Abbot replied, land we have carried on o
retul experiments to test the possibility
OF destroying torpedo defences by the system known
as countermining. or course defensive torpedoes
be destroyed by countermning the same, "a any
thing else be destroyed by sufficiently power
full eA Aplosiun OF dynamite. butthe danger Of SYM
pathetic explosion OF submarine mines has been
greatly exaggerated.
Then you do not admit that your mines can be
fired by sympathy.
Here you can for yourself the result of some
of experiments" said the Major. pointing to
several broken shells, presenting ragged edge, as
though charge OF powder had been exploded in
them. Those shells were filled with dynamite, as
an experiment. and quantity Of dynamite was then
laid the shell and exploded with the result you
see. The iron shell was blown to pieces. but the
explosion l removed 1t with my hand Now, this and
similar experiments seem to set at rest all danger
| from what is known sympathetic explosion.
''But would not the torpedo shells be destroyed
by the explosion OF q counter miner
"If the mine LAID in close proximity it GER
tainy would destroy the defensive torpedo; but 1t
would be very difficult for enemy to locate them
with sufficient accuracy without running great risk
OF being blown up by the torpedos he was trying to
! destroy.
| eat what distance would the explosion OF a coun-
ter mine be likely to injure a buoyant torpedof"
| sl,at,y aNct~o 9TH
of the charge fired and the strength OF shell of the
torpedo Dc destroyed. Here is one which was
counter mine placed ut twenty five yards distance
1t is of the old models and since then We have
! tried y good many experiments to test the form
best calculated resist the effects OF explosion
and the quality and consistence Of the material to
be used in the manufacture Of the shells AS . re-
suit of these experiments we have decided on adopt
| ing steel shells OF spherical forfn.
| PRACTICAL TESTS.
The Major then exhibited q number of shells
which had been subjected to various tests, such
| explosions and blows from passing ships, which
they seem to haze borne with marked success. One
| was seriously corrugated by an explosionI but the
shell remained watertight. while others had beer
| struck by the keel OF passing ship, and one hac
ship's screw without receiving material damages
But do not foreign naval officers claim that 1t Il
possible to blow out a broad. safe channel in spit
..There is too much claimed in this matter. It Il
quite true that an enemy's heet could remove tor
pedo distractions by counter mining or grapplin,
il the attacking party were allowed to work withou u
opposition; but this is what we want land batteries
for. The way in which channel could be blowl
out is for formidable iroL-cad to advance and pu
down powerful counter mine and then backing ex
piode it. She would then advance into tho vorte,
created by the explosion and lay another mine anC
! in this way she could clear q narrow channel by
| which she could safely enter o hostile harbor. II
would be very slow work. however. and could
scarcely be carried out under the re OF effective land
batteries, because though powerful iron-clad might
esist few shots no snip could resist battering
fire from heavy guns. Besides. as the effect OF the
explosions rapidly disappears and leaves
tine water IL would be necessary tor an tron-clad
| fighting her way into a harbor under these condi
tons to course with buoys, and the defend
ing force would no doubt take care to remove them
during the night at least try to do and IL they
succeeded the iron-clad would not know how to find
the channel she had made. This part OF the de-
fence would belong to the navy, 1t would consist
chiefly in boat hghting
what is the value OF tie offensive torpedo in the
defence of harborsY"
| AT present their usefulness is limited The
trouble with them is want OF speed. The quickest
only go about eight knots an hour, while an iron
clad can steam from hteen to seventeen knots.
| Then they be coming except the White
head, which is the best. and the steamship can
''But the Whitehead failed notably in the Russo
Turkish warp
..It cannot be said exactly that they failed. In
| some ships were destroyed by torpedo ex-
plosion, and in the three which arc recorded
as failures it is known that the fault was on
of the operators and not of the torpedo In
their hurry excitement they had neglected to dc
soEe important act which neutralized the destruc.
tive agency OF the torpedo. But Notwithstanding
the failure OF the attack in the harbor OF Batoum
the moral effect OF the torpedo saved the Russian
cities in the Black Sea from destruction by the
| perior Turkish fleet
"How much money is needed to complete She tor
| pedo defences OF New York harborY'
| About hundred thousand dollars would prac-
denly and hostile ron-clad should force hei
| way to the battery it would bo found that We had
been very false ,ec economy wosld e. cos
would pay for the whole defensive works Of tht