The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-02-18

The recent trials Of the Lay torpedo in tho
Bosphorus have an important bearing upon naval
warfare and harhOr defense. This locomotive sub
mnriue mine has been greatly improved sinco II WAS
Utst tested IN American waters. The electric wire
Instead vt heng uncoilcd from tho shore battery vt
tung pgui as ihe torpedo proceeds ON It's crratd Vt
distinctions Us paid ont easily aud loosely from the NOV
Ing mine. Ihe Steering apparatus has practically
ceased 10 lie drag upon the movements " the tor.
pcdo, At the time the velocity has been male
rally Increased the torpcdoes recently sunplleI to
the Russian government having a spci Il OF twelve
and half knots an hour and tho disturbance ON tbc
surface Of the caused by its passare has boon
diminished by tho substitution OF Two ain All srtcvs
Tor the large one. In the Hosphorus tho improved
torpedo OF this type not used, but one making
only nine knots ~ hour aud n was rendered unnecos-
soriy conspicuous In order that the Sultan might
Waich lta progress rom the windows OF his palace,
rcd nag being attached To- the foremost guide rod
The hunting not only caught the eye of the observer
hui every gust ot Wind as WELL the consequence being
adp forward ny which the screw was raised and the
disturbance OF the water Increased. The torpedo
was not, therefore, tested under favorable conditions
Tor demonstrating Its highest degree NJ Invisibty aud
It's maximum speed. Hobart, the Anglo Turkish adj
miral, writes to the London Timer t6at among IN,
naval aud military critics who witnessed the expert.
meuts thcrc was some disappointment expressed In
respect To these two points hut there and could
and the facility with which the torpedo was
manwuyred In the currents-it was considered per.
As the trials are described In detail by a naval cor
respondent NJ the same Journal t In apparent that tho
American torpedo was tested under conditions which
would have been fatal TO the Of the Whitehead
torpedo, At the southern outlet of tho Bnsphorus
there are strong currents running In opposite dlrec-
tons, with eddles aud choppy sea I'm such
waters the Whitehead torpedo could not have been
controlled from shore, iuasmuch as the effect of the
currents changing hourly with the tide and the wind,
could not have been calculated In advance A hlrh
Wind rendered the conditions exceptionally uufay0r-
able, great difficulty being experienced In moving the
the cutters used In the trials Tho torpedo, being
subjected to these extreme tests was steefed directly
through the opening between the cutters to
target 100 Yards beyond, where 1t turned
around and returned to the starting pelnt On
land over mile distant The strongest cur
rent and the heaviest sea could not divert 1t
from It's course, aud II was every instant competey
under the control Of the operator on shore Even the
English critics, pteiudiced they were In favor Of
me Whitehead torpedo were forced to admit that
Mr.. LAY could maintain his guarantee OF increased
speed aud the immersion Of the entire torpedo with
tue exception OF the guide rods he had devised a
most formidable engine of harbor defense, which
could be used even where currents and tides were
strongest ana most changeable. The electrical steer
lng apparatus which gives to this torpedo It's chief
advantage over the Whitehead, was shown to be as
available ON the darkest night as In the day time
Ihe action OF the torpedo was perfect after nlghfa
the guide-rods carrying two small lamps visible to
the operator telescope but screened by shades from
observation IN the opposite quarter.
The advance IN torpedo systems of oiTense and de-
Tense made 10y American and European Inventors
during the last decade has tended to diminish the
value OF naval ornaments. II the hastily con.
OF Alexandria could not he battered down without
ten hours hombarlment, how helpless those Iron
cAds would have been IL they had been exposed 10
attack from invisible fleet OF torpedo boats used In
connection with stationary mines aud well manned
pnlteIles MOI ohiN does the torpedo system pro-
Nde an adequate means OF obstructng the passage OF
a hostile fleet Ut lnfeXibles Devnstntions, and
rhunderers through a strait like the Dardanellrs,
or into a harbor like that OF Alexandria or Now
YORK, but u renders these irOn-plated monsters vn
neIaDle W the sides and bottoms of these ships can
sun be materially strengthened the torpedoes can
ne more heavily charged with dynamite, although
they already carry $50 pounds with ease, and In
struggle between the protective qualities OF the iron
and steel aud the destructive properties OF explosives
there can he only one issue. II cannot be seriously
questioned that the day for building great iron-c
mas gone by. IL is not worth while for any govern
ment to eNpend millions upon single iron clad
which Is not only unmanageabe In rough water, but
with the aid of electricity and dynamite can he sent
TO the bottom by the movement of one man hand
on tiny Keyboard mile or more away. In the
haVles OF the future the big gun will be mounted on
small hoating carriage and ileet Will he built for
what one great iron-clad now costs, - Tribune.