Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-04-30
The TOrpedo-Roat Alarm.

Among the ve>se.s wDic are author.
lied 10 be constructed for the navy in
the bill presented in the senate is one
like the totpedo-boat A arm, designed
by Admiral Porter. Hcnce brief de-
scr,piion of the Alarm. which has re-
Gently had several Improvements COM
pleted. will be Of interest. The A arm
was designed as a cruising torpedo
boat, carrying q bow gun >and intended
Tor service not only in rivers. bays, and
harbors, but along the sea coast: in
fact for use under auv Of The conditions
OF literal warfare, anl her dim nsions
and form Were peculiarly adapted by
the designer for that purpose. The
hull is of iron and the forward portion
below the water surface forms 4 species
OF tube for the support and m NEWER
ing Of the main torpedo spar, which is
capabse of earva inx apl shSss,s$a}i 4lsl#
reaction OF torpedo'bf such Size that
its discharge in proximity 10 the hull
OF the largest vessel could not fail 10
prove instantaneousiy destructive. The
spar is operated in the hold Of the yes
sci by p.oper mechanism.
Above tie watHr surface the forward
portion OF the hull is recessed, and the
principal gun is paced close TO what
appears To be the stem. over which it
hres in the stralght-llnc direction. The
bow OF the hull above the wafer surface
is protected by armor plates one and II
haf inches thick. which is an efficient
defense. as the vessel has the power
under all circumsta nces OF either adj
vance or retreat, of Keep n : bow on to
a Toe, whose shot would cons quen;ly
be DETECTED under vcry acute angie.
The gun has no carriage n the ordi-
nary meaning Of The term, the hull
itsef acting rs tie carriage, TIE gun
being movable in only the torc-and-;ft
direction on slides, and depend n for
training on the steering screw, which
is also the propeller. Owing to this
mode Of supporting and us ny the gun
the Alarm can be mounted with one Of
the largest SIZE. The vessel is thus
not only a torpedo-boat, but gun
boat. solving the important problem
OF carrying tire max mum gun on the
minimum hu,l and having a eirec, fore
andaft fire. with q capaoi!ity OF prompt
an accurate aiming in azInuth not
ob,ainable by auy other method.
TIE length of the YES ,el on deck is
14l feel; her extreme length is I73 10
fcet, and length on water line 112 feet;
exiromo brea,ith. % feet; hight from
sottom OF keel plate TO top Of wooden
deck IA 7-lO 1,e; displacement =, 750
tons; we, ,gnt of hull. 3j5 tons; weight
OF armor, Is tons. The hutl is of iron
and armored on the upper portion of
the bows with iron Plates II inches
thick, extending from The deck to lit
tie Ge.ow the water line There is no
woo'.cn si'eathing co 'pere,i. no spars,
no rudder. and no keel. The lower
portion of the bow at the bottom Of The
hull IS carried forw"id into n teaher
snout fifteen feet be ore the forward
Ell OF the !ter line. This bek car
ries tie snar o. po.e to w.ilch the tor
pes'o Is fiixed. wuicn spar is run out
and in ho. Montaily from the vessels
hold without the exposure of the men
working il. Tie hui l pas q soup;e not
tom wnich, when Ii lei with water, m !
creases the drauobt from 10 feet 10 III |
feet l nca. There are Two hor.z ,ntai
compound engines OF the tan .em pc,
wnicn gave the vessel deveope / |
speed OF 9 knots an hour on recent
trial r.p.--N. T. Hcfaid.