Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-03-05
THE AWFUL TORPEDO.
What the Naval Engagement of the Fu.
ture May Be-An Uncertain Fight
OF One Against q Hundred

OF One Against a Hundreds
The role of the torpedo-boat. reads 4
4 translation from Figaro in the New
! Orleans Times Democrat. is terrible.
and those who direct its movements
are exposed TO the greatest Dangers
a single heavy shot inay scatter Ii to
atoms, and when it approaches the
enemy a hail OF balls from the mitrail-
leuses and rifles will do terrible execu-
ton on board. Therefore, the mere
fact of embarking on a torpcdo-boat IS
guaranty of bravery. Figure to Your
self the situation OF the officer IN COM
mand OF such torpedo-boat who is.
ordered to sink snip of the cnemy's
squadron. All his surroundings con-
stitute one vast danger. The very sea
That hides and protects hm during the
frst part Of his expedition may ID an
other moment toss his corpse hither
and thither upon its waves. His adj
yersary will seek to riddle the boat
with rain Of steel, cast-ron and lead
The torpedo itself, which carries such
terror with it, might be touched with
missile and explode. bursting the tor
pedo-boat into atoms.
The combat commences. The YES
sells of the fleet have opened fire.
Shells rain in all directions. One of
our cruisers, cannonaded heavily on
the starboard side by fort mounting
twelve krupp guns, is simultaneously
attacked on the larboard side bv one of
the enemy's iron-elads. She has al
ready suffered severely, and her posi-
ton becomes critical A mast signal
from the admiral's ship IS given, and u
torpedo-boat starts. TIE watchful en-
envy has observed the signal. He
knows the danger, and at once concern
trates his fire upon the little gray speck
which is shooting rapidly toward him.
Three miles separate them, and the
torpedo-boat must make that three
miles in ten minutes, Ii it is not sunk
before it has traversed that distance
the iron-clad is lost. Therefore, the
eannoneers point their guns with the
most scrupul0us care. The first shells
pass wide OF their mark; but the aim
IS reetiiied and soon the shells fall so
near the torpcdo-boat that they throw
the water over it. Now one has fallen
right at its PROV. A geyser Jet of wa
ter thirty feet high eonceals the tor
pedo-boat; the enemy believe it has
been sunk, and utter tremendous
cheer But the proiectile has only ri
cochetted and passed over it. The wa
ter falls back in rain, and the brave
little vessel reappears all streaming
with brine, as though it had emerged
from the sea-deeps, and rushing on at
full steam in the face of death.
There are only nine men on the lit
tie vessel, and they are going TO attack
4 sort OF leyiathan carrying an immense
crew. 1t is not he fight Of one against
ten, but of one against hundred.
Not a single word is uttered beyond
the necessary orders. Those men,
whom death already touches with his
fingers, are silent and grave. And do
not suppose Tor Il moment that they do
not think OF tile danger. On the CON
trary, they think Of nothing else. But
it is not of their own danger they are
thinking, but of the danger of failure.
1t Is not question Of their lives, but
of the success of the enterprise. 1t IS
essential that the torpedo-beat shall
rea the enemy's flank and rescue our
cruiser. After that, if the torpedo
Every nerve is strained, every eye is
directed toward the object in view.
Now the boat is only five hundred
yards away from the iron-clad The
tire of the mtrailleuses mingles with
the showers Of shells and sweeps the
deck; everything wooden is splintered
to atoms with grape-shot. An inces-
SAINT tire Of repeating rifles from the
mast tops OF tAe iron-clad PLAYS over
the torpedo-boat, and the balls, enter
ing through the fe openings in the
decks have alreaG1 disabled three men.
They lie in q corner, to which they
have been able t. drag themselves; 70.
there is no time now TO attend to them.
They may be thought OF in two minutes
more-after the fate Of all shall have
been decided
The torpedo-boat has almost reached
its enemy. The success of the expedi.
ton is now assured, for the shell bat
teries are powerless to harm the tor
pedo boat at such short range The
rifle fire, terrible as it is, can not sink
her 1t can only Kill some Of her
crew; but that is Of no great conse-
quence Now is the time when the
captain needs al his surety of eye and
GOODNESS OF i'll; now is the time that
his men must execute orders with the
rapidity Of lightning, for if the torpedo
be fired second too soon it will fail
to do its terrible duty, and yet if there
be delay Of a moment the torpedo
boat must dash itself to pieces against
the sides Of its mighty adversary.
Z
touch the enemy's vessel. Hand-gren-
AIDES flung upon her deck rebound and
burst; one man is killed; the captain
has received a terrible wound in the
face, but. summoning all his strength,
he supports himself erect against the
iron wall by a sublime effort of will.
Liyid, drenched with blood, but ter
rible in his calm resolve and bravery,
he keeps his eye still upon the enemy.
Ready! Let her go!'
The awful missile is launched. An
enormous surge appears in the water,
and frightful cracking noise is heard,
followed by a terrible cry OF distress.
The pigmy has conquered the giant.
lizard starboardn'
And the little vessel, suddenly wheel
ing around, steams away at full speed,
while the enemy's iron-clad sinks to
the bottom.
Ten minutes afterward the torpedo
boat has returned to its post beside the
admiral vessels. The admiral sends
for the cap;an in order to coneratu-
late him lie 5 carried to him upon
bier. Meanwhile toe tight goes on. 4
new expedition may prove necessary.
A provisory captain is at once appoint
ed, and four men to complete the deci-
mated crew; and the torpedo-boat is
ready fulGA anof her mission; it has
another band OF heroes to direct il.
The Forests of Alaska.