The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-04-30
THE AWFUL TORPEDO.
what tho Naval Engagement OF tho Fu-
ture May Bean Uncertain Fight
of One Against n Hundred.

The role of the torpedo boat, reads o
q translation from Figaro in the New
Orleans TtnarS- Democrat, is terrible,
and those who direct its movements
are exposed TO tho greatest dangers.
A single heavy shot may scatter it to
atoms, and when it approaches tho
enemy hail of balls from the nitrail-
leuscs and rifles will do terrible cXccu-
ton on board. Therefore, tho mere
fact of embarking on u torpedo boat is
o guaranty of bravery. Figure to YOUR
self the situation of the officer in COM
mand Of such o torpcdo-boat who is
ordered to sink q ship of the ,cnc,ny's
squadron. All his surroundings con-
stitute one vast danger. The very sea
that hides and protects him during the
first part of his expedition may in an
other moment toss his corpse hither
and thither upon its waves His adj
versary will seek TO riddle the boat
with rain of steel, cast-iron and lead.
The torpedo itself, which c::rrics such
terror with it, might be touched with a
missile and explode, bursting the tor
pedo-boat into atoms.
The combat commences. Th. vcs-
sells of the fleet have opened fire.
Shells rain in all directions One of
our cruisers, cannonudcd heavily on
the starboard side by Il fort mounting
twelve Krupp guns, is simultaneously
attacked on the l"rboard side by one of
the enemy's iron-ciads. She has al
ready suffered severely, and her posi-
tiOn becomes critical. a mast sirnal
from the admiraIs ship is given, and a
torpcdo-boat starts. The watchful en-
envy has observed the signal. Ho
knows the danger, and at once concen-
tratcs his fro upon the little gray spcck
which is shooting rapidly toward him.
Three milos separate them, and the
torpcdo-boat must make that three
miles III ten minutes. If it is not sunk
| before it has travcrscd that distance
the iron-clad is lost. Therefore, the
cannonecrs point their guns with tho
most scrupulous care. The first shells
pass wide of their mark; but the aim
is rcctiiied, and soon the shells fall SO
near the torpedo-boat that they throw
the water over it. Now one has fallen
right at its prov, A gcyscr jet of wa
ter thirty feet high conceals the tor
pedo-boat; the enemy believe it has
been sunk, and utter n tremendous
cheer But the projcctle 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 sca-dccps, and rushing on at
tull steam in the face of death.
There arc only nine men on the lit
tie vessel, and they are going to attack
sort Of leviathan carrying an immense
crow. 1t is not the fight of one against
ton, but of one against q hundred.
Not 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 for q moment that they do
not think of the danger. On the con
trary, they think of nothing else. But
it is not of their own danger they are
thinking, but of tho danger of failure.
1t is not n question of their lives, but
of the success of the enterprise. It is
essential that the torpedo-boat shall
reach the enemy's flank and rescue our
cruiser. After that, if the torpedo
boat sinks, SO much the worse!
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
fire of the mitraillcuSes mingles with
the showers of shells and swceps the
deck everything wooden is spiintered
to atoms with grape-shot. An inces.
SAINT fire of repeating rifles from the
mast tops of tho iron-clad plays over
the torpedo boat, and the balls, enter
ing through the few openings in the
decks, have already disabled three men.
They lie III corner, to which they
have been able to drag themselves, foI
there is no time now to attend to them.
They may be thought of in two minutes
more-aftcr the fate of all shall have
| been decided.
The torpedo-boat has almost reached
its enemy. The success of the cxpedi.
tion is now assured, for the shell bat.
terles arc pOwerlcsS to harm the tor.
pedo boat at such short range. Tho
rifle fire, terrible as it is, can not sink
her. 1t can only kill some of hel
crew; but that is of no great conso
qucncc Now is the time when the
captain needs all his surety Of eye and
GOODNESS of will; 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 moment tho torpedo
boat must dash itself to pieces against
the sides Of its mighty adversary.
Now the boat seems almost ready to
touch the cncmy's vessel. Hand-grcn-
AIDES flung upon her deck rebound and
burst; one man is killed; the captain
haG received 4 terrible wound in the
face, but, summoning all his strength,
he supports himself erect against the
iron wall by n sublime effort of will.
Liyid, drcnchcd with blood, but ter
rible in his calm resolve and bravery,
nc keeps his eye still upon the enemy.
'Rcady! Let her gon'
The awful missile is launched An
enormous surge appears in tho water,
and frightful cracking noise is heard,
followed by q terrible cry OF distress.
The pigmy has conquered the giant.
"Hard starbOard!"
And the little vessel, suddenly wheel
ing around, steams away at full speed,
while tho enemy's iron-clad sinks to
| tho haitian