The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-01
Tile nESTRnYFR

The most pQnderous and alleged invulLer-
able war ships in existence are the Italian
nfexible and Duilio, and the British rhun-
ierer and Devastation. But against even
hese giants a torpedo boat like the De
troyeT would be as the needle that pune
ures toy balloon.
The boat has been built She lies moss
crown and rusty at the dock somewhere
about New York This is because the
iapient United States government peglects
o purchase her, or in any way TO remunerate
Ter veteran inventor Ger his time and
rouble 1t viii probably be another
Hotchkiss gun case Certainly, so far as
nythiug can be judged which has not yet
)esn put to long-continued actual test the
lation that should equip her ports and fleets
With Destroyers would have far-reaching
advantage over her opponent
The Destroyer is a submerged torpedo
boat, which fires a 50-pound explosive shell
lnder water. The great ironclads are heavily
srmor- plated only above water If the
plating was carried to the bottom of the
lhip, below the water, the weight would be
40 tremendous as to render the vessel prac-
| hcally useless. The. Destroyer fatal torpedo
'noaks along, ten feet or so under water, and
| presently the great ironclad ship thinks Mt.
Nesuvius has opened under her
The illustration shows the Destrover's ex-
iernal appearance, at the bow. For the mat
er of that, either end might be the bow, as
,he is built alike at both extremities
She is 1870 feet long, IL feet wide and IL
.eet deep. She lies almost entirely under
ne sea, the water-hne being shown where
be dark lines at the upper edge of the hull
are seen. The house upon the deck is of iron
| out is no essential part of the vessel It is
Tor the temporary shelter Of the crew, but
may he all shot away, and the action of the
BOAT be in no way interfered with.
The vessel is wholly of iron Inside the
luf is piate-iron mid-deck. The space be
ween this and the upper deck is filed in
with cork and inflated air bags The rudder
IS fixed upon stern-post built upon the
keel. and its top is four feet under water.
The torpedo gun is, however. the object of
most interest. 1t lies upon the bottom of the
boat, away down between the ribs. The
keel is so narrow and sharp that bulge
must be built in it. upon the sides, to admit
the gun. This is shown in the illustration
The torpedo or explosive shell itself is over
twenty-five feet long and weighs 1880
pounds. 1t is fred by electricity. The ire
mendous she'll moves through the water for
a distance of 400 TO 200 feet and bursts
against the hull OF the hostile ship blowing
her to atoms. 1t makes no noise or ripple
upon the water, and is therefore all the more
deadly. The black, fiat raft. with an iron
house on top. steams swiftly to within few
hundred feet of the vessel. discharges the
shell and steams away again instantly.
Its difficult to see how she could be easily
harmed by a ships guns. The sea end of the
gun is closed by valve, which is opened
when the weapon is ready TO be fired. The
submarine gun can be fitted to any ship 1t
will probably not be trenching on politics TO
hope that the government Will yet take hold
Of this invention before another nation gets
ii. The inventor, John Ericsson, is now 81
wears old