The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-02-28
THE AWFUL TORPEDO.


What the.Saval Engagement Of the Future
Nay Be-Description of = Battle Between
an Iron-C1ad and Tropedo Boat-An
Uncertain Flight of One Against . Hum
dred.
The role of the torpedo-boat is ter
rible; and those who direct its move
ments are exposed to the greatest
dangers. A single heave shot may
SKATER 1t 10 atoms, and when it ap-
proaches the enemy hail of balls from
the mitrailleuses and rifles will do ter
rible execution on board Therefore the
mere fact of embarking on torpedo
boat is guarantee of bravery. Figure
to yourself the situation of the officer in
command of such a torpedo-boat who is
ordered to sink ship of the enemy's
squadron. All his surroundings eonsti-
tute one vast danger. The very sea that
hides and protects him during the first
part of his expedition may in another
moment toss his corpse hither and
thither upon its waves, His adversary
will seek TO riddle the boat with rain
of steel. cast-iron and lead. The tor
pedo itself, which carries such terror
with it, might be touched with missile
and explode, bursting the torpedo-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 cannon. is simultaneously at
tackled on the larboard side by one of
the enemy's iron-clads. She has al
ready suffered severely, and her posi-
ton becomes critical. A mast-signal
from the Admirars ship is given: and q
torpedo-boat starts. The watchful en-
envy has observed the signal. He knows
the danger, and at once concentrates
all his fire upon the little gray speck
which is shooting rapidly towards him.
Three miles separate them; and the tor
pedo-boat must make that three miles
in ten minutes. Ii it is not sunk before
it has travelled that distance, the IRON
clad is lost. Therefore. the cannoniers
point their guns with the most scrupu-
lous care. The first shells pass wide OF
the mark; but the aim is recti6ed. 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
geyser jet of water thirty feet high con-
ceals the torpedo-boat; the enemy be-
lieves it has been sunk, and utter ire
mendous cheer. But the projectile has
only ricochetted and passed over it
The water falls back in rain, and tho
brave little vessel reappears all stream
ing with brine, as though it had
emerged from the sea-deeps, and rush-
ing on at full steam in the face of death.
There are only nine men on the little
vessel, and they are going to attack
sort of leviathan carrying an immense
crew. 1t is not the fight of one against
ten, but of one against 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 sup
pose for moment that they do not
think of the danger On the contrary,
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
a question of their lives, but of the sue
cess of the enterprise 1t 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 ironclad. The fire of
the mitrailleuses mingles with the
showers of shells and sweeps the deck;
everything wooden is splintered to atoms
with grapeshot. An incessant fire of
repeating rifles from the mast-tops of
the ironclad plays over the torpedo
boat; and the balls, entering through
the few openings in the decks, have
already disabled three men. They lie
in a corner to which they were able to
drag themselves, for 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 batter
les are powerless to harm the torpedo
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 consequence Now
Is bHc liulc WIFI Tic Sdpldiu uCCuS oil
his surety of eye and GOODNESS of will,
now is the time when his men must ex-
ecute orders with the rapidity of light
ming, for if the torpedo be fired Sec
ond too soon it will fail to do its terrible
duty, and yet if there be delay of
moment the torpedo-boat must
dash itself to pieces against the sides Of
its mighty adversary.
Now the boat seems almost ready TO
touch the enemy's vessel. Hand-gre-
nades flung upon her deck rebound and
BURST one man is killed; the Captain
has received terrible wound in the
face; but, summoning all his strength,
he supports himself erect against the
iron wall by sublime effort of will.
Livid. drenched with blood, but terrible
In his calm resolve and bravery, he
keeps his eye still upon the enemy.
Ready! Let her go!h
The awful missile is launched. An
enormous surge appears in the water,
and frightful, cracking noise is
heard, followed by terrible cry of dis
tress. The pigmy has conquered the
giant.
Hard a starboard!''
And the little vessel, suddenly wheel
Ing around, steams away at full speed
while the enemys iron-clad sinks to the
bottom.
Ten minutes afterward the torpedo
boat has returned to its post beside the
Admiral's vassel-the Admiral sends