The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-03-03
THE TERRIBLE TORPEDO.
What the Naval Engagement OF the
Future May Be.


Future May Be.
attle Between an Iron-Clad and
B0at--The Fight of One
Against q Hundred.
The role-of the torpedosboat II Ssterris
le; and those who direct its movements
re exposed to, the greatest dangers. A
ngle heave shot mylshatter ito atoms
nd when 1t approaches the enemy a
all OF balls from the mItrsilleuses end
i6es will do terrible execution on bosrds
therefore the mere fact OF embsrkipg
n torpedo-5ost is q guarantee of
,ravefy Figure to yourself the situation
II the officer in command ,ot such o t0r-
who is ordered to sink ship
,f the enemy's squadron. All his sur
constitute one vast danger.
The very sea that hides and protects
him during the first part of bis expedi-
.ion may in another moment toss bis
corpse hither and thi,her upon It's waves.
His adversary will seek to riddle the boat
with rain OF steel, cast-iron and lead.
The torpedo itself, which carries such
terror with it, might be touched with Ia
missile and explode. barsting the tor.
pedo-bost into atoms.
The combat commences. Thieves
sells OF The feet have opened fire, Shells
rain in all directions. One Of our Jcrui-,
sers, cannonaded heavily on she star
hoard side BY a fort mounting twelve
Krupp cannon, is simultaneously attacked
on the larbosrd side by one OF the epe-
my's ironclads. She has already sufiered
severely, and her position becomes crit-
ical. A mast signal from the admirald
ship is given; and torpedo-oost starts.
The watchful enemy has observed the
signal He knows the danger, at. onca
concentrates all bis FIRE upon the little
gray speck which is shooting rapidly
toward him. Three mica separate them:
and the torpedo boat must make that
three miles in ten minutes. II IL is not
sunk before It bas traversed that distance,
the ironclad 10 lost Therefore, the
cannoniers point their guns with the
most scrupulous care. The first sheIls
pass wide Of the mark; but the aim is
rectified, and soon the sbells fall so 1near
the torpedo boat that they throw the
wster over it. Now-one has fallen right
at its PROV A geyser Jet OF water thirty
feet b,sh conceals the torpedo boat: the
enemy believes it has been sunk, and
utter q tremendous cheer. But the pro.
jectile has only ricochetted and passed
over It. The water falls back In rain.
and the brave little vessel resppears 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 was only nine men on the little
vessel, aud they are going: to attack q
sort OF levia;hau carrying an immense
crew. It is not the fight OF one against
ten. but Of one sgainst hundred.
Not single word is uttered beyond
the necessary oriers Those men whom
death already touches With his finger
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 1t is
not Of their own danger they are think
Ing, bat OF the danger OF failure. Il is
not question OF their lives, but OF the
success Of the enterprise. 1t Is essential
that the torpedo-boat shsll reach the
eneny's flank and rescue our cruiser.
After that, If the torpedo-boat sinks, %
much the worse!
Every nerve Is strained, every ere is
directed toward the object 10 view. Now
the boat is only Eve hundred yards away
from the iron.clad. The f1re of the ri-
trailsuses mingles with The showers of
shells aud sweeps the deck; everything
wooden is splintered to atoms with
grape-shot. An incessant FIRE OF repeat-
Jog rites from the mast.tops OF the iion-
clad plays over The torpedo.boat; and
the balls, entering through the few OPEN
ings in the decks, have already disabled
three men. They lie in "a corner to
which they we're able to drag themselves.
for there is no time now to attend to
them. They may he 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-
tion is now assured, for the email bat.
teries are powerless to harm the torpedo
boat at such short range. The ride Gre,
terrible as it is, cannot sink her. 1t can
only kill some OF her crew; hat this ia
Of no great consequence! Now is the
time when the captain needs ell bis suretv
of eye and GOODNESS Of will now is the
time that his men must execute orders
with the rapidity OF lightning, for II the
torpedo be fred second too soon Il
will fail to do its terrible duty, and vel
II there be delay of q moment the tors
pedo boat must dash itself to pieces
agsinst the sides of it's mighty adver.
sarv. asrt
Now the BOAT seems almost ready to
touch the enemy's. vessel. Hand-gre.
nades 6ane upon her deck rebound and
burst; one man is killed; the captain has
received terrible wound 10 the face
bot, suumoning all his strength, he cup.
ports himself erect against the iron wall
by sublime effort OF will. t;vid.
drenched with blood, but terrible in bis
calm resolve and bravery, he keeps his
eye still upon the enemy.
"Reads! Let her go!'
The awful missile is launched. An
surge appears In the water.
aud frlghttul, crackliog noise /, heard,
by q terrible CRY OF distress.
The pigmv has conquered the giant.
Had d starbosrd r.
Aud the little vessel, suddenly, wheel.
ing around, steams awav at full speed
while tue enemy's iron-clad sinks to the
bottom.
Ten minutes s'terward the torpedo.
boat has returned to its post beside tue
admirals vessel-the admiral sends for
the captain in order to congratulate him.
He is carried to him Upon bier. Mean.
while the light goes on A new expedi.
ton may prove necessary. A provisory
captain Is at once appointed. aud four
men to complete the decimated crew;
and the torpedo.boat is ready TO fulfil
another mi i'sion: IL has another hand OF
heroes to direct it.-Pars Figaro.