The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-04-01
THE TERRIBLE TORPEDO.
WHAT THE NAVAL EMO AGEnEHNE OF
TIE FUTURE MAY BE
Battle Between an Tron-CIad and q
Torpedo Hoat- The Fight OF One
Against n Hundred.

anu tnOSe VINO direct ltS movements are
exposed to the greatest dangers. A
single heave shot may shatter it to atoms
and when it approaches the enemy hail
of balls from the mitraileuses and rifles
will do terrible execution on board There
fore the mere fact of embarking on q
torpedo boat is a guarantee of bravery.
Figure to yourself the situation of the Of
icer in command of such torpedo-bost
who is ordered to sink a ship of the enc
my's squadron. All his surroundings
constitute 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 thiIher upon its waves. His adver-
sary 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 a missile
and explode, bursting the torpedo-boat
into atoms.
The combat commences. The vessels
of the feet have opened fire. Shells
rain in all directions. One of our crui-
sers, cannonaded heavily on the star
board side by q fort mounting twelve
Krupp cannon. is simultaneously at
tackled on the larboard side by one of the
enemys ironclads. She has already suf
fered severely, and her position becomes
critical. A mast signal from the ad
miral ship is given; and topedo boat
starts. The watchful enemy has OBJ.
served the signal. He knows the danger,
and at once concentrates all his FIRE upon
the little gray speck which is shooting
rapidly toward him. Three miles sepa-
rate them; and the torpedo boat must
make that three miles in ten minutes. If
it is not sunk before it has traversed that
distance, the ironclad is lost Therefore,
the csnnoniers point their guns with the
most scrupulous care. The first shells
pass wide of the mark; but the aim is
rectihed, and soon the shells fall so near
the torpedo boat that they throw the
water o' er it. Now ore has fallen right
at its Prov. geyser jet of water thir-
ty feet high conceals the torpedo boat
the enemy believes it has been sunk and
utter tremendous cheer. But the pro-
jectile has only ricochetted and passed
over it. The water falls back in rain,
and the brave little vessel reappears all
streaming with brine, as though it had
emerged from the sea deeps, and rush
ing on at full steam in the face of
death
There was only nine men on the little
vessel, and they are going to attack a
sort of leviathan carrying an immense
crew. 1t is not the tight 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 finger are
silent and grave. And do not suppose
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 ques-
tion of their lives, but of the success of
the enterprise. 1t is essential that the
torpedo boats shall reach the enemy's
flank and rescue our cruiser. After that.
If the torpedo-boat sinks, so much the
worsel
Every nerve is strained, every eye is
directed toward the Oh ect in view. Now
the boat is only FIVE hundred yards away
from tine iron clad. The fire of the mi.
trailleuses mingles with the showers of
shells and sweeps the deck every
thing wooden is splntered to atoms
with grape-shot. An incessant fire
of repeating nfes from the mast
tops of the iron-clad plays
over the torpedo boat and the balls, en-
tering through the few openings in the
decks, have already disabled three men.
They lie in 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 de-
cided.
The torpedo boat has almost reached
Its enemy. The success of the eXpedi-
ton is now assured, for the small batter
les are powerless to harm the torpedo
boat at such short range. The rifle fire,
terrible as it is, cannot sink her. 1t can
only kill some of her crew; but this Is
of no great consequence 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 a second too soon it will
fail to do its terrible duty. and yet if
there be delay of a moment the tor
pedo 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.
''Readyl Let her go!"
The awful missile is launched. An
enormous surge appears in the water. arvl
a afrightful, cracking noise is heard, fol.
lowed by terrible cry of distress. The
pigmy has conquered the giant.
Hard a starboardm
And the little vessel, suddenly wheel.
ing around, steams away at full speed
while the enemys s iron clad sinks to the
bottom.
Ten minutes afterward the tornedo.