Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-27
BIG GUNS ARE BETTER.
Admiral Porter Does Not Take Mucl
stock In T0rpcd0cs.

stock IN TevPcdoes.
M TIMES At BEST THEY COULD ONLY TEMPORARILY
DELAY A HOSTILE FLEKr-rRorEcTxp DECKS Fos
ARE MADE
The subject OF torpedoes for naval warfare Is
treated at some length In Admiral Porters last
annual report He says that the naval powers OF
the world, except the United states have been
assidiousIy employed since 1855 in attempts 70
perfect the torpedo. As q result many very IN
genious contrivances have been Invented, and
some OF them have been brought 70 great excel
! lence. The admiral says that there Is no doubt
that combination OF the good qualities OF the nu-
merous torpedoes In existence would lead 70 some
very perfect device.
1.-THE principle on which the majority Of these
weapons is constructed" he says sis that OF the
'nsh' torpedo. The whitehead, constructed on
this principle, maintains q high reputation, al
tnough some other inventions seem 10 me 10 pos
sess al the good qualities OF the whitehead with
greater power. Just at present there Is halt IN
the opinions OF those who have advocated the nsh-
sritsS snd nc owing 70 me adoption IN 20, zoe
the purpose OF warding on attacks from tails
"Iithin the past year important expertments
nave Deen made Ia England against the iron ship
RESISTANCE TO test the efficiency OF net protection
ano We destructive effect OF gun-cotton exploded
| In contact with the unprotected iron hull The
result was altogether IN favor OF the net which,
aitnougn receiving some damage, resisted every
attempt made with mobile torpedoes 10 come IN
actual collision with the ships side or bottom"
POWERFUL ADJUNCT.
"The torpedo, no doubt can be made q powerful
adjunct TO other naval appliances but as matters
now stand the mobile torpedo would be compare
lively useless against heavily -armored ships
with power guns, which would hold their own,
Notwithstanding they might be hampered with
nets enough 10 keep out a whale torpedo. Ships
might have TO pause for q while before torpedoes
planted on the bottom but the sIoppage would
only oe temporary, enabling the Inhabitants OF
seaooard cities 10 move inland with their portable
| enects Great ships with great guns will CON-
mand the situation, and, having once effected an
entrance into the harbor can by aid OF their cleo
and cut the Wires connectinS submerged g mines
These are at present the only Uorpedoes TO be
feared as very dangerous, and these become less
iornidable AFTER having remained for some time
"In the various trials made with torpedoes OF the
Whitehead character Il has been shown that they
can be detected from their course under many cir
cumstances that are apt TO exist In actual service
and That target practice Is not so accurate as it
should DE. One would suppose that a fish torpedo
sent on below the surface with nothing out water
pressure 10 contend against would go straight TO
70 the mark but this is shown not 10 be the case
In practice, even when the machine has been dr.
rected against one OF the largest ships OF the British
navy.
NETS FOR PROTECTION.
"In whatever manner these missiles have been
used In actual service It has been shown that they
have been detected by churning water which is
| so serious disadvantage that it would not be
wise 10 depend on the Whitehead 70 the exclusion
| OF other devices Judging from the different ex-
periments, nets can be made TO protect a ship
against any torpedo constructed on the principle
OF the Whitehead, which Is the best OF Its kind.
| Although In time OF battle nets may seriously
diminish the efficiency OF a ship OF war yet they
seem 70 insure safety against The attacks OF mo-
pie torpedoes No doubt there Will hereafter be
| such improvements In the manipulation and con-
| struction OF nets that they can be let down and
rolled up with facility that will relieve ships OF
war OF the drag on their movements which they
sowing to the introduction OF steel nets for the
projection OF ships OF war against torpedoes, new
before the ordinary f1sh torpedo can be effectively
used for II is evident that vessel properly pro-
vided with nets could not be successfully assaied
| by the smaller torpedo boats now In use and the
latter may be considered practically worthless
This Is the conclusion al rived AT In England aud
France, where large torpedo vessels are building,
| which can also be used as rams =
THE English have under construction nine sea-
going vessels from 2,e4o tons down TO LOGO tons
with large torpedo accommodations but they are
detective for want OF appliances for tearing away
| under them. Every vessel with q displacement OF
LOCO tons can easily carry apparatus for lifting
destroying nets while at the same time ring their
| torpedo under water against an enemy's hull
GEN. BERDAH's DESIGN.
| zone OF the best appliances have seen for over
coming the resistance OF the net around ship OF
war is the torpedo-ram devised by Gen. Il. Der.
| DAN formerly OF the U. s. Army. Gen. Berdan's
design is Ingenious and well worthy OF considera-
uon. his proposed vessel Is O ram and torpedo
boat OF LOGO tons displacement, equipped with
two long, adjustable arms near the bow, one on
each side. When at rest these arms lie snugly
under the overnang, concealed abaft the center vi
| rotation, where they can be charged with tor
pedoes The arms have q positive motion, are
| controlled by powerful machinery, swing under
and LIT net, discharge the torpedoes on contact
very near the center line, and throw the gases up
| through the ship. This vessel has many excellent
features, and besides her special facilities
| be rtted with aay other apparatus am a stren-
uous advocate or the Ericsson torpedo vessel, mr.
| ing shell from gun placed near the keel such
| a vessel ntted also with the Berdan apparatus
| would be the nearest approach TO q perfect tor
pvdo-boat that has yet been thought or vessel
| SO constructed could grapple Win an enemy-the
| only way In which torpedo vessel is likely TO be
4 enec..e. Inc grappuns process Is certain, anu
| hIown IN ercenf NV sanmar,ne mines is wners
the attacking party mas gone alongside the enemy
and applied the torpedo directly TO the side or Dot.
Vom.
| o Aoo- -.n,,.o.D.,..
| Vur country nofe IMAM any o'nei seanus an noeu
OF torpedo vessels OF from oOo 10 2oOO TONS dis
placement until we can get our new Navy fairly
started This class M vessels could be built much
more rap,div man the cruiser or arnor-cad their
hs,rert.e fo he NOT Iaryer imam t,-Inch rres and
6trad Ctth macbine and rand hiring gums IIulis
ON The Man oS fhe PoIynhernus wonid he GOOD
orae NJ, rh,cr 70 hogtn 40 NOT refer RI vassas