New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-09
NIRAL WALKERS SQUADRON
DUE HONOR PAID TO THE FATHER OF Hi
COUNTRY
SATISFACTORY EXPERIMENTS WITH THE
HOWELL AUTOMOBILE TORPEDO IN THE
RAY OLE YILLEFRANCHE

BAY OF NlLLEFRANCuE.
Squadron Of Evolution. Villcfranchc. France req
o3-U,avy showers Of rain, causing dctesao'e
weather u,hcrcd in the anniversary OF the birth OF
Washington but toward 10 o'clock the sun burst out
in all H., brilliancy gentle breeze swayed the gay
bunting with which everything that noatcd "d'
acckcd the beautiful Apes Maritimcs looked their
hluc,t and lovccst, and all serene again Al
midday 100 guns Numbered across the bay. the
smoke Of their charges entirely ob,curng the vessels
while their sharp reports rccchong rom Granny an"
gorge reminded of a genuine bOmbdrdinehl' ino
American squadron was not the only one 10 40
honor to fine Father Of his Country. division OF
the Preach fleet consisting of the ironclads Trident
rhc flagship Of Rear Admiral Acics Redouo'aple anu
Admiral Eaudln and the torpedo cruiser Milan were
arravcd from stem to stern In bunting. Inc
Trident fired in unison with Us at lhluudN =
Visits were exchanged between Admiral walker anu ''
French Admiral, and salutcs were lrch a. '"cs uo
parted from each others vessel Inc oihocrs Va "0
SQUADRON entertained numerous guests at breakfast
and "A large number Of visitors boarded 'he s"P'
throughout the day. II IS usual on our Ve'sei7 Oh
Wa,hngtons Birthday 10 arrange boat races anu o'c'
sports. but on this occasion the day passed over very
ouietv possibly on account Of the hard week urlll'
and the gayetics Of the preceding week.
on Friday. the Bamphino, small steamer cilar
tered hy the Iochl,s ordnance Company, arrived III
the harbor for the purpose Of experimenting WIN inc
u,vcu auto mobile torpedo. This torpedo since us
invention has been most formidable rival OF Olo
whitehead and with continued improvements has u0
cloncl into 4 mos, desirable and destructive weapon.
In the afternoon II received four severe "''s' .lo
first three al a range Of 800 metres about ]"o SdN'''
and the last at a range Of 100 metres target
consisting If a light rope netting forty or fifty yards
in length and twenty feet deep, weighted at the
,o,tou, and hoatcd with buoyS, was placed
400 rcrr.s from the discharge tube.
To indicate tho centre Of the target red has was dis
played from sta and after every discharge the target
would De hauled up, the injured mcshcs lo'a'eu an"
m. true score accurately obtained. In the hrsl uicc
rial. the torpedo was set for 900 metres distance aud
Oh metre, submcrsion. In order Thoroughly l" uii'
dcrsand the working of the torpedo il is necessary 10
add that motion j, impaired by the momentum Of
a ny,Chc,l st in rapid motion by steam power
generally 5000 rcvolutions-Aciorc the torpedo i
uuched and that II, suhmcr,on Is controlled pV an
automatic slbmcrson regulator. which can be SET LOT
any ircd depth. Each time II Vas aihcu AT INC
,,rre, the torpedo never struck more than metre
length horizontally from the centre oi 'lo '"rNo''
while the depth was absolutely correct in every IN
stance =,
rhe trials were regarded a. cmincntly successful
bv F. H. Paine late Licutenan; United states Navy
who va, H. charge of the opcrati III on bchat Oh III"
uotchhi,s Company; aud the inventor hnseli captain
Howell who commands the Atlanta ana VINO nap
pen,d To- bc the spot al The timc coud no, con-
.l M. sat ,i,ctlOn. The target Wa thcn hanIcd up
,ud fnc torpedo WAS set for 500 metres, ?.op ic'1
buttons momentum. depth = u metre. lnc TS ,
r.'D-- ON if- Sub agucou, course and after is mo
,i,ir hld svcn ont and it hoaed to the surface II
mat oir, had been a direct horizontal line. depth
AS Indicated hy the register. = metres me ; >'V
lean Government has already adopted inc Howell
t,rn,,l, and A hrsc number are bcnH manufacturer
AZ Providence, H. /.
London March -.-Thc American squadron OF Evolu'
ton ha, arrived a. Naples.