New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-22
A TORPEDO NET FOR THE NAVY
AN INVENTION ACCEPTED BY THE DEPART
MENT
EXPERTS THINK IT IS BETTER THAN THOSE
UNTIL THE PATENT Is GRANTED.

[BT TELEGRAPH TR1BCNE.I
Washington, oct 2l.-The Navy IL to have orpodo
net at last The service has in thus respect not been
apsce with the naves Of Europe whose vessels OF war
generally equipped with these projections against
approach. Tho difficulty has been in the desire to
secure d better net than was used abroad IAe net
used in the English service has been adopted by the
French navy which pays to the English inventor a
royalty. The Ordnance Bureau Of the Navy has mad
under consideration for time samples Of nets ana
to-day Commodore Folger decided to accept the In
vention Of an American citizen. an Englishman born
The adopted net IS If steel wire formed OF nterOcked
rings. and is regarded by the Department experts rs
possessing superior powers OF endurance TO the foreign
nets. The details Of the net are Withheld until
the patent has been granted 1t is likely that the
inventor will get the contract for manufacturing the
first Of these nets, which is 10 be subjected 10 p
bastc test that is, ability to repress prolectues IL
is intended to place the nets upon the batte-shps
The general principle Of the foreign net Il ad3ered 70
In the American invention The net VIII be suspended
short distance from and around the hull OF vessel
extending a depth of ten feet below the water-ne
II is arranged so as TO be rolled and packed on the
shin and will weigh from five to fifteen tons, accord
ing to size.
There has always been question TO the utility
and value Of the torpedo net and the present action
OF the Department is calculated to revive the eA-
preston OF opinion the subject 1t Is generally
ment when a vessel Is under wav. 1t retards inc
speed AZ least half without rendering an adequate
advantage In offence or defence. vessel cannot
use the net In the enemy's waters when either AT
anchor or steamng 1t becomes hndFance when
freedom and suddenneSs OF action Is depended upon
As a means OF defence to vessel at anchor IN It's
own waters il has its uses. and while the ordnance
experts generally look upon the net as an encum
hrance II is recognized as necessary II forms a
part OF the equipment OF all well appointed navieS
and the Department is unwilling to omit any form
Of protection the absence 81 which might az any time
cost the Government a - .oon.OOO battlrshp
The relations the net the torpedo are Identical
with those Of the gun and armOr plates. At present.
especially since the acquisition Of improved Amer
lean invention the l. ahead in the contest with
tie torpedo No reliable test has developed to?
pedo which could tear through the net, The latest
type OF bnnt headed Whitehead is reported TO have
forced its way under the net and there are other
tOrlcdoes which said have perforated the pro
lection. But these latter experiments were made
with unloaded orpedoes and it is question whether
the force OF the contact with the would not have
exploded the charge Some OF the tOrpedoes are
fitted with a saw tat is Intended rip aperture
for entrance: Others planned 10 dive and enter
the wired from beneath. II IS to be hoped that
the Departments tests with tue American invention
will be well an experiment with the enemy OF the
net In connection with the net it may not bc
inappropriate to quote from Lieutenant sutherland,
OF the Naval Intelligence Oihce authority on tbs
subject He says:
tThe objections urged against the OF nets for
torpedoe defence. except .or vesslS at anchor,
generally recognized tcinC well taken. For vessels
an anchor . net defence supplemented BY bOOms at
some distance, regarded a fairly safe method for
keeping fish torpedo from exploding IL contact with
Tie vessel
whatever the opilons of naval experts OH the
value OF the net, the a, ton OF the Department
curing domestic manufacture the torpedo net IS
hound 10 direct foreign attention. and possibly patron
age to American capacities and capabilities.