Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-22
TORPEDOES.
Interesting Description of the Torpedo
. Station at Newport

. Station at Newport.
What a wonderland for warlike imag
innings is that little island in Newport
Harbor called the Torpedo Station" On
1t are but few insignificant buildings;
but In them is made nearly all the gun
cotton used In the United States navy.
Gun-cotton! It seems peaceful name
for terrible explosive. How innocent it
appears, done up in little round cakes.
And yet that peaceful looking cotton is
ready at the touch of the electric spark, or
the slightest blow of hammer. to rend
great rocks or masses of metal that would
resist three times the weight in powder
Near the long, low buildings in which
gun-cotton is manufactured, but separated
from them by massive walls of an oid-time
fertilization, is the machine shop of the
station Above the shop are lecture
rooms, and storage places for various
kinds of torpedoes used in tie past. The
specimens run from a model Of David
Bushnel's original torpedo, designed to
blow up British man ofwar in the revo.
luton, down to the types used in the
great rebellion; and there are even work
ing models of all kinds which will prob
ably be used In the future wars OF our
country, should there be need of them.
In the large and we'll lighted lecture
room, those officers of our navy who are
selected to ''study up this subject and
become experts In handling these danger
GUS implements of war frequently gather
for instruction. Here they see not only
the plans and charts, but the real models
themselves. The various methods Of an
choring, buoying, floating, towing, or
propelling torpedoes are carefully explain
ed to them here. They learn also what
substances make up the many deadly ex-
plosives used, and are taught TO handle
the wires, batteries, and other means of
exploding them.
In the broad, beautiful bay, whereon
the sunlight shimmers beneath the sta
| ton windows, the classes lay mines and
countermines, or sending the swift NOV
able torped0es tearing through the water
III search OF an imaginary enemy.
In the center aisle of the lecture-room
ana hanging from the ceiling, are short
portions of booms Or spars bearing torpe-
does on their ends. They are all laGge,
ponderous and black, and point down at
you in so real istic way that one looks
anxiousiy aboht, fearing that few may
have caps on and be loaded. Some are
round, some are cylindrical, others are
oval; some are like great c0nical cans,
others yet are pear shaped.
On the floor, to the left, mushroom
| torpedo" made to lie at the bottom of a
bay, where ship must pass over it. Be-
yond 1t is one shaped just like d great
sunfsh, with tail-like rudder, and at
| tachments known as side elevators, look
| ing like fms. This is made to be towed
| by chain fastened by a ring in what may
| be called its nose; and from little rods
sticking from its snout are caps, the
| touching of which mean destruction.
On the right Of the room is a reel on
which is wound long line. This line is
to tow and to direct the queer-iooking
| towing torpedo just beyond it, with the
iron handle upturned. Next to this lies
a union" an arrangement from which
number Of wires can diverge to a like
number of torpedoes. The torpedoes can
| be set off I'm battery or separately.
The long, white. pointed torpedoes are
more modern, and are known as Fish, ~
Log" and "Whitehead" Some of
these are propelled by electric engines in
| the torpedo, connected to the shore by d
| wire which is paid out Some Of the tor
pedo engines work by soda-gas In
another sort, the machinery is kept in
motion by wire which is continually
pulled from the coil in the torpedo by
those on shore. The coil being thus re-
volved turns the machinery of the torpedo,
50 the harder you pull the faster it goes
from you. Yet another is propelled by q
heavy iron wheel, revolving at wonderful
speed, is set spinning in the hollow ter
ped0 shell, and by gear wheels operates
the propeller This fly wheel runs a long
time. Perhaps you have seen toy loco
motives run by the same method.
In fact, surrounding the visitor all
kinds and shapes and sizes of queerlooking
objects can be seen; but they are ali
torpedoes, and the whole purpose of each
device Is to be quiet, stealthy, obedient
and, above all, effective in action.
The entire collection is wonderfully
interesting and instructive. but each Of
the terrible machines, although unioaded
has a certain dangerous air which is
likely to give timid visitor the ''creeps."
st. Nicholas.