The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-29
roRrzDoEs from our wan sHrs.
Relative AavastAxss or che whitshesa ana
the Hewell, AaePtea In Our Service.

Relative ,AavsstAges or che whitehesa ana
the Howell. Adopted In Our Service.
WASHINGTON. Oct 28>-one Of the most notice.
able points OF difference between Chllls navy
and our own is that the former is we'll supplied
with automobile torpedoes, and is familiar
with their Use. while our vessels have as ret
none at all.
This contrast is Of course brought into spe-
cisl prominence at the present time. and It boz
comes oil the more striking since vessels plan
ned i've or ak years ago for our navy were pro-
vlded with tubes for launching such torpedoes.
as their successors have been. Tho explana.
tlon Of the lack is that our Navy Department
waited long time for the perfecting Of GER
tain American torpedoes which gave great
promise. and ret NODDED to DO brought to o
higher state OF efficiency before final adoption
At length the Bureau OF Naval Ordnance
mado an arrangement for the purchase Of 100
Whitehead torpedoes, such as arc adopted by
nearly oil the naval powers. Their reputation
IL Of course familiar. the Whitehead having
been Invented twenty years ago and steadily
improved since then. It was with such missiles
that the Blsnco Encalada was blown UP. The
Whitehead was the invention OF On English
officer In the Austrian service. but cannot be
said to belong to any country as its almost
universal employment shows: and with view
to obviating all criticism the Navy Department
that The It s Il 9sd'r b s10us
now, IN fact, under construction by o Brooklyn
establishments and It has been said that some
q q them viii DO delivered before the close OF
The Bureau Of Ordnance also gave an order
lor thirty Howell torpedoes. provided they
trial Of the first Of these is soon to be mado:
They are the invention Ct Capt J; A: Howell Of
Ordnance (Omnnnv.
does. with which most foreign navles are sup
Up. and the first instaIlments q the Whitehead
can be distributed to such vessels as may
In exterior form these two types Of torpedo
both being cigar. shaped projectiles: but q
tSo hs powss Is
GytesSscd mr., which drives screw propeller
e sn the 81 Witch re S liz Snpha sar IN
s. sGs laSses sithe lsiSs PIP aFsinst S!|@ss
other Obstruction Is struck. In the rear q this
rrtus. by which the pressure OF the water out
4 HD1n The acon q ss
water TsSe .t on the rudders is such as to
'G anns spns sso ana 1Sa Msn
eradsa The hrd
driven BY it. The fiith cham Der has apparatus
Ing I Pslnf Ds ina IT,
It fro% the hands Of an enemy should i fa e
oe
liminary practice is most desirable: Then fol-
tss We sSs f%o
axis. so. as to neutralize any tendency to lat
%ts its Vsss o
give It q straight course.
TIT Th ABS Howell rSs tail 0nr ssstons
S%s BEHIND e ;Sf. hs
sna sse dssas h
Ia ss a sSe s te poo for
BY heavy iiywheei. This is spun up to q high
epermonent attachment Of the launching t tabe:
As coon rs the torpedo is placed IN the. tube
thH turbine %S for clutches 5hs ywhse ard
and strI Ees the water this revolving aywheel
drives ite proDellers as long as its own motion
Only when the Whitehead and the Howell
torpedoes are brought into direct competitive
tests. rs will doubtless In due time be the case,
S saa BE-
ahlrmed That the Whitehead is mneh the
ia sffer ana mas the longer range Of the two,
tho Howell. which Is smaller and lighter. car
rles the heavier charge In proportion to its
total weight. The chief advantage Of the
directive force, 50 that this quality may stand
against the higher velocity and range Of the
Whitehead.
For the present, however torpedoes may
seem hardly as important to our ships on the
CHILEAN coast as steel nets for guarding against
said to be under Manufacture for our navy,
but none have yet been definitely tested.
use OF search lights. and readiness in serving
secondary batteries should be suificient
sources Of reliance.