New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-14
TO TRYL NEW SUBMARINE GUN.
THE ERICSSON TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYER Be |
ING MADE READY FOR IT.

THE ERICSSON TORPEDO BOAT DESTROYER Be
ING MADE READY FOR 1T.
IL was mentioned in The Tribune recently that
the Ericsson torpedo boat Destroyer had been taken
from the Navy Yard and hauled up on Simpsons dry
dock, in the Erie Basin, for repairs The vessel IS
about 10 be fitted up for the trial Of new submarine
gun, which is said to be an Improvement upon the
original gum experiments with IT Congress
propriated 100000 than year ago The
Destroyer was the outcome OF Captain Ericsson's ex
periments with the movable torpedo. which began In
1875 and continued for the next five years until the
Destroyer was built. she fully described. to-
gether with the mechanism Of the gun and what the
experiments had accomplished, in The Tribune eleven
years ago through the courtesy Of Captain Ericsson
who courteously permitted "a representative OF this
paper, been officer of tine Navy for twenty
years previous. TO visit the ship and witness some OF
the experiments. The torpedo proectc used at that
time was made principally Of wood, and shaped nearly
like cigar. 1t % feet long, 10 inches diameter.
and was calculated carry explosive charge weigh
ing $50 pounds. The gun was a smooth-bore tube.
80 feet in length mounted the bow about seven
feet below the waeri line, with the outer end protected
by a cap in the bow of the boat.
The boat was Of the Shape and materials OF
construction now. She IS 100 feet long, IL feet
BEAM and IL feet depth of hold. The form Of hull is
peculiar in that the ends precisely alike, and ter
inmate with fine wedges. The leading feature OF tho
construction is that she is provided with an inter
mediate curved deck, extending from stem TO stern
composed of plate iron, strongly ribbed and perfectly
water-tight This intermediate deck sustins heavy
solid DETECTING plate, placed ransveIsely to
the line of tire keel hry-two feet from the bow in
clincd at an angle Of A. degrees. deckhoHse, or
cabin seventy feet long, composed Of plateiron, -
rveted to the upper part Of the hull and IT. forward
end comes TO The detecting armor- plate. TINS
apartment is designed for the accommodation Oh
both officers and men, and for the ohccr VINO
directs the movements Of the vessel captain
Ericsson spent 100000 the vessel but 1t has
been laid up at the Navy Yard for the last three years
She is being fitted up for testing gun t't VIII DO
fired after the same manner the original gun
The projectle will be about % feet long, ana 10
throw il charge of 80 pounds Of powder VIII DO
used The shell will contain from 800 to 400 pounds
of nitro enough to blow up any vessel aoa
The muzzle the gun will prOtrude for ten feet under
water and the proccte will he carried IRON '1o 10
1 600 feet. The prOectc viii extend ABOUT elsht
feet beyond the mlIzzle Of the gun before firing INC
rnn will be tried for the first time az the torpedo
station, Newport, in about four months rom now
Commodore W. NJ. FOlger. chief of the Bureau oi ord
nance of the Navy. j. having prepared heavy steer
netting for "a target against which the gun VIII DH
rested The vessel itself j. calculated To- nave great
spccd is 10 be heavily a!mOrcd, and "a she Will nav"
lille frerboaId there will be little target eApo,cd 10
the fire Of the vessel Of the enemy tlat II 10 Do
DESTROYED by the torpedo.