The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-02
q NEW TORPEOn

NEW YORK, June In. Scott Sims, the
inventor of the Sims-Edison torpedo, has
Just returned from trip to Europe, where
at various military and naval headquar-
tiers, he exhibited successfully the swift en-
gine of war that promises to become a
most formidable feature of future opera
tions. All foreign governments whose
representatives have witnessed the per-
formance of the torpedo have become i'm
pressed with its advantages over the au-
tomato torpedoes that are now in use,
because it combines in a higher degree
than its competitors the essentials of the
ideal torpedo, namely, long carriage, I'M
usual speed, ability TO change its direc-
tion, definite mode of propulsion with
easy control and great power of explosion
The Sims Edison torpedo is no new
thing to army and navy officers of the
United States, as it has been tested salts
factorily many times in the waters near
this city, but to the authorities on the
other side of the water it was a veritable
surprise. The foreigners had no idea of
the speed and awful power of the little
boat Exhibitions were given several
times in the Mediterranean, and Mr.. Sims
has made arrangements with the Societe
Anouyme des FORCES Etchantiers de la
Mediterranee for the manufacture of the
boats. and they will be gradually intro
duced, he thinks, into all the governments
composed of three Englishmen, three
Americans and three Frenchmen.
There is only one other torpedo in the
world that amouts TO anything and that is
the Whitehead, which created such de-
struction in the hands of the Chiliau iu-
surgents not long ago, when the Escanalda
was blown out of the water. The Sims
Edison torpedo Is superior TO the White
head, according 10 Mr. Sims, because the
latter cannot be counted upon TO hit the
mark in more than one out of twelve
shots, and to secure a hit the operator
must get within a range that can be dis
astrously covered by the fire of the enemy's
machine guns The range of the Sims
Edison torpedo is unlimited.
The most general means OF protecting
the hullS of vessels from the attack of
torpedoes," said Mr.. Sims. " is by devices
OF booms and nets, which are run out and
around the ship. | have heard il said that
IN the light Of recent experience on the
Chillian coast all the vessles Of our navy
are to be provided with criuoline proteC-
tion. But these devices would by no
means suffice 70 keep out the Sims Edison
tOrpedoeS, because they explode az the
moment they touch the net and, according
TO General Abbott s figures. 80 pounds Of
dynamite exploded at a distance of
twenty-five feet from the hull would blow
the largest ironclad ont of the water.
Nets are usually hung over twenty feet
from the hull, and. moreover, our tor
pedoes carry 500 pounds of dynamite.
which Is twice the amount upon which
General Abbot bases his estimates
Besides the 500 pounds in the torpedo
proper there is a space provided between
the float and the shell where GOO or , coo
pounds more can be stored This added
charge would, of course, retard the speed
of the torpedo, but IL would more than
aaE Ear I. IL.
loses IN acceleration. y torpedo loaded
with this enormous charge, If run close TO
shore batteries, naval docks or other
structures at the waters edge, would blow
them into sphnters. II necessary it could
be run up on the beach, close beside a
town and there exploded. Two thousand
pounds of dynamite exploded az the Bat
terry, for example, would probably wreck
or otherwise damage all the buildings on
the lower end of the island"