The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-19
TORPEDO NETS Fox our cRursERa
An 1nterestiae Competitive Trial Rla.psA
For the nalilyant and MlAGley DexIees.

An HnterestiaG Competitive Trial Rla.usA
For the Buliivant ana MiAGiey Devices.
WASHINGTON. March 1a-Durine the late
preparations for possible war with Chill cur
navy found itself lacking in two important
particulars. First, It had no automobile tor
pedoes. and. secondly. It had no steel nets
with which to protect our own cruisers
against Chili's torpedoes.
The experience has not been lost. and while
supply OF Whitehead and Howell torpedoes
is assured In season for our next little trouble.
or rumor Of trouble. come when 1t may. there
Is also a prospect that our cruisers will have
their wardrobes Of crinolino ready to wear on
such an occasion.
As a preparation for the latter rig COM
petitvc test OF two appliances Is soon to be
held. one bonR the well-known Bulllvant.
used in various European navies. and the
other tho MidGley Of American make. The
general purpose OF these appliances. OF course.
is to keep the torpedo from reaching the ships
aide, so that 1t may explode. II ut all. against
the steel not instead Of the hull.
In tho Bullivant system. which is largely
used by the French vessels. the net Is attached
to steel booms. run In and out through the
ships side by suitable gearing. The makers
Of some torpedoes shy that this net cannot
stop them from injuring the vessel: yet many
Of the moro expensive ships are supplied with
1t. as the naval authorities are satisfied that 1t
is OF value. The Midgley is inRenously con-
structed OF bars so arranged and fitted as to
form flexible net that can be easily rolled.
and Is particularly suited for easy handling
ana hawsers around the vessel.
Wson 81 th nSsS IS tus as
cribed by Lieut.. southerIand OF our service:
Hollow steel booms OF the usual length to be ar
a%ss o'Ssr s These to Sung BY
Inc The %hsS act after guy to shs Sss M
only s' e Al lsss
3 by 81 ,nS @ s ss s e. 10
TINT when lei the boom. and the steel tor:
sf III s
In an official trial Of the Wilson net It was
ed in her SrinSne garb within about two
Which, It was spped ~a The devices Of s somiso
of the. French engineers claims even greater
nets nets can CT, BE- run out and Extended: b. means Of
compressed mir in twenty seconds. They can
G e en By 81 an n sS N s nssd
WEIGHS only My about forty tons; Ths 6ooms
the snip. and tho nets can either be brailed UP
outside: when not in use or can DO slowed in
Of speed can be kent up with the nets down.
As might be expected. the Inventors OF tor
pedoes nre busy meanwhile in devising m cans
for overcoming the resistance Of nets. Just as
tho rival makers OF guns and armor are con-
stantly competing with each other. and. In
fact. where they are manufacturers OF both
offensive and defensive appliances. are strlv-
ing to outlo their own ski In ono direction
by skill in the other. In the Victoria torpedo
1t is suggested that the explosive cylinder
should 10 suspended from float Of similar
construction. with an independent air engine
and propeller. so arranged as to hang back
somewhat from tho torpedo ITSELF Then. II
tho latter is hung at n sufficient depth, 1t will
have passed under the netting by the time the
float is stopped by it and hence will be pulled
up and exploded against tho hull. But this
seems to DO simply a borrowi ne OF tho we'll
known principle Of the Bcr,lan torpedo. which
Is expressly constructed with its two parts,
one acting as n pilot to strike against the, net
and the other diving underneath and explod-
In. against the hull.
But whatever the devices OF this sort. the
value OF the net as protection is admitted.
and the proposed experiment to find what
invention is hest suited to our navy is Of great
interest. When the Blanco Encnlada was
blown up. IN the Gillian civil war. she did not
have her net out. This was only one however.
OF several points OF gross carelessness which
led to her destruction. Our vessels. had they
confronted the Lynch and Condeil.would have
had no nets to put down. OF course. there are
other means OF resisting torpedo boats. but
the cost Of n great battle ship like the Indiana
makes It advisable to provide her with tho
crinolinc protection against destruction by
sudden attack.