The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-07
TO TEST TORPEDO NETS.
The Navy Department. Has Selected Tw,
Types to Experiment Upon.
Na,x Ynrk innns

Types to Experiment Upon.
New York Times.
Among the most interesting tests that are
to take place in the spring are those in con-
nection with torpedo nets. Two samples
are TO be submitted. one the Bullivant. of
English make. which has been quite gen.
orally adopted for ase in England and on
the Continent. and the other an Ameri-
can net. known as the Midgley. This
kind Of protection is to prevent the too close
approach of an enemy's torpedoes. The
nets are rugged cut well clear of the ships
side by means of spars and hawsers stretched
from spar to spar SO as to completely girdle
the vessel The spars are sometimes fitted
so that they rig in and out through the YES
SETS side, and at others so that they can be
topped up, the heels working in shackles
we'll down toward the water line. When
not in use the nets are rolled ND as snugly as
possible and stopped up under the rail-
The Builivant net has withstood success
fully the attacks of various torpedoes.
although it is now asserted that the bulk.
head Whitehead can get by ii without an
explosion taking place before the torpedo
gets near enough 10 damage the vessel
This net is made of steel grommets placed
at right angles to each other and of
such size that nothing but the
extreme end of the torpedo can
get Though. 1t is said that the ex-
pl0siOn of high explosives close to the net
has done no great damage to it, The re-
ports of the various maueuvers in which
this kind of ''orinoline" has been used by
foreign vessels have been very favorable,
aud in consequence a large number of
battle ships and some Of the protected
cruisers are already fitted with it, or orders
have been given that torpedo nets are to
form a part of their outfit.
In our navy nothing of the kind has yet
been adopted, and, before committing itself
to either one of the two types. the Navy De-
partment proposes having competitive
tests. With this idea section of the Built
want net has been brought over from
England and several sections OF the Midgiey
have been made IN this country 1t was at
first proposed to use the submarine gun of
Eriesson's Destroyer. but as the prospects
were against this weapon being ready in
time, it was decided to try the Whitehead
and Howell torpedoes as soon as they could
be made ready for the tests.
The Midgley is composed of parallel bars
formed OF intertwined Delices of steel rib
bon. whose length varies according to the
dimensions of the vessel upon which it is
used. and " hose width is about two inches
In constructing the bars sections of cyiin-
drieal helices are screwed into each other to
form sheet of any convenient length and
width. the length being equal to that of the
bars. The sheet thus formed is then passed
through rollers to fiatten the helIces. make
them fit snugly into each other, and at the
same time it is kept under longitudinal ten
sion. The result is that the helices are we'll
seated in each other and a compact, flexible
sheet that can readily be rolled Is formed
The table spread for formal luncheon
should be set with the greatest precision.