New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-03
THE DESTROYER.

THE DESTROYER
Vcsuvius BY on English naval expert to inc Boat' u
Admiralty upon hi return to England AMER haN'n5
witnessed the trial Of that YES ol In Delaware Bay II
tho Hoard ~ Admiralty could be p,iv eyed to witness
the csf; which have boon conducted ara are beng con
timed nj thr Navy Yrfd with the Ericsson system Oh
submarine artillery. they would not hesitate 10 give
the verdict that ha< proved himself goV' h'"''n
for hi, satanic majesty in providing the means " ''
destruction 10 mankind without giving him time 10Y
PREPARATION.
The Erics son subrarinc torpedo Gun mounted upon
the Destroyer. The experimental vessel b"ii Dy zap
thin John Eric several ycnri bnfoiT MS ut"'h 7
proved capable OF Senins proi"iie' 'HrrHlnS '''
mounds Of dynamite gun cotton. or som" obcF ~ O.
fcctive nm explosive from point seven feet below fc
surface and a th0usand feet on straight l'e' ""n
wtlou, cauelnr leaving trace Of rs co''Se "',n
4, ,tl,g. the enemy 10 IT, destroyed: in other "OMS
.wnprir- compliments with your irinufSom' H''""
pr slclf nnse"n.T These tests M Ire NAVY '"'" 4"
conducted under the sui, rviSiJn o! p"'H VI '"'P'
cxucrts. and have awnkcn"d interest among ORD
nnnc, Q, norris no; orIy Ia this country but In Tor
o,gn navcs A. we'll and they have been continued RON
Tim. 10 lin. fully 70 determine 'hc vain" Of The system
IN evorv wav Tie experiments We're conci1't' Oh
THURSDAY And yet neither th" beat nor uie p'o
,cc,nc Is n now Invention, for description oil '"t"
the inception OF the idea and the demonstration '"'
m. gun with rs prolctilc is most remarkable engine
Of Noval warfare. was published in The Tribune a.
long ~, NJ 1870. At that time. In the nlumnand-
n trlf Article published Tlr Tribune said; For the
last five years Captain John ErisSSon. the inventor OF
the Monitor has devoted himself 10 WORKING o'r Ihr
probl.n ~ torpedo explosives. and he has Sn''eo'"
In developing one Of such power and vehemen'" th"t
tho very shock would suffice entirely 10 DESTROY any
warvessel ever constructed
Although The Gun Itself Is thr Instrument which
| sends forth the deadly weapon. and the boat from
which II is n,ed l. the original one built BIZ captain
| Ericsson for experimental trias ard was hppro
rlatclv named Tie Destroyer the gin has tcen I'M
| proved IN some particulars-bcng OF STEEL 'nS''"'
/ u irln. bat IL still the same In system " 'nn'
dcvcl,pod BY tho great inventor before his Death
Nor Ma death Congress appropriated. on Inn" 80
| 300 cOnO) 20 manufacture ard eNp''in"n'aly 10
! to-, the submarine gun and the prolecnirS ior Tue
| some with the provli that no part of inc app,o
prntlon should DE expended until tie executors VI INC
Ericsson estate should ayr" by contract To H'V' "'
| Goycrumcri ihe option u purchasing the r.ht 10
| Manufacture by contract or otherwi'e. sh'h SUD
marine rnrs and prolectes without payment OF any
| ROYALTY on fhc same. This action vas taken by
Congress 10 prevent the position OF the system !"
. foreign government which had really opened nrSoua-
| uons for securing the patents. The NAVY Depart
mon, soon afterward entered into a coninct with the
| executors ~ The Fries estate fr one s'cel SUD
marine gun and six steel rroecties for the same.
preparatory 10 making ies'S VII" "em y" NV
Destroyer. ~ 49,. - -,
| \, thcr, was much delay In completing The gun by
he ,nb.contract9r, the orlnance Department 100"
! charge Of the work and finished the gun nj 'he N'n
| lnr,on Gun Foundry. In cas-" the tests 1no"'' w
m rccssfuI 4, was agreed that the gun and tho pro
| til sbould hc turned over 20 the Navy Depart
mont ,,r .uch use as might be thought most pracuc
| able Tho tests thus mr. seem 10 have been all mat
vos exuected Notwithstanding the fact that the system
has not been thoroughly perfected Inc ''lei ~
| rurenu ~ Ordnance recently said "Ihe cNP'r
uent with this system Of submarine artillery inchne
| lila il.n. ,rl
ard INN RANT adjunct 20 the conntry's defensive ah
| mont norticulnrly when mounted on board vcSs"''
| Intended especially for rammlng. II seems po'Sp'c
tno, the chances Of the ram being nblc to reach her
ort,gonlst with destructive effect VIII be dun1'np"d
n the addition Of this weapon 10 her means Of offence
- the weapon be All that 1t seems 81 be. the problem
Of coast defence to say nothing Of It's value In sea
| orbt will he simple. Nay. more: the millions that
| bovc becn c-pcudcd abroad la the construction OF
eoat,ng batteries that can be sunk by toy monitors
Will seem Ike water poured upon tn" PLAIN not 10
be gathered up acnin
| Tho new rrn Is u steel. is thirtylrcc feet long.
and the proectlc which has steel point and
conucr chamber for the explosive charge Is twenty
| sevcn tset long sixteen inches In diameter ana
WEIGHS | 525 pounds The explosive charge Is "oo
tonnd, Of powder. dynamit" or gnnco"on. Inc
pr,iect,lcs used In the tests mr." not charged WIN
| exnoslve but are weighted 80 as 10 correspond win
the charged weapon The ics's are Icing made IN the
| pov, rn,l..- drydock: that Is the boat is moored
ohou, 100 feet from the end Of The dock, which Is
filed With water. and se"es Of nets. 100 Feet
aport are submerged through which the torpedo
pie-ccs lis way. After th" tests the nHuhsS are
lifted ont and measurements accurately taken. so as
| o., so,crmne the actual conrsc Of the torpedo The
orpaochamler Il so constructed that weights may be-
adjusted in It TO make the project'e trace straight
| limo or take slight upward downward course.
And the tests up the present have been IN every
| way satisfactory.
Nihcugh so much has been said about the gun her'
tfore little has been said about the vessel or her
construction To ordinary observer the De'tro! I'll
woud NOT I'm the lcaS' reveal Us mysterious purpose
n WASH With such sting that II cond send lov'a'hau
u,o thc british iropclld Devastation 20 tn, bottom o
tho so ~ less a swarm Of vriSpS like Itself sho"fs
appcar 10 drive her back. She IS simply on nnarme0
lr,pclpi vessel with bow md stern wedg, shaped "i'
when ready for artlon her lul Is nearly sibmerRSi
Tho form ~ the hull Is peculiar, both ends being
precisely alike terminating with fine wedges probably
e,ornor than any vessel Of like or deeper draugh
over built The length Of the vessel Is $50 Feet
depth II feet extreme brralth IL feet thus presenting
tho unusual proportion OF eleven times greater io"s.I
| than beam. Tho ruddcr is wholly unc'hn@t" WIZ
no visible port OF the stern. being attached to
vertical vroughtiron post welded TO proi'hE"''n
NJ the heel lust abaft the propeller Its upper par
| be,nc nesriy four feet below the water lihc ih'
,lc consist Of thin plates Of Iron, Hvcttcd on opposite
| sides OF the rud1cr few ichoi from tie Do''o'"
These inlers operatc hy straight ro's eon"'''o
IN tho netons Ct horizontal hydraulic cylinders o.
ayo inches diameter attached 10 the inner sides Of
tho keel Accordingly the steering gear Is ten le'
| below the water ne while the top ~ me r""'e'
| only reaches within fonr feet OF the water line.
The leading feature In the construction oil tne nun
IS It's being provided with an In ermediae e"r'e''
eoc,r extending from stem composed OF plate
| tenn STRONGLY ribbed and perfectly waiertight. This
intermediate desk ,usane heavy sod arlot Gc,h
nIat, plncei tansverSely ~ the line OF Inc kec Unity
TWO feet from the bow Inclined at All angle I" ioity