The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-10
AN IRoNcLAD DESTROYER.
Gen. Berdan InVents Semi-Submarins
Boat for Harbor Defense.

Gen. Berdan Inyents Semi-Submarine
Boat for HaTbOr Defense.
Improved schemes for COAST defense are con-
stantly being considered by the Naval and
Coast Defense Committees Of both Houses oil
Congress this year and many novel plans have
been submitted. Perhaps the most original
and striking Of all the suggestion comes from
Gen. Berdan, who has been study for years
the problem Of the defense of cltIes against
modern war vessels His conclusion, which ~
now shared by many experts IS that the only
sure method of meeting aud overcoming hos
tile ironelad lies in the construction OF some
submarine or semi-submarine mechanism, by
means Of which high.power explosives can be
lodged in the hull Of the warship, and when
will insure her destruction before she can get
within range Of the shore.
GEN Rerdan has invented what he describes
as n twin-scTew armOred semi-submarine
gunboat' which has been submitted 10 the
committees Of Congress which have charge OF
our coast defenses. The boat is TO be 200 feet
long aud 40 feet in beam, l6 feet draft, and
., 400 tons displacement. The submarine gun
is TO be placed in the bow of the boat, eight or
10 feet below the water-line, while at the wa
terline directly above the gun is a hydraulic
buffer, which. on striking q man-ot-waT, fires
the gun below automatically, and at the same
time causing a sharp rccoil, which IS 10 push
the boat back out Of the range of the explosion.
] II
the shell, so that though the buffer may be in
effective. the engines Of the attacking ship can
hack her away in plenty OF time TO place oil
safety.
The part Of the craft above water consists Of
a low, armOred deck Of nickel-steel, with n
coming tower forward of the middle of the
boat and a bridge for machine guns, which
can be used 10 drive of smaller torpedo boats.
The coming tower is protected by nine inches
Of armor.
The construction Of the gun and the manner
of firing il are, Of course, the most vital and In
] teresting features of Gen. Berdan's scheme. As
was, said above, the gun is placed directly IN
the OOw of the boat, under the hydraulic butler.
4 The gun itself is 2s feet long, has caliber OF
% inches, aud weighs something like % tons.
/ The muzzle reaches 10 the bow line, and a
tompion OF stopper, put in il 10 keep out the
water, projects several feet further. In the
space ia the barrel between the t0mpiOn and
the she'll are three cylinders, loosely made in
! four pieces % prevent compressed air from ex-
/ panding the muzzle Of the gun. The shell Is
about eight feet long and weighs 1000 pounds.
/ il is corrugated so as TO allow sufficient gas
/ from the powder charge behind 10 10 pass the
shell and force the cylinders and tOmpion out
OF the barrel, spreading the cylinders and tom
/ pion and forming a hole in the water 90 the
side Of the man-Of-war. so that the she'll may
not be retarded by the inertia Of the water.
! The shell will contain $50 pounds Of musket
powder, equal 10 about 80 pounds Of No.
/ dynamite Wet gun cotton may also be used,
! IL desired, vastly increasing the. explosive
! power Of the charge. The shell will be set off,
after entering the vessel attacked, by the time
! fuse already referred TO-
Gen. Berdan offers 10 build the ship for 81
100000, under specifications that will he salts
\ tary 10 the Navy Department, with premiums
/ 20 be paid for speed in excess Of 90 knots an
/ hour It is thought that q contract will be en-
\ tered into with the General, as the Committees
of Congress have been investigating the matter
1 aud have asked the opinion OF experts.