The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-25
SHOOTING UNDER WATER.
Gun, Net, and Torpedo to Be on Trial
at Newport.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2.--In the next
stage OF development Of the American
navy, submarine warfare is likely t.
take a prominent part. A sub-snrface
boat is to BE- built, either OF the Hol-
lard or the Baker model, and mean
while the Destroycr'S gun and both the
Whitehead and the Howell torpedoe,
will undergo sorles Of tests. During
the coming m, nth very interesting
combination trial will take place, in
which the gun, the torpedoes, and
several competing steel nets, designed
for protecting vessels from the attacks
of torpedOes, are all expected to figure.
Beginning with the under water gun,
this is thirly-two feet long, Of sixteen
inches calibre, and is mounted OF
feet below the surface of the water
Its shells can carry 800 pounds of gun
cotton, but in its trials last year al
Brooklyn only dummy projectiles were
used, as the purpose was to find out
what its range was, and its degree OF
accuracy within that range. 1t is
known from those trials that it had a
range of 600 feet, and since the pro,
jectiIes then used were imperfect in
some respects, and stronger ones have
since been constructed, this range may
be exceeded. Last year it was found
that up to 200 feet the accuracy in the
vertical plane was coed, but beyond that
point the projectile was apt to defect
upward. Out of twenty shots fired last
year eight preached the surface of the
water between the 200 and 500 feet
nets, and four more between the SOC
and the 400 feet nets, This, of course,
was serious drawback, because a
battle-ship's armored belt extends sew
eral feet below the water line, and the
purpose of the Ericsson gun is to strike
below the belt. However, three If the
twenty shots went through the 600 feet
net, and if this can be done with a part
of the projectiles, we may fairly hope
that under improved construction it ca -
be done with all.
Turning to the torpedoes, the ex
celIent performances of the Howell
pattern, in point Of speed and range,
have been gratifying, Its accuracy has
always been strong point, its certain
ty of motion in horizontal plane
dire city to its object being well known,
and result Of the principle on which
it is based. 1t is also remarkable for
the high ratio of the weight OF the
charge to the total weight of the tor
pedo, and its construction is compare
lively simple. Now that such great
advances have been made in velocity
and range, and also in uniformity OF
submcrsion, in all which points it was
originally lacking, its sphere of useful
ness is beyond question, AS for the
Whitehead, with its astonishing velocity,
its reputation was long ago established
in many countries, SO that the only
thing to determine was whether the
|torpedOes that are made here On this
system for the navy CONFIRMED to the
high requirements Of the contract,
lhey must nave an average speed OF
thirty one knots per hour during the
first 400 yards Of their run, and a
speed of twenty nine knots for the
second 400 yards. The vertical devi
alton must not exceed two feet nor the
lateral deviation ten feet on any part of
the 4urse,
The steel nets which are to be tested
are OF various patterns, and the Bureau
Of Ordnance indicated some time ago
that American would sooner or later be
put in competition with foreign inven-
tons or manufactures of this sort
European services seem to be well
Convinced Of the utility of the net for
protective purposes. Some of the
torpedo makers profess to be able to
perforate the nets and reach the hull of
the vessel others have contrivances for
diving beneath the nets. But what
ever may be the success achieved or
promised in either particular, foreign
nations rely on nels, and our own SER
vice needs to procure them. Any