New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-05
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
EXPERIMENTS WITH TORPEDO NETS.
EXCESS OF sPEED-MAGAZINE GUNS
IN THE ARMY.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRiDUSE.l

EXCESS OF sPEED-MAGAZINE GUNS
IN THE ARMY.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRiDUSE.l
Washington, June 4.-lntcrcstng experiments with
torpedo nets will take place at the torpedo station
at Newport at early date under the direction Vi
the ccmmandant, Commander Converse who Is an
expert in matters relating torpedo warfare. These
nets much used In foreign navics. and none OF the
modern vessels from abroad which participated IL
the naval review were without them. 81 far the!
are novelties In the United states Navy. The theory
is that swung from the bow, stern ana SIDES 81
ship, will erxangle torpedOes and prevent their Dam
aging vessels. but this notion Is purely theCre'cai'
The experiments ut Newport with unoadcd torl"d'cs
will AT least determine the strength Of tho nets In
formation on which subject Is OF value. Three nets
Of different textures and composition will be tred ana
thus comparative advantages observed Upon tue
results OF the experiments depends the type OF nets
TO he adopted for the Navy Of this country. Two Oh
the nets are Of domestic and the third is OF foreign
manufacture. one OF the domestic nets Is or steer ana
the other Of an alloy Of nickel and steel The Cush
ing and stieto will be employed for practical work
during the experiments
Reports indicate that three additional pneumatic
guns for New-York IIarbor are nearing compicuoh'
and will probably be ready TO be placed lr poS'oh
this summer These guns are now at the west Fo'n'
Foundry at Cold Spring y. \. They are designed u
throw aerial torpcdOcs on the same prnc'pe d'u ny
the same means as similar projectles are fired from
,he guns OF the Ncsuvins. In addition 10 the ui '
guns the original cght-inch pneumatic guns winch
during trials a short time ago sank the schooner
sman and another Of the ter-nch type are Intehoeu
for New York Iarbor. OF these I'VE guns '"o "
tho fneen-Inch type will be placed at eahdy Hoo"
md one at Willctrs Point one tcn-nch gun VIII AIS"
he placed at willetts Point. sar Francisco i'nroo
wn, have three nfteen-nch pneumatic guns Ihry
tofo fhp
eyer Later on. Boston will also receive three guns
=, IN. Same kind The success Of the pneumatic
crrs nm The Vesuvius has been questioned, ana inc
subject is now receiving the consideration Of hn'".
authorities. It Is expected, however tha' guns VI
mi; character on shore delehceS VIII CIV o
results The company which manufactures '"e s""'
l. working hard to overcome all defects In the mariner
q, sunnlvnc and controlling the compressed air "hcu
discharges the explosive II this can ne accompanied
sfpIlv there Is good reason 10 believe that 'ne
Guns will bc highly useful for the purpose Tfend'u'
lh,rc will always be- serious opjecton 10 u'
Gun II Is feared. This objection Is inc snort rh"se
,hout one mile should an enemy Ve''"re '"a'
c,o.a ,o carthworks upon which tn" dynamite guns
,r. mounted destruction Is inevitable II the ann
l., accurate The question Is whether the enemy VIII
,,r ,,nrooch danger. Many military author
IT., ao,h, Il and therefore question the value OF
the guns 49,, . .,.r
rh,s +. an appropriate time IN which TO consin"r
ho number OF vacancies In commissioned gHdes III Tue
ARMY and Navy for graduates Oh nv '''i'a'' INV
x,val Academies, and the subject Is Receiving tn'
,,o,tion dine to It's importance by the ohc'ais. lac
,, ~ making assignments OF cadets In either pranc"
- IN. service /, not agreeable one M any ""'c "
In, 70 conflicting ambitions among The youngsters
4, this time when the PROSPECTS are MT ehco""s'"s
,or surplus OF vacancies over graduates Inv 'po"
Utility + particularly onerous. YVES. i''"'
.,urc.lv ever desire appointments 10 'o'''" -
u.nts and rs there are I'VE vacancies l" NV ~
~. Infantry having colored troups. It Is expected
tim, the authorities will experience coh'"'f'o' "''
ul,v in satisfying the cadets ana th''r p''", "".
.,, friends The raval cadets also nave Sro"s
a. - and s,.lIk,s and do not hesitate 10 express the"''
omc prcfr the line Others the epg.h"'r'' "h'e mum
,r favor the Marine Corps. ms year s'""""'."s
r,o,s nj the Military Academy numbers h''y' VI my
,c n Cadet Lecom,c. Of switzerland i 'o"h''u ="
.,t rurher Of graduates there are only for'y'hVc
a., ANGLE, I'm the Grade Of second ileutehah'S t"' "
IN, artillery twelve In the cavalry ana 'h'rN W ~
,,n,rv Thor. are no vacancies In the ehsine''S
o,,. In fact there seven graduates oil i'S yen,
,ln.s ANYTHING assignment to THIS orn"'" VI Wv
,ryice Tn. law authorizes the r''en''o" W e.
nate, Of the Military Academy as "ahdi'io''i '''o"'
u.u,enanis- and the three senior gr'au''es VI va -,
,.,r.. class. Cadets Kuiz Howell and "hlh'r' wiz
..,b,lc,s be assigned TO the engineers rs l"''"e' w
,i,ionals" General easy. CHIEF oil hhe'he'''' ~
.., no Inns more than enough work for the Objects
o,r allowed him. The next seven cadets Ia po'i' VI
seniority will probably be assigned 10 ,he "'u,".'
four Ms additional second ii'ut'h'h's' III, '' 's r.
., tho class will be detailed to the cavalry anu III
fantIy. ,,,,,o ,h,s veor
Ga. Nv years course-four at the ncad'mv ""' WV
= ON hoard cruising vesscls-is forty three VI
,h number four cadets zohn. 6llmer' o"i.h ""U
Watt are studying naval architecture "o'oa" -
para,ory TO assignment to the co"'f"' ''
,hirtytwo belong to the line dNiS'o'' ""'
H.. err,n.er,' division. Four cadets nave oeci '""'
physically deficient, and VIII pripaps HUI =,
o,cd This reduces the total vacancies r'q""eu "
-, o,o Thor. .lc now sixteen vacancies In tue
~, ar.p In the engineers, and six In the mar''e
ems I'm all twenty nine. Two more 'acah'fs "'
assured by the retirement OF Adhhral H"f,"'"' ~
commander Woodward. and the prVoao'e T'"e"'", VI
i.u,cnant Commander webb. Lieutenant saio'r' Eli
, r,opcb and Hawk. and First Lieutenant fisher
rou,a make five more. The number OF assured vhoah'
ees leaves four cadets unassigned. whie 'ne h"''o
-, rohale v,c,ncie, makes provision for the ehtlfe
claS,. .,oooo, T.,
The fact that the Cramps VIII receive *2ooo'o i"
pr.miums for an exec, OF one KNOT over '"e 'o''
r.uuirem.nis for the New lorks spec cai's "''e"
ton ia the sums OF money when the "o'"rn"''" IN"
,,t out on speed premiums In the last Few years
ilodiug ont such reward to contractors has inc au
vantage Of securing the best material ana "or"'i'""
lin naval authorities believe. and In no case nave
m. amounts awarded 10 successful firms been gruog
Iugly given Contractors ARE reported ms giving par
tcuar consideration speed premiums, ma now "''
competition has reduced the cost OF bn'iuin' N''''
about 20 per cent according 10 Secretary Irac'' Tue
hopc Of securing such premiums Is no DOUBT su"""'
10 achieve remarkable result In speed
The amount Of the premium which the New io'A
will receive Is larger than that won by any o'h'r
vessel 80 far tested Previous 10 the Ncw-lorh' tue
letroit was the last winner OF hnndNome premium.
Her contract called for seventeen knots. Her oncai
,,, houod snccd Of IL II knots an Increase OF LII
lno,s over requirements In the contract ior her
construction provision was not only mao" i"r
premIum for every quarter Of knot, but Tor every
fractional part thereof, an unusual rupn'a'ioh' -
coriingy her builders secured Si'i W " p'''"'"',
c,.,v or I'm the case Of the earlier cruisers. sich
amounts wore given for increased horsepower over
contract requirements. with an allowance Of Tioo Tor
.vcrv INIT I'm excess made. Horsepower require
mems were used In the case OF the Baltimore. she
M hos.