The herald., 1893-05-21
FLIGHT OF A TORPEDO.
SIX Times as Fast as Rsilroad Train
for Over Ten seoOnda

SIX Times as Fast as Rsi1road Train
for Over Ten Seconds.
The flight OF the projectiles, ae it ap-
pesred to an observer stationed near the
target, is thus described by an eye wit
ness, Lieut.. A. A. Acksrman OF the
United States steamship Philadelphia :
"We are anchored few yards from the
line Of fire, mile away from the low
lying dynamite cruiser. A signal has
been hoisted at her yard-arm. warning
her observers to stand by. They have
acknowledged it by displaying their wig
wag flags. The cruisers signal is then
hauled down, after which those OF the
observers are also doused as they sever
ally announce their readiness, All is
ready. Suddenly we perceive a white
eloud about the bow Of the Vesuvius,
and then from this bursts forth round,
black object, which, as 1t rises out of
the mist, shapes itself into long, thin
cylinder. Higher and higher it mounts,
until, nearing the zenith of its flight.
the cylinder becomes q ball apparently
moving 30 slowly that one almost fears
its momentum will be expended and il
will at any moment plunge headlong
downward. 1t has now reached
the highest point of its fight and &C
almost the same instant the ear is salut-
ed by rattling, crashing sound, as II
all the boiler factories in the country
had concentrated the pandemonium OF
weeks into the supreme effort of a
sound. 1t is the sound of the discharge,
which travels nearly twice as fast as
the projectile and which in the clear
spring air of Port Royal is heard quite
as distinctly mile away in the line of
fire as on the vessel itself.
The flying torpedo has now for Hec-
onds seemed almost stationary, poised
like some great bird high in the air. 1t
seems sure to fall short; it Is too slow
to carry far at that apparently slow
fight. Still, it does not fall percepti-
bly,, and soon the fact dawns upon us
that this black object is coming upon
uB at a tremendous rate. 1t grows
larger, and on the downward branch OF
the trajectory again elongates into CYL
inder, the rear end of which seems to
wobble or revolve in small circle
around the line of flight. Now a hiss
ing sound is heard. The projectile
seems to hasten--it is descending rap
idly-straight toward you. There is no
doubt now as to its carrying fer enough.
In TACT, it seems impossible to avoid
that. We realize that here is terrible
engine, free from restraint, beyond con-
troll. 1t has destiny Of it's own. We
don't care who sighted the gun or for
what range the valve wa1 set. We
only hope that we shall have
luck; that the black thing has
not asquired intelligence and decided to
hurt US. with malicious purpose.
But now a glance along the cylinders
side 10 reabsuring; 1t will pass on one
side; 1t seems to turn away more and
more, until, with musket-like report,
1t enters the water, throwing up lofty
column of spray. A second later and
the black, oval head pierces the water
thirty yards further on the torpedo
leaps into the air, and turning, porpoiee-
like, with graceful precision dives bead
frat into the water again. There, after
. last mighty struggle, its onward rush
is checked and it sinks to the bottom.
The length OF time of flight has been
just 104 second. 1t has come six times
as fast as the fastest railroad train; IA
times as fast and five times as far as the
fastest automobile torpedo Ia times as
fast as the fastest torpedo boat; IL times
as fast as the fastest running horse.
Moreover, it carries an amount of high
explosive power equivalent in rending
effect to two of the largest Whitehead
torpedoes. ."-[Chicsgo Herald.