The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-28
Hoods pills should be in every household

navy yard. bringing back such articles as
they were able to recover from the wreck
man. Mr.. Lloyd Phoenix, afterwards visited
In his yacht the scene OF the wreck and
recovered there, and from some OF the
neighboring Islands,, a number OF interest
ing relics, which. upon his return TO the
United States, he presented to the govern
pleasure and thanked Mr.. Phoenix warmly.
Credit is also due Mr.. Eckford, our consul
at Kingston, Jamaica, through whose per-
sonal efforts many other interesting arti-
cles were recovered and sent to the depart
ment.
"It was peculiarly unfortunate that this
old ship, historic in battle, should go down
upon a well-known reef in a time of pro-
found peace, when there was not even a
cloud in the sky. The prompt punishment.
by sentence of a court-martial, of the Off
GERS responsible does not repair the in
jury. There is still a feeling, deep seated,
DDe epa45ms6t. and tba fuil Ke shaaee by Is in a n mans
that ought not to be permitted TO die out
OF the navy list. / respectfully suggest
the construction of a battle ship TO perpet-
uate this name. The department, 1t Is true,
approves the policy, heretofore adopted OF
lars OF the Union; but the propriety of
making an exception 70 this rule In favor
of the Kearsarge would. 1 believe, be uni
versally recognized.
Under the provisions OF the act provid-
ing for the furnishing of vessels of war to
SONCI y III : VI lnC ndNdi
militia. the department has lately been re-
queSted to loan the old Constitution for
such purpose. For many years past this
vessel has been used as a receiving ship
at the navy yard, Portsmouth, ~. H., has
been housed over. and only such repairs put
upon her as would render her habitable
state is such that if this famous old vessel
Is to be longer preserved as a memenio of
our glorious past, a larger sum of money
than that appropriated at the last session
will be necessary. In view of the memories
vessel, the department believes that il
would be wise for Congress to authorize
that she be repaired and put in such con-
dition as will preserve her. indefinitely.
Should such an act be passed the old ship
might then be brought to Washington and
keps at the navy yath as an object OF IN
Americans annually visiting the capital Of
the Nation
TESTS OF ToRPEDoEs.
Secretary Herbert then discusses the sta
bility of certain vessels, the unnecessary
use Of woodwork. the bureau system lof his
department. new ordnance of which he
points out the necessity of a supply, gun
mounts and tests of powder. projectiles
and small arms. Regarding submarine tor
pedo boats he says:
After the date of my last report ex-
haustive practical experiments were con-
Quoted to determine the effect upon the
crew of a submerged boat of the defamation
- VI u AASh CAPAOoiNC OtlQCI Ut
These experiments were carried on at the
naval torpedo station at Newport, r. L.,
distances from d submerged structure con-
tanning living animals. An old Lay torpedo,
about twenty-eight feet long. was sub
merged fifteen feet, and eighty-pound
charges (dry weight) of gun-cotton at the
same depth were detonated at the following
distances from it: 4S1 feet, 800 feet, 200 feet.
100 feet, leo feet and eighty feet. The first
experiment resulted in sinking the boat
ROWING The contained animals: but it
was found on raising that no injury had
been done to the boat by the explosion be-
You'd opening seams. causing leakage with
resultant sinking, and after slight repairs
the other experiments were carried out,
the boat being raised after each explosion
and the animals examined. 1t was not un-
til the eighty-foot distance was reached
that there were any signs of injury to the
hull of the boat. At this distance the g
plos1oD made a number of depressions in
the hull, and IL was clear that at a slightly
shorter distance tue plating would nave
been completely ruptured. No damage.
however, was done to the inmates, and,
consequently, Ii was demonstrated that the
shock of an explosion upon the crew of a
submarine boat will be harmless. so long
as IL is insufficient to rupture the hull of the
boat itself. TIA these experiments do
show that the danger to a submarine yes
sci from the detonation of submerged high
explosives Is an element to be considered
In solving the problems entering into the
construction OF such a vessel is, however,
very. apparent That such a boat, if sue
naval warfare is self-evident, but after a
careful tudy of results obtained ar nome
and abroad: IN connection with the almost
recting such a craft under water, l again
referred the question to a board for an ex-
haustiye examination. The report of this
board, which was, in the main, favorable.
Is now receiving the careful consideration
of the department.
Important improvements have been made
IN the Howell torpedo which have resulted
in making the explosive more efticient.aTwo
OF the thirty of these originally ordered
nave Deen aCCenrAC- and fUnnfV-1rra ave
undergoing acceptance trials. The re-
mainder will be ready for testing within
a few weeks. The trials thus far conducted
having proved satisfactory the depart
ment. in accordance with the provisions of
the contract. has increased the number of
fifty: All Of the Whitehead torpedoes called
Tor in the contract of May, 1891, with the
md W. :. r Bliss COMPANY raIdISd have been completed.
believed. shown them TO be equal to the
very best made abroad. The department
for fifty additional torpedoes of an Improved
type and designated as Mark III. Twenty
OF these have Already been delivered.
Nearly all of the launching apparatus con-
nected with these two types of torpedoes
have been delivered by the contractors"
The report shows the number OF tornedo
boats now on land in foreign countries is
1,2S. and the number building ls2. Great
Britain has 10 on hand and sixty-four
building. while France is even better, with
PA on hand and ~forty-one building. OF
eighteen countries enumerated not one has
less than twenty-five OF these boats, while
the United States. with more coasts and
ports than any nation, has but six, counting
those yet to be built.
Armor contracts, movements of ships in
commission. policy Of naval construction
abroad, personnel of the navy, enlisted
men. naval war college. naval observatory.
naval militia. operations in Boring sea
heretofore made public and sale of con-
demned vessels are next discussed. The
expense of advertising the tug Mayfiower
was S113.7S; she brought $1.057.51. The tugs
Catalpa and Speedwell, which sold for SS5f
and 1887, respectively, cost s325.S 20 adver-
tise.
The Secretary favors the proposed transfer
OF the coast survey partly TO the hydro
graphic office OF the Navy Department and
the remainder to the geological survey
under the Interior Department.
The Secretary estimates that his depart
ment VIII require an appropriation Of ST.
go, 62S for next fiscal year. The aporopria-
ton for 1895 was SIS. 225.1 01.
NEED OF MORE VESSELS.
As 10 the need of more vessels and the
classes of ships desired, the Secretary re-
peats what was said in his last annual re-
port:
The cruisers and o1,nhoats "a have