The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-10-31

type. giving the boat speed OF 40 knots
an hour.
Within two days Lieut. Delafield hao
completed the outfit of the cambridge.
and had stored on board four OF those
terrible engines of destruction, the
magnetic torpedoes, which were OF the
ordinary cigar shape, having the en-
ergy for propulsion stored in heavy
fv-wheel revolving in longitudinal
vertical plane at a rate of 10000 revoiu-
tions a minute. This application OF the
principle of the gyroscope gave them
an almost unerring directness OF path
under water, but, besides this, WITHIN
the secret chamber were concealed mag
nets of great strength, which drew the
torpedoes straight onward toward their
prey. No maneuvering, however skill
full, on the part of the commander OF
a ship attacked could avail against the
relentless power of these magnets, and
once a torpedo was launched fairly in
the direction of an enemy's vessel, her
DOOM was only a matter of seconds.
When the intended target was struck,
the explosion of $50 pounds of gun-cot-
|, ton would fulfill the mission of the tor
pedo, and cause the proud battle ship,
stricken in some vital part. to reel back
, under the shock, then perhaps make
feeble effort to escape, but in vain. In
a moment only a seething, bubbling
SPOT covered with wreckage in the midst
of the ocean would mark the grave OF
a Goliath of the deep, done to death by
j, this marine David.
Little wonder then that Delafield had
every confidence in the cambridge. But
o his spirits fell when he read in the
4 newspapers, few mornings after, that
d a large fleet of the enemy had left its
d. rendezvous and was proceeding in the
"a direction of San Francisco. This fleet
% consisted of eight first-class battle
lie ships, ten armored cruisers, together
with twenty protected cruisers and
smaller vessels. Against this array the
United States could only bring the bat
tie ships Oregon flag, Iowa, Massachu
sets, Indiana and Texas; the armoret
:. cruisers Idaho. Maine and Brooklyn
- the protected cruisers Olympia
IL Charleston, Columbia, Newark, Mime
OF apoiis. Philadelphia and San Francisco
Ut as well as several gunboats. This flee
rs was anchored in the bay, cleared TO
III action and ready to proceed 10 sea
~ soon as carrier pigeons from the scout
"A should bring the news of the approac
of the hostile vessels. Near by were tn
~ coast defense monitors Monterey, Pur
or tan, Terror, Amphitrite and Miantont
,c' NAH, and also Delafield's torpedo boa
nc the cambridge. Jack had gone o
n' board the flagship Oregon as soon as
III had anchored after his run down frol
he the navy yard, in order to report
~ Admiral Woodbridge and to receive h
re orders. The admiral told him that
III was his intention to go outside, me-
e's the enemy, and, if possible, cripple hi
to such an extent as to prevent the Dor
"a. AZ bardment of the city. and that the Bal
'n bridge and coast-defense vessels wei
~. to be held in readiness to guard Il
"a. entrance to the harbor and cover Il
retreat of the fleet in case it might
~ compelled to withdraw.
'o When Jack left the admiraFs cab
he was confident he would have an o
portunity to add fame to his own mar
and fresh laurels to the long list
iai' daring naval achievements accol
nv .', plished by John Paul Jones, Decat'
VIM Preble,. cambridge (for whom his lit
IN vessel was namely. Biddle. Rodge
az. a., Farragut, Cushing and a host of othe
Throughout the fleet that day there W
~ an expectant hush as of gladiator re
ing previous to some mighty effo
All preparations were completed, fiji
letters written, and farewells said, f
though each officer and man hoped
- favorable outcome, everyone, ev
,,st to the meanest powder-boy, knew IL
49,, the morrow would most probably bri
oar- struggle so terrible and deadly Il
many of them would never return.
a. During the early morning twilight
H., the next day pigeon f1uttered veal
down to the cote on the flagship, ant
alighting set shrill electric bell to ri
ing. The faithful little messenger
arrived with its momentous tidiLgs
- - the shape of tiny note in quill
!. :. cured firmly under its wing. This
- soon detached and conveyed to the
,'n miral. In less time than it takes TO
80 it. the red and white signal-lights W
,ain- - - of,a;ns
ions -, -, 49, IN.
ated 80 - s M 80 .to eoet ,,os 9
50 steaming majestically out through
'n Golden Gate, The Oregon lead
o.n Everything was ready for action exc
suen opening the magazine, getting cut
'''"" ammunition, and loading the guns.
hands were intently scanning the b
zon ahead and on each bow to catch
first glimpse of the smoke of
enemy's fleet. The silence, punctu'
only by the rhythmic throb of the
gines, was at last broken by "Sail
,yM from the upper fightinv-top.