The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-19
NEW DEMON OF THE SEA
TORPEDO THAT MAY PROVE A TER
ROR FOR BIG BATTLE SHIPS.
1t Is Magnetic, and Is Attracted to the
Hulls of Iron Vessels-NO Way
of Escaping 1t.

PITTSBURG, Nov. 1S.-The Boston cor
respondent of the Dispatch says: There is
q new terror for the mighty battle ships
a remorseless little demon, of the sea,
which is destined, it is firmly believed, to
revclutionize the torredo warfare the world
over for 1T is an engine of destruction of
such intense magnetic action, so sensitive
in its movement through the water. that Ii
appears almost as if endowed with brains.
1t is an automobile torpedo. which not
only moves in the line of it's propulsion.
but which turns about when it finds that
IL has overshot its mark, and pursues. ac
tually steering itself. to find the prey whose
presence it detects with unerring accuracy.
Both with the Whitehead, as well as
with other torpedoes now in use, the one
salient fault is lack of accuracy, as per-
haps you may know." was the remark of
the inventor of this startling device In
naval warfare to a Dispatch reporter to-
day, I'm the first interview which he has
given TO anybody. Mr.. Caryth Haskins has
had an intimate acquaintance with mag
netic forces from his position as manager
of the meter department of the General
Electric Company. He said: Magnetism
seeks TO traverse through iron. therefore.
when these lines of magnetism, reaching
Oul III lldl way, lfld lTOtl mass
upon one side. the hull of great ship. for
instance, the effect Is to permit the mag
netism to traverse back through the ship
The moment that this magnetic force feels
a mass of iron on one side or the other of
il. It sets in motion delicate mechanism
within the torpedo. That me echanism con-
trolls a motor which handles the rudder
The helm IS Instantly thrown hard over
swinging the nose of the torpedo in the di-
rection of the mass of iron which the SEN
sitive little magnetic device has detected.
torpedo immediately
III the torpedo turns too far and goes over
to the other side. the same force throws
the helm over again and the torpedo.
quickly responsive. comes about to head for
the hull of the ship-the huge mass Of
metal which has attracted it, 1t is simply
by acting upon a little alarm clock. or a
mechanism nearly like it. that the magnet
ism steers the torpedo. After the screw
has turned a certain number OF revolutions
1t is ready for action. That is all there Is
10 II. We can apply that device to any
automobile torpedo that is constructed. 1t
Is very small. weighs only 125 pounds and
is easily adjusted. There has been mis-
taken idea that this device is the property
of some large corporation. IT Is not. II is
my property, and my own invention abso-
lutely. We have the broadest patents COW
ering IL that L think were ever issued.
can tell you that a prominent foreign gov
that IL sent an emigsary to this country to
hunt 1t up and obtain information about
IL. He came, but he did not find out what
he came for. and departed as wise as when
he landed"
Mr.. Haskins said he had associated some
gentlemen with himself to property conduct
the business development of the invention.