The evening times., 1896-03-10
DESTROYER Of WlRSHIPS
Little Terror Gushing in the Dry
Dock at the Navy Yard.
GETTING IN FIGHTING TRIM
The Torpedo Boat Can Make Twenty
Two Knots an Hour and Single
Handed Can Throw Enough ExpIo-
sives to Sink Spain's Navy or Maim
victoria's Squadrons.

One OF the qucerest little RATS in Uncle
Sans whole navy is the torpedo boat
Gushing, now in Ddry-dockat hc Navy Yard.
She has been drawn up gut OF the water,
and rests in the long shed, where she is
now undergoing repairs.
The Cushing Is one Of the very few
boats OF its kind that the United States
possesses. She w6s the first torpedo
boat TO be constructed in this country,
and was built about six years ago in the
| shipyards at Newport; Il. 1. The vessel
has never participated in active warfare,
having been used principally for test and
experimental purposes.
Last fall the boat was brought into her
winter quarters in Washington from the
New York harbor. Owing to the latencss
OF the season and the extreme rOugbness
OF the sea at that time the trip was made
through the canals across New Jersey and
by way OF the Delaware River and Chesa-
peake Bay. About three days was re-
quired to make the voyage, and the rivers
and canals were blocked with ice, which
did much damage to the boat.
REPAIRING THE PLATES.
The plating which covers her entire sur
face, while made OF the best steel, is but
threeeighths OF an inch in thickness. and
was considerably battered and injured in
cutting through the frozen channels.
This is being repaired, aud. as the cover
ing is laid in sections, every punctured
portion is replaced by new plate OF steel.
The safety and value OF a torpedo boat
do not necessarily depend, it is said. upon
her ability to resist shot and SHE'LL but
rather her agility in getting away from an
antagonist after having fired an cxplo-
sive beneath the hull of q big gunboat or
cruiser.
The Gushing, at best. is capable of max
ing about twent y-two knots, but her usual
speed does not run over twenty knots an
hour.
During her stay here she is being given
a thorough overhauling; her engines and
two boilers have been removed and placed
in the repair shops atfbe navy yard, where
they are being refined and put in proper
condition for use during the coming season.
All that is to he seen of her now is the
mere shell, with the two screw propcllers
in the rear, and a large American flag hang
ing quietly from its staff in her stern.
After the completion Of the repairs she
will be painted bright vermillion hue,
but it is not expected she will be ready to
leave the dock for at least two months.
SHOULD WAR COME.
In the event OF a war with Spain, through
the recognition OF the Cuban republic. or
should any possible trouble arise with
Great Britain the Cushing would be of
invaluable service to the marines.
She throws a dangerous torpedo. which
is scapa BILE ofdesiroying any shipin Victoria's
navy. ii she ca get within proper distance.
One of her prOjectiles would completely
the little Spanish Armada.
But the Gushing is not the best of our
torpedo boats. the Stilctto, boat re-
Gently built at New London, is OF much
more improved pattern and is far superior
TO the Cushing. both in point of speed.
being able to make thirty knots an hour,
and also in later methods Of destruction.
The Stiletto. by means af compressed air,
is capable of remaining ander water at a
distance of thirty feet, aslong as four hours,
after the style OF Jules yerne's Imaginary
vessel. and can discharge the torpedo with
out rising. while the Gushing is strictly a
surface boat.
The Ericsson is another torpedo boat built
at Newport for the government. but owing
IN her construction she has been refused,
which leaves the Stiletto and the Cushing
the Two principal crhf,s of the kind which
could be called into service.
In view OF the threatened hostilities and |
lie war clouds which have just now ap- |
Deared on the International horizon, ConI- |
lander Smith of the Gushing thinks that his |
title messenger OF destruction may yet en-
'ounter real enga cement.