The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-27
GOING TO FIRE ToRPEDoEs.
NAVAL MILITIA TO LEARN SOME
THING OF THEIR WORKING.

Thirty-twO Members of SAVANNAH
Two Divisions Were Put Through
In Great shape on the Torpedo
Boats Yesterday - Monday After
noon They viii Go Down the River
and Learn How the Torpedo Does
Its WorIs-NnvnI Militia Nny He OF
importance in TOpedO Boat work
The torpedo fotilla was practically turn
ed over to the members of Savannah's
naval militia yesterday afternoon between
3 and o'clock and for about two hours
the boys were put through thorough
course Of instruction
Promptly at o'clock Lieut.. H. S. Cold
ing, accompanied 10y Ensign T. NJ. Baker
and thirty-two men reported to Lieut..
Commander ". W Kimban on board. the
torpedo boat Dupont. Lieut. Kimball had
the men divided into three squads, and
one squad was put on each boat.
The officers OF the torpedo boats took
their squads in hand and put them
through all the details, in so far as 1t
was possible to do so lying at the dock.
The men were shown through the boats
and given an idea of their general con-
etruction. their machinery and the pur-
poses for which they are used. They
were then taken on deck, where the tor
pedo tubes were opened and the torpedoes
taken from them, in order to give the men
an idea how these machines are used
The instruction was quite interesting.
and the spirit of the occasion was en-
tered into thoroughly by all of the men.
Lieut. Coding's only regret was that he
did not have a larger turnout, but many
of the men were kept away on account
OF business. The general knowledge gain
ed, however, will be of mach advantage.
Lieut. Kimball is Of the opinion that in
case of an emergency the greatest value
of the naval militia will be in service
upon torpedo boats or craft of that class
IN defending coast points, and he thinks
they should take advantage of all the in
struction they can possibly get with re-
gard to the use of such war vessels. In
the time of conflict il would be possible
70 use tugs as torpedo boats by equip
ping them with a torpedo tube, and put
ting them to sea a night to sneak upon
any war vessels belonging to the enemy
that might be prowiing near the shore. He
takes great interest in the naval militia,
and is glad at all times to see any of the
members Of the Savannah divisions aboard
the boats.
Lieut.. Kimball has offered the Savannah
naval militia a trip down to the sea for
practice on Monday and they have decid-
ed to take advantage of it. The number
of boats to be sent down will depend upon
the number of men who turn out. If
squad of twenty is secured they will be
sent down aboard the Porter If there
ere thirty-fve or forty two of the boats
will go down, and If there are as many as
sixty of them, the entire three will go.
Lieut.. H. S. Colding, in command OF
the second division and Lieut.. c. +.
Broughton in command Of the third divis-
ion have summoned their men 10 assem-
BILE at their armory Monday at u o'clock
noon in the blue uniforms. They will
march shortly before l o'clock to the dock
where the torpedo boats are lying. and AT
! o'clock will leave the city to go down to
the mouth of the river
The programme there is to show the men
how a torpedo is fired. A torpedo viii be
fired from each boat that goes down, pro-
vided the weather and conditions permit
of ii. For practice work 1t is required that
there be pretty smooth sea since it is nee
essary to be able to find and pick up the
torpedoes after they have been fired from
the tubes, The torpedoes cost 81, 800 each,
and the government cannot afford to lose
one every time there is a practice, which
would be more than apt to be the case
with very rough sea. In an action, of
course they would not consider the risk
of losing them, as more important results
are to be obtained, but in practice work it
is always made a point to seek conditions
that admit of finding the torpedo after 1t
has been fired from the tube.
Lieut.. Colding expects a large turnout on
Monday Some thirty of the men have
already signitled their intention of making
the trip and there is no doubt about one
and perhaps two of the boats going down.
A special request is made of those who
have members of the naval militia in their
employment to let them off on this occa-
sion. as it is with them a most important
one.