The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-09

Three Of Uncle Sans Vessel Destroyers In
Port-A Few Facis About These ToTmsd.
able and Curious Vessels.

OF the United States navy started out
from New York October 3Ed en- a cruise
along the Atlantic and gulf coasts as
far probably as Galveston, Texas. The
object OF the cruise is to give the boats
practice with torpedos and searchlights
and in manouyering. with a view to
developing the utility and p~ractibility
of torpedo boats in extended operations
along our coast.
Two of the boats-:he Dupont and
the Cushing-ariTved in Wilmington
Yesterday at 12:10 p. m. and tied up at
the custom house wharf between a
ket and Princess streets. A third, the
Ericsson, arrived at 4 p. m, and tied up
with the others. The Porter was de-
tanned at Norfolk for court martial.
The wharves were lined all the after
noo with people curious to get a sight
Of the queer craft, the like Of which
never visited this port before. The
steamers are curious looking vessels on
the order Of "whalebacks,' and the
shape of the boats is somewhat like a
| cigar.
The Dupont is the largest boat Of the
three. She is 175 feet long. 17h feet of
beam and $50 tons burden. Forward
her draft is 31a feet and aft 6 feet 10
inches. She was built by the kerre-
shoffs, Bristol, r.. T., and is the latest
vessel turned cut for the navy. She
went into commission on the third of
| September, and is the flagship of the
| ~f1otilla, of which Lieutenant Comman-
der w. w. Kimf5all, is in command.
The officers of the Dupont are Lieu
| tenant S. S. Wood and Ensign F. C.
! Clark. Mr.. Kimball has his quarters
| on board, and he and Lieutenant Wood
| courteously received a Messenger rep
| resentative and kindly gave all infor-
| nation sought.
| The Dupont carries tWenty-eight sea-
| men, and her armament consists of
three torpedo guns, with bures fourteen
| inches in diameter, and four one
| FOUNDER rapid fire Hotchkiss guns. The
| torpedo guns are for firing torpedoes
and they are quite singular looking
| pieces. The tOrpedoeS weigh 1000
| pounds and when loaded into the guns
| for firing, a primer ignites three ounces
| Of gun power which is sufficient 10
| throw the torpedo clear of the ships
| side. The torpedo then takes a dive
| and is driven by machinery inside of it
| towards any object that it is desired to
| hit. Atone end of the torpedo there are
steele propellers that drive it through
the water. The propellers are operated
| by engines mat are run ny compressor
air. A chamber inside the torpedo is
charged with 1900 pounds pressure OF
| compressed air, and as the torpedo
| leaves the guns tube a device or trigger
like rangemen discharges the air n
| sets the machinery in motion as the
torpedo goes overheard. When fired
the missile of destruction makes a dart
forward over the ships side, dives into
the water, goes forward with ar undu-
l Iotnru n,Otinn md GRADUALLY oScI1n1pS a
straight course to an object. 1t can be
set to run on top or under the water at
various depths of from four to twelve
feet. 1t is so arranged that it will
"a under water and then come to
the top and strike a vessel above water
or to run under water and strike a ves-
/ sci below the belt, so to speak. In the
end of thu torpedo there is a charge of
gun cotton taht is exploded when it
strikes an object and if n of these
destructive machines hits the most
powerful vessel under the armOred line,
there are nine chances to one hat she
will be blown up and sunk, totally dis
abled, or damaged to such ar extent as
to make her an easy prey for another
torpedo.
The torpedo boat is a frail affair and
is not intended to ward off shot. The
| Dupont is only covered with plate a
| quarter Of an inch thick, and Of course
| could not stand one of the little
| one pound shots from the Hotch-
| kiss guns. Torpedo boats, however, are
| not intended for a fray. 1t is rather a
sneak" affair and it's efficiency is
| greatest at night or in thick weather,
/ when she cannot be seen and can slyly
| get in distance Of an enemy. When an
attack is contemplated, the enemy's
! vessel is singled out, and the torpedo
boat approaches slowly, as rapid NOV
ing through the water would create
such a wake" as would catch the rays
of a ~searchlight and discover the in
truder and possibly result in her de-
struction by a we'll directed shot from
the enemy.
The Gushing was the governments
first attempt at torpedo boats. She
was launched June 1, 1889 by the
Herreshoff company. She displaces 105
tons, Is 1873 feet 9 inches long. IA feet 3
inches of beam and draws a little over
six feet of water. Her officers are
Lieutenant Albert Gleaves and En-
sign J. G. Breckenridge. She carries
twenty-four seamen.
The Ericsson was accepted October
4, 1894, and was built by the Iowa Iron
works at Dubuque, Iowa. She is 100
feet Z inches long Is feet 6 inches beam,
draws 5 feet 6 inches, and displaces 120
tons. Her officers are Lieutenant N.
II. ASHER anu ENSIGN II. boStWIch.
The Dupont and the Porter are sister
ships. On her trial trip the Dupont
made % $40 knots per hour. The Por-
ter's trial speed was % ITO knots but
she has since made 81 knots, which is
more than 35 miles an hour. The
Dupont has not had a fair trial yet,
The f1otilla sailed from Norfolk Wed
nesday at 9 a. m, and will leave here
tomorrow for Charleston. Yesterday
Lieutenant Commander Kimball and
the officers were visited by the officers
of Wilmington division naval reserves,
and Paymaster E. S. Latimer extend
ed them the Inequalities of the Cape
Fear club.
The s. a. LIS Dif-rential Passenger Tariff
We have received a communication
from the general passenger agent of the
/ Saahoa=a Ai= I :na =ararainr Tho rooo-.