The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-26
TORPEDO BOATS HERE.
THE EAST-FIITNG MiCHTNES IN
THE JAMES.
A. Anchor Here 10 Escape the Bad Wealth
era Talk with Commander
Kimbali.

ROVE, arrived early sunday morning. and
are nov anchored az Richmond wharvcs.
The notiha consists OF the Dupont.
Porter. Ericsson and CUSHING and repre-
sents the flower Of no States fighting
navy
a Tines reporter visited The flag boat
Dupont yesterday morning and found
Lieutenant Commander W W. Kimball
in his cosy quarters forward.
The most striking characteristic about
everything in and on "a torpedo boat ia
snugncss. And The word as applied % a
craft Of the Duponra pattern must not
cali up picture OF "don-housc' fittings.
Evcfything is substantial ana sCrviccable,
and 80 is really surprising % note the de-
gree az egmpfucu.ncss ilut the quarters
Of hoth onsccTs and men possess
Comm udcr klmllU was seated 40 his
little desk bus, wth letters when Oboe re-
porter pecrod down at him from The deck.
he looked mp plea antiv and when told
OF thc scribe mission. Dc chccrlnily i'm
sisted on abandoning hls work and gave
such Information as was desired.
Tho boats arc here out OF che way Of
heavy weather which was expected TO put
an end 90 the manoeuNres which have
been going on JEST of the Niirinia Coast.
and to Give the officers and men practice
In inland riioline.
ALL SHOULD INSPECT.
The visit OF the nouua embraces q ben
ent 90 Richmonde,s. and allows them 90
see tbc manner in which and the purpose
Of Uncle Sans most useful expenditure.
ana all who can could lose mo- time n
viewing the boats.
Tho Cushing was Che govern mcnt's first
attempt at torpedo ioofs. She was
launched on June J. 1889. and has
launched on JUNE 3. l,'A and has since
seen AN kinds OF sca service since being
turned out by Zoe Horrcschon Company.
She displaccs io5 tons. Her length on
the toad water is lN feet inches while
the extreme beam Is 10 feet o inches. Her
draucht is q little over feet.
The Ericsson was accepted October D.
1,oi. from the Iowa Iron Works. hcr build
crs at Dubuque. Iowa. Her dimensions
are. Length on load water ll9 feet T
inches: heam, 10 feet 6 inches. draught,
3 feet RICHES Plus @ inches for he sweep
OF the pIupcllor displacement. 10 tons.
SISTER SHIPS.
Tho DurCnt and Porter are sister ships.
ana were turned ont hy the uerrcsChons.
of Bristol. Rhode Island on September
22d aud Ftbrmry 18th this year respect
lively Their dimensions are ilCuucal-as
follows:
Length in load water, Us feet: beam.
eLurth boz load water l15 feet. beam.
D. feet. draueht. including propeller sweep.
fleets displacement 100 tons.
rhe Dupont is -cpaatcd from her COM
r,onions of the notilla. laying at S. II.
Halves a. Comu1nv's wharf.
Tho Cushing and Ericcsson have COM
PIGMENTS OF twenty men and two officers
boz
twentv-cight men ana two officers each
with Commander Himhan added TO the
Dupont.
THE OFFICERS
IN boats are commanded as follows.
Cushing-LicLt. A. Gloavcs. Ensign j.
Cahcll Breckenridge
Ericsson Lieut. ~ r. Usher Ensign
J.. Bostwick. Assistant Engineer O. w.
Rooster.
Duuont-Lioutonant Commander WV
Kimhan Lieut. s. S. Wood. Ensign #. ii.
Clark.
Porter-Lieut J. @. Fremont. Ensign
j. v. ellis. Assistant Surgeon y. S.
Elliott
The noulla expects tO move out AZ the
nbtemcnt NJ the severe storm now blow
ine along the coast.
THIRTY MILES An HOUR.
The boats carry engines OF horsepower
running from f000 to 5000. ana are capa-
bic 0f making thirty miles ara hour. The
Porter has run thriy-0ne knots an hour
about thirtv-nvc miles. while the speed
of the Dupont is hard 20 approximate
owing to The fact that she has had no
fair test.
Tho officers arc invariably clever and
anable fellows, capable Of receiving or
to- be missed 10y the ladies Is the fact that
they are. without am exception. hand
some They are we'll kept and nave as
servants among them % dozen little yell
low Jauartse lads.
COMMANDER kIMBAIL TALKS.
Commander KimbalI described IN
charming detail the method of torpedo
boat warfare.
A torpedo boat ends sos greatest eff
cheney af nieht or in thick weather. They
are the Neusos 0f war crafts and have 90
strike their victims but once generally
speaking.
When an attack is contemplated thc
boats single out their vessels and app
proach sl1wN. as rapid moving through
the water would create much Of wake
which woUil catch the rays of the search
lgths and discover the torpedo boats
presence.
when az distance Of thrcc or four
hundred yards from The object of attack,
"a torpedo. Ions. cigar shaped. ana with
lots Of queer mechanism is placed in The
tube forward.
A trigger is pulled and the torpedo is
carried overheard hy o. light launching
charge of powder.
The missile OF destruction first makes
"a dart downward and then continues 40
first with an undulatory motion and then
in q straight line Tor the vessel attacked.
The depth which the torpedo shall travel
under water is hXcd aboard hcr native
craft whether at ton. twelve or Fifteen feet
and tho missile is Kept at that depth uy 90
nice arrangement of automatic ruddcrs
TWO each The little ruddors are go oqulli-
hrimm when the torpedos course i5
straight
MOTIVE FORCE.
The motive force of % torpedo SIS n
flash OF compressed air which actuatcs
small screw propeller and ths speed at
taincd is one OF incredible rapidity.
As soon as one shot is delivered the
torpedo boat hluls on and darts t2 an-
other quarter OF attack t1 hrc another
should torpedo hoat be discovered by
the vessels selrch-Ichts she does NOT re-
treat but ail steam is put ON 90 deliver
ehot before the vessel cam go. hcr f'rid-
IRE guns wor, .as IafcfalIy rnd i.n-..u-
dlnany These rullor are worked nF
pistons using ,he rrD slrc OF tAc W+'e'
as their motive fierce
i'm case torpedo war 20 - aimed at
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