The San Francisco call., 1897-02-07
To 4ppest Toppedoes
a Huge Steel Shield Extending Prom Bow
to Stern and Prom Heel to Water
Line, Is the First Effective De-
fense for BattIe-Ships

Above each plate is a davit securely at.
tached to the ships side. A tackle is
suspended from each davit, and the lower
block hooks into ring bolt in the lower
end of the plate. The falls run into the
hull and connect with a windlass, so that
the guard can be hoisted out by steam.
When placed IN position for defense it
must be hauled outboard about twenty
feet from the hull. Thus, besides the re-
sistance OF the shield, huge cushion of
water which has been formed aids in the
protection of the ship.
Captain s. Eardley Wilmot, K. N, late
chief torpedo expert OF the Admiralty, in
his report has the following to say on the
subject:
'The development of the Whitehead
torpedo, with which now nearly all ma
tions are supplied, renders the question
OF protecting ships against this attack one
OF the gravest consideration.
''The torpedo of to-day travels at the
rate of 80 knots an hour and carries zoe
pounds of explosive compound directed
against the most vulnerable part of q ship,
that OF her hull under water.
''We have been enabled by the addition
OF large masses of armor to fairly pro-
tect the water line and above it against
the effects of artillery fire, but cannot ex-
tend this to the submerged portion OF her
hull as defense against torpedo attacks.
We have therefore been Obliged to restrict
our endeavors as far as structural ar
rangements are concerned to give ships of
war double bottom, and subdividing
them internally into a number of water
tight compartments, thus seeking to
diminish the effects of an explosion and
restrict the inflow of water at that point.
"As however. these arrangements could
only give very partial protection at
time when torpedoes carried a compare
lively small charge, it was considered de-
sirable to stop them before they could
reach the ship and for this purpose the
present system of net defense was de-
vised.
This consists of wire netting suspended
vertically from steel or wooden booms at
tached to the hull of the ship, from which
they project from 25 to 35 feet. The nets
hang down to q depth of 20 feet and are
connected together in sections so as to
then form continuous crinoli ne of net
ting.
but should the ship move through the
water, the nets are more or less impelIed
toward the surface according to the speed
of the ship. For these reasons naval off,
GERS do not consider that nets can be used
at sea.
"Thus 1t is evident that if external pro.
lection is to be relied upon it must be in a
different form, ana DR.. Jones has devised
a torpedo-guard which is not only novel,
but free from most of the objections in
herent to the net defense. His plan is to
have steel shields made to the form of the
ship and ordinarily resting against the
hull. They are, however, capable of being
projected outward when required to dis
tance of twenty feet from the hull, and
this cushion of water, together with the
resistance offered by the steel plating,
should secure ship from material injury
in the event of torpedo exploding
against the guard. It is obvious that the
plate could not be cut through like a net,
nor would it be forced out of position by q
current or the ships moving through the
water.
IAN advantage of this system is that all
the appliances for working this protection
are above the water line aud always in
position, thus enabling the protection to
be put in position at the shortest notice,
to supporting steel booms or rams if pro-
jected to a distance of twenty or thirty
| feet.
This plan now proposed by DR.. Jones
is, in my opinion, the best which has been
put forward for guarding against the terri
BILE effects of locomotive torpedo attack,
and looking to the grave issues involved I
consider that expenditure would be wisely
incurred in giving it a trial"
| Many others have signified their ap-
proval of DR.. Jones' torpedo defense for
protecting costly warships and the lives of
gallant seamen from the appalling dan
| gers of torpedo attack, among whom are
the highest expert authorities of the
United Kingdom. In the front rank of
these is E. ]. Reed, K. c. B., well known
as having designed and constructed war
ships for all the naval powers of the world.
The accompanying illustration shows
one of DR.. Jones' modes of protection
against torpedo attack. 1t gives fore
shortened view taken off the port bow and
represents the vessel with the improved
torpedo guard expanded to its protective
position while the dreaded missile ex-
plodes against it.