The record-union., 1897-03-21
TO STOP A TORPEDO.
Ingenious Scheme to Protect the Mon
Ster BattleShipS.
Hugh Shield of Steel Which, When
in Use, Projects From the
Ships Sides.

A vast amount of attention has been
attracted recently in British Admiralty
circles to a new device for the protec-
ton of big battleships below the water
| line The new mode of hull defense
is the idea OF DIR. Herbert Jones,
naval constructor of note, and is de-
signed to act as a torpedo guard for
the vessel below the surface of the
sea. 1t has met with such universal
favor among naval architects and ma
| rine engineers that the Government of
Great Britain is seriously considering
it's adoption.
The plan of Dr. Jones is simply to
place a huge steel shield along the hull
of the battle ships on both sides. 1t
will consist of a number of large plates
in juxtaposition, extending from stem
to stern and from the keel to a point
just above the water line. The plates
must fit exactly to the model of the
hull so as not to retard the speed of
the vessel when there is no occasion to
use them.
Even those who are unfamiliar with
naval construction must know that the
most vulnerable part of ship is that
of her hull below the water line. There
are located the very vitals of the ma
rine monster--the boilers engines,
magazines and furnaces On each of
these the life, power and movement of
| the vessel depend. One shot or even
100 or 1000 shots might pass through
the upper parts of battle ship with
out destroying or even seriously dis
abling hec, but let one torpedo pierce
the comparatively thin body in the
weak spot underneath the water and
the chances are a thousand to one
against her remaining adoat long after
that.
In a fair above board sea fight be-
| tween torpedo boats and destroyers
and fleets composed of both first and
second class battle ships it is a ques-
ton with naval experts which would
destroy OF be destroyed. The greatest
danger to battle ships would be at
night, when the small craft, owing to
their speed and hardness, might get
q torpedo in contact with the enemy's
side, when the battle ship, devoid of
underwater protection, would inevita-
| bly, be destroyed.
Hence" declares a leading naval Of
ficer, the term destroyer in its fullest
and truest sense is only applicable to
the modern diving torpedo boat. AS
sure as one of these submarine ship de-
stroyers, in state of suspension at
regulated depth below the surface of
the water, is .lavigable to within strik-
ing distance of a 13,000-to battle ship
so surely will the ponderous battle ship
be destroyed Immediately on being
struck by missile aimed by her I'M
bypa III ic ,r;1-
and take about this whatever as the
submarine torpedo boat, when deeply
immersed is out of reach of it's OPP
ponent, while at the same time it
strikes at the most vital and unprotect-
ed part of the null of the monster float
ing above it"
|, 1t is upon this very point that the
marine architects and engineers of the
world have been puzzling their brains
for years That is. they have taxed
their inventive powers to the utmost
to devise form of protection against
the scientific advance of submarine
warfare. The only continuance now
in use to protect the lower portion of
ships hull from torpedo attack is
huge netting Of wire, slung from booms
| on the side OF the ship, and is supposed
| to penetrate lar enough beneath the
surface of the water to furnish protec-
| ton for the entire bottom.
AS previously stated, the shield must
fit snugly to the hull. The shield con-
sists of number of wide plates, placed
side by side and hung by hinges on a
long rod running the length of the ship
just above the water line and extending
to the keel. Above each plate is a
davit securely attached to the ships
side. A tackle is suspended from each
davit, and the lower block hooks into a
ringbolt 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 cupboard about twenty feet
from the hull. Thus beside the resist
ance of the shield, huge cushion of
water which has been formed aids in
the protection of the ship.
Captain S. Eardley Wilmot, r. N,
late chief torpedo expert of the British
Admiralty, in his report has the follow
ing to say on the subject:
THE development of the Whitehead
torpedo, with which now nearly all ma
tinos are supplied, renders the question
of protecting ships against this attack
one of the gravest consideration
Should the ship move through the
water, the torpedo nets now in use are
more or less impelled toward the sur
face, according to the speed of the
ship. Thus it is evident that if exter-
nal protection is to be relied upon, it
must be in a different form, and Dr.
Jones has devised a torpedo guard
which is not only novel, but free from
most of the objections inherent 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
distance of twenty feet from the hull,
and this cushion of water, together
with the resistance offered by the steel
| plating should secure a ship from ma
| terial injury in the event of a torpedo
! exploding against the guard. 1t is OBJ
vious that the plate could not be cut
| through like a net, nor would it be
| forced out of position by a current, or
the ships moving through the water.
This plan now proposed by DR.. Jones
| is, in my opinion, the best which has
yet been put forward for guarding
against the terrible effects of locomo-
4