Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-12-16
Torpedoes and Torpedo-Boats.

The recent visit to Richmond, Va,
by the four crack torpedo-boats Of the
United States navy was particularly
interesting as an object lesson Of the
wonderful advance that has been made
within the last few years in the mat
ter of naval development. The use Of
torpedoes in naval warfare was pro-
posed and even attempted at the end
of the last and the beginning Of the
present century, but no successful ap-
plication of them was made until the
war of 1861-64. Great improvements
have, however, been made Of late years,
and modern torpedo-boat is built
entirely of steel, the plates often not
exceeding l-l6 of an inch in thickness,
as, in order to get the necessary high
speed, the minimum weight consistent
with the necessary strength is Of the
first importance.
There are three classes Of boats,
known as the first, second and third.
Those of the first are capable Of keep
ing the sea on their own account the
second are for harbor defence, and the
third can be carried on board a ship.
The boats that visited Richmond
last week were Of the frst-class. They
were Iow-lying craft, painted black,
so as to escape notice as much as pos
sible in time Of war. Each boat car
ried four Hotchkiss guns and three
torpedo projectors. The two largest
boats contained two main engines, six
teen small engines and three boilers.
They are capable Of maintaining a
speed of more than thirty knots an
hour, and with their bunkers full Of
coal-they carry seventy-eiX tons Of
fuel-can run for no less a distance
than $500 miles.
The cost of these boats is about
$l44,O0O each-a very modest sum,
considering the fact that a single, we'll
aimed torpedo will annihilate any bat
tleship ahoat, and as the cost of an
is considerably over $3,000,-
coo the increase of the torpedo hotilla
is regarded in naval circles as a great
economy. A torpedo-boat carries
crew of about twenty-eight men, and
a warship generally has on board sew
eral hundred souls.
Modern torpedo-boats are built in
nine water-tight compartments. They
have no armor protection, and their
heaviest plate is the keel plate, which
is only a quarter Of an inch thick
A torpedo can be sent upon its muir
Ierous mission with positive accuracy
a distance of 600 yards, and under
some conditions 800 yards; while they
have been known to hit a target at
900 yards. A torpedo generally
works under cover of darkness, or in
thick weather, as then it is much easier
to approach their adversary.
When an attack is contemplated the
boats single out their vessels and ap-
proach slowly, as rapid moving
through the water would create a
wake" which would catch the rays
Of the searchlights and make known
the torpedo-bOat's presence.
When at distance Of three or four
hundred yards from the object Of at
tack, a torpedo, long and cigar-shaped,
and with lots Of queer mechanism, Is
placed in the tube. A trigger is pull
ed, and the torpedo is carried over
board by light launching charge of
powder. The missile of destruction
first makes dart downward, and then
at first with an undulatory
motion, and then in a straight line for
the vessel attacked. The depth which
the torpedo shall travel under water
is fixed aboard her native craft, wheth-
er at ten, twelve, or fifteen feet, and
the missile is kept at that depth by
nice arrangement of automatic rud-
lers. These rudders are worked by
pistons, using the pressure of the wa
Ter as their motive force.
The motive force of torpedo is a
fash of compressed air. which actuates
a small screw propeller, and the speed
attained is one of incredible rapidity.
As soon as one shot is delivered, the
torpedo-boat hauls off and darts to an
other quarter of attack to fire another.
Should be torpedo-bOat be discOv-
cred by the vessels searchlights, she
does not retreat, but full steam is put
on to deliver shot before the vessel
can get her rapid-fre guns working
laterally and lOngitudinally.
The locomotive torpedOes is nu-
merous class, the principal being the
Whitehead, Lay, Simms, Brennan and
Ericsson. The boats which visited |