Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-12-02
MISCELLANEOUS.
Use Of TOrpedOes.
RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF THAT
BRANCH OF NAVAL SERVICE.

kECENT DEVELOPMENT OF THAT
BRANCH OF NAVAL SERVICE.
The recent visit to Richmond, Va,
OF the four crack torpedo boats of
the United States navy was particu-
larly interesting, as an object lesson
OF the wonderful advance that has
been made within the last few wears
In the matter of naval development.
The use of torpedoes in naval war
fare was proposed and even at
tempted at the end of the last and
the beginning of the present century,
but no successful application of them
was made until the war of 186I-'64.
Great improvements have. however,
Deen made of late years, and q mod
ern 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 consist
ent with the necessary strength is of
the first importance.
There are three classes of boats.
known as the first, second and third
Ihose or the first are capable of
keeping the sea on their own account:
the second are for harbor defence.
and the third can be carried on board
ship.
The boats that visited Richmond
last week were of the first class
They were low-lying craft, painted
black, SO as to escape notice as much
as possible in time of war. Each
boat carried four Hotchkiss guns and
three torpedo projectors. The two
largest boats contained two main en-.
gines, sixteen 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 coaI--they carry
seventy.siX tons of fiuel-can run
for no less distance than 2,5OC
miles.
The cost of these boats is abou,
Sl44, 600 each-a very modest sum,
considering the fact that a single,
well.aimed torpedo will annihilate
any battleship afioat, and as the cos,
OF an ironclad is considerably over
SO, 900, 600 the increase of the torpedo
hotilla is regarded in naval circles as
great economy. A torpedo.boa
carries crew of about twenty. .eigh,
men, and a warship generally has
on board several hundred souls.
Modern torpedo.boats are bull,
In nine watertight compartments
They have no armor protection, and
their heaviest plate is the keel plate
which is only y quarter of an incl
thick.
A torpedo can be sent upon it.
murderOus mission with positive &C
curacy, a distance of 600 yards, anC
under some conditions of 800 yards
while they have been known to hi
target at 200 yards. A torpedo
generally works under cover of dark
ness, or in thick weather, as then /,
IS much easier to approach their ad
versary.
| When an attack is CONTEMPLATED
the boats single out their vessels anc
approach slowly, as rapid moving
through the water would create s
wake" which would catch the
rays of the searchlights and max,
known the boats presence.
When at distance Of three OF
four hundred yards from the obiec
OF attack, a torpedo, long and cigar
SNAPPED, and with lots of queer mech
anism. is placed i'm the tube. A
trigger Is pulled, and the torpedo |,
carried overheard by light launch
ing charge of powder. The missil,
OF obstruction first makes a dar
downward, and then continues. a
nrst with an undulatory motion, anc
tnen In straight line for the vesse
attacked. The depth which the tor
pedo shall travel under water is fixet
ABOARD her native craft, whether al
ten, twelve, or fifteen feet, and the
missile is kept at that depth by ,
nice arrangement of automatic rud
ders. These rudders are worked b,
pistons using the pressure Of the wa
ter as their motive force.
The motive force of q torpedo 10 @
flash of compressed air, which actu.
ates 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 another quarter Of attack to fire
another.
Should a torpedo-boat be discov.
cred by the vessels searchlights, she
does not retreat, but full steam is
put on to deliver a shot before the
vessel can get her rapid-fire guns
working laterally and longitudinally
The locomotive torpedoes is nu.
merous class, the principal being the
Whitehead, Lay, Simms, Brennan