The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-07


I by side and hung by hinges on long rod
| running the length Of the ship. just above
| the water line. and extend TO The keel
| Above each plate is a daVt securely at-
! tachcd 10 the ships side. a tackle Us
] suspended from each davit, and the low
| cr block hooks into a ring bolt into the
| lower end of the plate The falls run
into the hull and connect with wind
lass, so that the guard can he hoisted
| out by steam. When placed in position
/ for defence. il must be hauled outboard
| about 20 feet from the hull Thus. be-
sides the resistance of the shield, huge
cushion Of water. which has been formed
aids in the protection of tho ship
VIEWS OF AN EXPERT.
Captain S Eardley WiimOt. II. n. late
chief torpedo expert OF the Admiralty
in his report has the following TO say on
the subject;
1.-THE development OF the Whitehead
torpedo. with which now nearly all ma
lions are supplied. renders the question
Of protecting against this attack one OF
the gravost consideration
The torpedo Of to-day travels al the rate
OF 80 knots an hour and carries 200 hum
dred pounds Of explosive compound di-
rectod against the most vulnerable part
Of "A ship. that OF her hun under water.
| OF large masses OF armour 10 fairly pco-
rect the water line. and above II. against
the effects OF artillery fire. but CaurOt
extend this TO the submerged portion Of
her hull as q defence against torpedo at
tacks. We have. therefore. been obliged
To- restrict our endeavOrs as FAR as struc-
tural arrangements are concerned. TO
give ships of war a double bottom and
suh-dividlng them internally into a num-
L.s Of ~ Z IA
seeking TO diminish the effects Of an ex-
plosion ANA restrict the inflow of water
40 that point
AS however. these arrangements could
only give very partial protection az a
time when torpedocs. carried a compare
lively small charge. 81 was considered de-
sirahle % stop them before they could
reach tho ship and for this purpose the
present system Of net defence was de-
yised.
This consists Of wire netting suspended
vertically from steel or wooden booms at
tached 20 the hull of the ship, from
which they project from 25 20 81 feet The
nets hang down to a depth OF % feet and
are connected together In sections so as
60 then form continuous crnoline OF
netting.
"But. should tho ship move through
tho water. the nets are more or less i'm
PEELED toward the surface according 10
the speed OF the ship. For these rea-
sons naval officers do not consider nets
can be- used at sea.
Thus fl is evident that II external pro-
lection is 10 be relied upon. IL must be in
q different form, and Or. Jones has de-
yised a torpedo guard. which is not only
novel. but free from most OF the obicc-
tons inherent 10 the net defence. His
plan IS TO have steel shields made TO the
form Of the ship, and ordinarily resting
against the hull They are however. ca
pab.e Of being projected outwards when
required 10 "A distance OF 20 feet from
tho hull and this cushion OF water. to-
gethcr with the resistance offered by the
steel plating. should secure ship from
material injury In the event OF a torpedo
exploding against the guard. II Is OBJ
vious that the plato could not be cut
through like net, nor would 1t be forced