The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-18

land or from shipboard. and may be used in
war either by army or navy, as occasion
might offer.
One of the most successful types OF tor
pedoes, and one which might have caused
the ruin of the Maine, is known as the
Whitehead. The wight to use this torpedo
has been purchased by the United states
and by most European nations. Ii con-
sists OF an iron and steel vessel in the shape
of a spindle. and is driven by propeller
moved by compressed air. 1t can be pro-
jected from a launching tube or started by
| hand. and Is capable of regulating and pre-
serving its depth and direction. within mar
row limits, In still water. such as the Ha-
vana harbor offers. The latest British pat
tern OF the Whitehead carries charge of 20
pounds of gun cotton, enough 90 blow any
ship out of the water.
THE FISH TORPEDO.
The fish torpedo is essentially boat OK
the Whitehead class, which carries and un-
reels coil of insulated wire, through which
the electric current from battery on shore
or on shipboard can be passed at will. and
made to control it's motions perfectly. The
boat may be set to move at the surface
or below it, Her position is made known to
the operator by two small flags carried near
the water level. which at night are replaced
by two lanterns, shaded in front so as not
to be seen by the enemy. Any of the modern
explosives may be employed and defamation
results from the action OF a mechanical fuse
or a circuit-closer and battery.
There are many types of the onenslVe
torpedo similar to the Whitehead ana the
fish torpedo, but the compleXity OF their
construction and the large percentage OF
failures in their attempted runs nave oper-
ated strongly against their adoption IN ac-
tual service. 1t is the defensive torpedo
which has come to be regarded as the essen
tial auxiliary of the land gun for the defense
of harbors The modern submarine mine
has reached a stage of perfection which
practically guarantees the safety OF the clty
which is under it's protection. It's develop
ment being largely due to the employment
of electricity as an igniting agent
The mines are usually arranged TO pe tiIS0
at WILL or automatically by the touch OF me
vessel Two types of electrical mines are
in use the ground and the buoyaht me
former is employed in comparatively snl-
low water, and consists OF y case resting
upon the bottom and containing large
charge of dynamite Floating near Ii. but
SO far below the water surface as 10 be con-
cealed from view. is a buoy carrying a CIR
cuit-closer to regulate the current through
a fuse inbedded in the former
The buoyant mine is designed Ior use III
deep water. and consists OF an anchor holu-
ing in position a torpedo floating Just De-
low the surface. The latter contains tho
charge of dynamite. the fuse and the circuit
closer If desired the circuit-closer may be
carried by a separate buoy, so placed that
when touched by out-riggerS or other tor
pedo catchers the mine will be directly un-
der the vessel. The channel to be defended
is thickly studded by lines of these mines.
so arranged with respect to each other that
no vessel can pass without coming IN con-
tact with one more of them.