The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-27
whlcs. renders any further Involvement.


hardly conceivable. By the loss OF three
OF these vessels In the civil war the Con-
federates had been brought 10 believe that
defensive contact torpedoes, when TO be
fred By any other agent than electricity.
may be as dangerous 10 friendly vessels
O. 10 ,ilose Of the enemy. Fer this reason
only electric torpedoes are employed to
modern systems OF defensive torpedoes.
The operators station. fitted out with al
necessary implements. such as generators
boards, etc, Is secure from the enemy 8
fire II In In Geographic and telsphonlc
communication with points Of observation
from which the movements OF the enemy 9
vessels are readily discerned. Connection
to the torpedo groups planted in the chan
mel If established by well protected cables
tina; radiate from tbs operators station.
The entire torpedo zone Is protected oy
the shore batteries. chart drawn on a
large scale indicates the exact position and
the number Of each torpedo.
In the vicinity OF the torpedo groups
numerous barges are anchored. deep
enough below the surface 10 never appear
In view. Each buoy contains an electrical
apparatus THAI acts instantly when yes
sci strikes the buoy; thus. the precise To-
call,y OF any vessel touching the buoy IS
at once automatically Indicated to the
station. II friendly the ship may pass in
safety; bat II an enemy, a single motion
OF the operator Sgflces for changing the
heretofore harmless mines into automatic
agents OF destruction.
Powerful searchligh,s render II impos-
sible for any vessel 20 approach the tor
podo zone without being detected: yet,
should any boat attempt under cover of
night 10 grappIe the torpedoes IL would
receive a heavy ERE from guns. carefully
pointed by daylight az the spots concerned.
and now automatically fred BY electric
ity.
III single cable be injured CT a single
charge DO wet the existence and nature
OF the Injury are at once automatically
reported 10 the station. Finally. every
mine may be fred directly by the oper-
ator, Independently Of the agency o: the
buoys.
Like a Chained Watchdog.
But however great the improvements
on former systems may be that have been
applied 10 the modern System OF defen-
sive torpcdoes. the stationary submarine
mine Is. ike chained watchdog. dan
within It's reach. At the outbreak Of the
late Franco German war. is70-ls7l. a most
efiicacious system OF defensive torpedoes
was at once established FOR the protec-
ton of German ports: yet. during the
course Of that war. not a single vessel
was destroyed or even injured by any
explosion OF submarine mines. the zone
of which was never approached by the
French squadTons True the object aimed
at I'm planting these mines was fully ac-
eompilshed. for beyond all doubt these
torredoea greatly contributed TO the safe
~ Of those places.
How long viii such a system continue
efTectye2 Why. can tell you OF one
ttSNNAtsfN tthAA@Nt AhAsssa Aain fNAaAa ~ t44V
close Of the clvn war We attempted 10
raise tho submarine mines planted In
the harhor OF Mobile. Some Of the tor
pcGoes We were unable 70 raise. Two
years later lumber Sow struck one OF
ths buoys over . submerged mine. II
exploded and the scow with It's cargo was
blown Up. Remember that was two years
after the war.
Obstrsct the Channel With Ropes
For the obstruction Of channel Ike
the ora between Point Wilson and Admir-
atty head. on Puget sound the rome Oh
s;ruciien Is the only available one II
acts the same as a floating rope shat, at
traeted ~ the suction produced by the
propeller. becomes twisted around the
shaft There ara many Instances In
which. from this cause. side-wheelers as
well as screw steamers have been brought
20 dead stop. The stability OF ne rope
obstruction leaves nothing TO be desired
nevertheless serious ohjectlons must be
urged TO the Old method q giving bcoy-
ancy TO the obstruction by means 81 nu-
nerous floats that can - dlscerned ~
the enemy from even long distances.
Channel Instructions are absolutely iudls-
pensahle for checking the advance ~ the
snemy's neet ana preventing the rapid
escape Of his shlps from the range Of
shora batteries.
Offensive Torpraors
While stationary torpodaes are very
effective IN defense the offensive tor
redoes are ~ more Importance Tia
IRIS; IS sought ~ tho vessel TO BE &C.
ssroy 81: the second seeks the vessel. The
modern spar torpedo. successfully used
ty ;legt W. n Cushing United s-ate=
navy. in his renowned stack en- the Con
f~derate iFonelA3 Aihemaf.e. also sa 1915
ty Lieut.. nTeshassoC - the Russia n
navy for sinking a Turkish monitor On
the haouhe. simply is an Improvement IN
faitoa's b.ockshp terpe3ees. which No..
carried in SPEARS projecting from vrs-
a. ANA exploited hy coming leta contact
~ith tho eaw>'s ship. Every e~srt tss
been nia 'e - invent a terpe.lo ,aaatl, IS,
direction Sron tae shore by else.ri ..,v o..