The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-17

The Farragut, Rowan, Davis and Fox
are building on the Pacific coast-the
first by the Union Iron Works of San
Francisco. the second by Moran Bros.
OF Seattle, and the last two by Woltf
& Zwicker OF Portland, Ore. The Dahl
gren and Craven are building at the
Bath Iron Works, Bath, Ne; the Nor
ris. Talbot ana Gwin at Herreshof's 5,
Bristol: the Mackenzie at Charles Hill
mans yard, Philadelphia, and the Nc
Kee at the Columbian Iron Works of
Baltimore, and II is of interest to note
that these last two boats are of the
type recommended by the chief con-
stIuctor and the engineer-in-chief as
most readily susceptible of rapid dupli-
cation in event Of need
In q prolonged conflict that type VIII
survive that can be easiest replaced or
repaired, and from all We know now or
the complicated nature and time de-
manded in building armored ships, it is
easy to see the position torpedo vessels
of all sorts viii ill. They may he
called the moments most effective
fighting machine, but can hardly be
confused with the greater defensive
qualities OF the battleship.
The Whitehead torpedo is no longer
the secret mechanism it was some years
ago, owing, principally, to its general
adoption by nearly all naval powers,
and its inside workings are commonly
understood by all well-veTsed military
and naval men. A knowledge of .i0w
to work it, though, is another matter:
and, briefly. it may be said that every
torpedo OF the Whitehead type has its
own individuality, its own idiosyncra-
sizes; and it is the duty of every quail
flied torpedo officer to learn the char
acteristics of those ''steel babies that.
some day, may win him glory.
The largest of our torpedoes. the IS
inch. so known because that is its
greatest diameter, is a blunt-headed,
cigar-shaped body Of steel, a trife over
Is feet long, propelled by miniature en-
gines, capable Of developing within the
limited space OF an average-sized cheese
box a driving energy of 80 horse power.
With that force turning its twin screws,
the miniature craft can be driven for a
distance Of a mile and a half at che
rate of quite 80 miles an hour. Com
pressed air is the motive power; and it
IS crowded into the 10-foot boiler of
this small boat till = pressure 80 times
that Of the air we breathe is reached
The explosion Of that boiler is a dan
Serous possibility to be guarded
against Besides the boiler cOmpart-
ment and the engine compartment,
there are four other subdivisions. one
for the carriage of that murderous load
OF 30 pounds Of guncotton at the mead
and the others for regulating the air
supply to the engines and for main
tanning he torpedo at any determined
depth OF submergence.
When attacking vessels at anchor
and likely TO be protected by torpedo
nets, the nose Of the torpedo is fitted
with cutter; and 10 ordinary fabri-
cation Of steel rope and chain could
Withstand the ripping force of that
instrument backed by the rushing force
Of nearly 1000 pounds. The torpedo is
elected from the tube by the discharge
Of about four ounces OF powder. In
passing out, little trigger or clip
turns on the power for the engines
and, by the time the torpedo has dived
the engines, without jar, are rrlnnine
at full speed. When clear Of the boat
a few yards, a safety device droDs from,
the nose and leaves the plunger barred
10 detonate the frightful charge within.
Striking a ship from ten TO Il feet be-
low the water-line, it VIII tear a
wound with such awful force that the
heaviest Of armOr must yield
In the hands of either the ignorant
or needless, the modern torpedo is
menace TO friend or foe: but in the
hands Of the skilled and resolute it is
the most wicked implement of warfare
wicked in threat and wicked in deed.
II is to bear the modest burden of a
nalf dozen such babies" that the
largest Of our torpedo-boats are built
The torpedo boaf or the destroyer Is