The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-17

November the commissioners were again
succeeded in cutting a fourteen-inch cable
about six feet under water without iniur-
| ing his machinery The operation was per-
formed from an open boat which remained
| about five minutes within pistol shot of the
vessel
THE commissioners examined an anchor
torpedo IN the East river which had several
days remained under water. 1t was viewed
when the ebb tide had just commenced and
when the current was feeble The torpedo at
that time appeared to preserve nearly YER
tical position. as intended by Mr.. Fulton,
but no experiment was made of the effect
vessel
At this and other meetings of the COM
mssioners various models were exhibited by
Mr. Fulton or machines by means of which
1t was supposed by him the defensive meas
ures of the officers Of the navy might be
counteracted and defeated: an opposition 10
which they suggested counter projects. The
duty of commissioners being however, con-
fined to an observation of experiments. IT is
deemed necessary to report on this branch
of the subject
The report is to Secretary of the Navy
Paul Hamilton and is signed by Oliver Wal
colt. John Kemp. Cadwallader d. Golden.
dated New York. Jan. % 1871. Secretary
Hamilton in reporting to the President of
the United states says that though the eX-
perlments are not proven to be such that
torpedoes should be resorted to for defense.
yet that Mr.. Fulton has made improvements
and others might be made.
In the New York Herald of Aug 7. 1873.
Fudge" writes an open letter to the citi-
zens of New York concerning a torpedo ex-
pertinent in satirical fashion, as follows:
Notwithstanding the well-authenticate
accounts we are daily. nay hourly, receiving
from New London, Norfolk and innumera-
bic other quarters of the successful experi-
ments made by various amphibious gentle
men of the very first responsibility and
standing In society, and although but a day
or two ago in our immediate neighborhood
q IaIt containing several thousand square
feet of timber and loaded with upward of a
thousand tons of stones was blown at least
SKY nigh: notwithstanding, / say, these
lrrefragable proofs of a discovery which
dos fair to render migratory the formidable
hotilla of the great Thomas Jefferson and
preserve us safe from the helliSh grasp of
george Cockburn and Thomas Capel. still
mere, in this enlightened city. both children
and old wives, TO their shame be it spoken.
VINO utterly deny that such discovery has
been made
I'm order to set at rest forever all doubt
on this important subject | propose wind
and weather permitting( to present the citi-
Gems of New York, PROVIDES Hook Hoboken
Bergen and Communipaw with one of the
greatest exhibitions ever witnessed by any
human being. 1t will be no less than the
blowing up by torpedo of the sloop of war
Alert and the two PROVIDES Hook steam
boats, with every soul on board of them
the torpedo will be so placed as to make
the Sloop of war. followed by the two
steamboats, describe grand ellipsis in the
little way beyond Throgs Neck. The peo-
pie who may happen to be on board these
vessels are assured that they will sustain
no material injury by the explosion further
than a slight vertigo which the immersion
in the sound will speedily remove.
Passengers going to or from the Jerseys
in the absence of the steamboats, are in
formed that they will experience no delay
as | pledge myself that shall fix three tons
of chain shot to each shoulder and perform
repeated trips from the foot of Cortlandt
street to the opposite shore, walking on my
mead and carrying large raft on my feet,
with benches and comfortable awnings. |
shall charge only half the usual rates of
ferriage as | conceive that Az cents is as
much as any conscientious man under SIM
liar circumstances can demand. ] would not
have 1T here understood that the present
fare of cents is at ali eXorbitant. In or
Norfolk and New London to attend I have
fixed upon Tuesday, the 18th inst, for my
exhibition, the torpedo will be exploded al
promptly IL O'Clock a m
IN. B.-Packets and other craft coming
down the sound on the above mentioned day
are requested to keep well inshore for fear
OF accident"
Last of these articles on torpedoes is a
brief mention in the Herald of Saturday.
July 2 1914, in which it appears that a new
torpedo boat resembling a turtle floating on
the water sufficiently roomy to accommo-
date nine persons and having a coat of mail
on its back consisting of three large bombs
that could be discharged by machinery so as
to bid defiance to attacks by barges. left
New York city in the latter part of June,
off New London. Act one end of the boat
projected long pole under water, with a
torpedo fastened TO it, which, as she APP
preached the enemy in the night, was to he
poked under the bottom of a seventy-four
and then let off. The inventor was named
Berrian. The boat was run ashore near
Horizons point, near Southold l.. l., and
was destroyed by the Sylph sloop of war
and frigate. One man in attempting to
swim ashore, from the torpedo boat was
drowned. The others made their escape.
This seems TO have been the last of torpedo
inventions i'll America for long time.
ROBERT FULTON'S VERSES.
In the New York Herald of Oct. 2 1911,
appears a poem by Robert Fulton on tor
pedoes. directed to the King of Rome and
printed originally in London, England. 1t
is as follows:
Great King two years ago wrote,
TO Lord of Isles civil note
Which he ne'er answered. like bear:
So 1 send my modest prayer
To your dread throne or stool or chair.
The The plan my lord, which l have hit on,
Twill send her navy to the devil,
And bring her on your nations level.
The great torpedoes L prepare
Will blow her ships up in the air.
And every man of the war will soon
Ascend, Just like vast balloon.
In half day one thousand men
Would scatter all the ships you ken
Now lowering round about BoulogneI
And il I'm not completely wrong,
A force but twenty thousand strong
fWell organized and trained. you know,
To eat and drink and sleep below,
Would clear the channel and do over
All between Calais Port and Dover.
Thus in two years. sir, might be
The end of England's proud marine;
And then that isle, without doubt
Pulled like farthing rush light out,
Instead of reigning over the waves,
Would only furnish France with slaves
How glorious then such thing,
To grace your annals, mighty King!
And turn il in your mind
How happy 'twere for all mankind.
And more tbut that's thing between uD
How worthy of your daddy's genius.
For who that 1t is
To happen while his head is hot?
1t may be that to raise his
And add 10 his uncommon fame
Game growing out of mighty works
Pois ming his troops, and murd ring Turks
Take place great monarch. ere YOU grow up.
Let not the greatness of my plan
Lead you to think It's for
To accomplish such a vast design
As that which / 5 mine;
] wish you only retrace
What revolutions have ia en- place
Not those which made yeur father King
II would not speak of such thing,
But those which learned scribeS disclose
As science and invention rose,
Reflect, sir. powder invented,
And then, sir. you must feel contented.
In planning this, my first great view
Is but 10 show my love for you;
Yet Though not greedy after pelD
must confess ] like myself;
And if L open in this trade,
/ could, sir. wSh--to De well paid.
l shall expect my work well done,
A thousand francs for every gun
Now, sir the naughty foe,
Shall feel this meditated blow,
Their ships. perhaps. they will abandon
That with ease. their coasts land on