The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-27
ABOUT TORPEDO GUNS.
Results Of Some Experiments that
Have Been Made.

Torpedo guns. when used I'm land de-
lenses. should De looked upon as aux
iiiary and supplementins the fixed sub
marine mines defending harbor. The
mines may be- removed by various meth
OBS OF countermiuins, and, once removed
are difficult 10 replace, particularly In the
presence OF an enemy. Not alone may the
submarine mines Doe removed by the ace
uon OF the enemy but IN the course OF
an action they may be removed by ina
uetensc In cndcaVOring 10 bow mp the
enemys fleet maneuvcring IN the hdrDOr.
The fire Of torpedo guns can, Ia such
cases, be directed on that portion Of the
torpedo field whore the mines may nave
thus been removed.
When the firing Is from a fixed plat
form, as in the case in shore defense, u
has been shown 10 be extremely accurate.
Where the ranges can be ascertained. "a
ls likely 10 be the case IN sedcOdst for-
tlncations. the great accuracy OF hrlng
which has been shown 10 be possessed by
the pneumatic torpedo guns should make
an attack, coming within their range of
IRE, extremely hazardous A. an exam
pl" or the accuracy OK me nre ont1iuhpif
from snore. the writer would mention tnai
u4 some tIr.r 90 about 2lI YARDS. -.
which TWO rounds entered the same hole
Do Tho sand, The other round being Two
or three yards from this. A 800 yards
nNe shots out OF SIX we're placed IN
space no larger that billiard table
In an Official test OF three hfteen-inch
guns IN san Francisco harbor. % per cent
Of the shots fell at A range OF ZOO yards.
I'm a rectangle measuring 800 feet by 10
feet. The contract requirements were
only "a per cent within such a rectangle.
A rectangle Of 2l0 feet by ljs feet would
have contained all the rounds fred.
I'm considering the torpedo gun on ship
board. criticisms hcve usually been made
because of the difficulty of firing from an
unstable platform. but other guns aroat
are subject. In a great measure, 70 the
same objection The high-anglc ire Of
the torpedo gun IS often cited as an OBJ
iectiOn8ble feature. but it has some adj
vantages which are not ordinarily con-
coded. Among these are the following;
High-pOwer guns. with their fiat ira
jectOries. have as their target only the
vertical projections Of the over-water hull
% the ship very slight change OF the
angle OF elevation Of these guns produces
very considerable change IN the height
az which the shot would strike the tar
get. With the change Of about one-fourth
of degree of elevation at one mile range
the shot would 30 under or over the point
aimed al. vertical distance OF about
twcnty-three feet.
The pneumatic gun. however. with its
high-angle fire. has as its target the YER
Teal projection Of the over-Watcr hull or
the ship. the entire deck and zone
around the ship of from ten 10 forty feet,
according 90 the charge. \ change on am
gle of elevation OF one degree would make
30 change in the range oi only about
sixty Yards. Thus. with slight variation
Que 10 changes in elevation. and the
greater size Of The available target pro-
scented. the chances OF securing effective
results are more than ftir.-Cap.ain It-
llnsN in Cassler's Magazine.