The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-20
THE WONDERFUL TORPEDO
Few Psopl. U,,d.fsis,.d I'll. coa.trne,ion
sfthe Aaion,oblir Nsei,ihs-.,rost Dan.

~
sfths Automobile Nsei,i i,e-. ,io,t Dan
g,fous NJ ,srapon..il = Z
New York Tlmesi II the Ordinary
man In estrtlt were asked what no
considered the most wonderful machine
ever invented, hcSwVuld probably say
nat II was either the loom. the steam
nsine, or the printing press. And very
possibly he would be right, too, II BY;
the word "wondertul'' was meant that
which iind the most for-reachlng re.
suits on mankind. But II he simply
based his choice on that machine which
was the outcome OF theSllghest me-
chnuIcal Ingenuity and perfection Of
construction. the most correct answer
that no possibly could give would be
ese automobile torpedo. .Si,
Yet how few! people know anything
whatever OF the construction OF this
wonderful machine, or, indeed, have ev.
or seen,it. In the navy itself Its myster-
ies aud intricacles are OF such a nature
A, 10 prevent any but the specialists
possessing more than rudimentary
knowledge OF It's working and construc-
ton. And this Is not IN the least sur
missing, for. officers who have madc a
fpeclal study, OF torpedoes for years Will
tell YOU that there Is always something
10 tell you. that there Is always SOME
thing to be learned and discovered
abou. the automobile torpedo ~
As the physician 10 continually I'm
proving his knowledge Of the inner
workings OF i've or six feet OF human
bone and tissue. SO the torpedo officer
Is always finding out some new trait or
,ccentrlclty! In the! steel babies, MS
he arcctlonatcly styles them. which
arc placed under ais charge. This com-
parlson appears oil the more true when
il Is remembered that each, torpedo has
lis own idiosyncracies, which have TO
he carefully studied and corrected cons
tnually II It is 60 be trusted to perform
ne duty properly when the time comes
kir Il 10 start on It's one and final er.
rand OF destruction and give It's puny
he for the life OF ship. And II that
mission Is faithfully performed then
indeed will the constant care and at
t,ntlon bestowed on It during Its life
fine be amply rewarded for the ship
which receives n blow from an auto
mobile torpedo is doomed as surely as
i,:she were already situated as Is the
Inflated Maine.
The arts OF shipbuilders and STEEL
workers stand as nothing In the, face OF
the explosion OF two hundred pounds OF
Cuncotton. which is the charge u con-,
tanned In The warheads OF our navy tor
In ha
ard resolute men the automobile torpe-.
10 Is the most terrible engine OF var
fare the world has ever seen.
The construction and working OF this
.orrl OF weapon was originated only
chout ,hivty-hvesyears ago. and In this
most powerful and destructive weapon
there is no half measure. Either the
object OF its attack escapes entirely or
1, is utterly and completely destroyed.
10. II strikes atNits victims most vital
part, namely. that twixt wind and
water, or well below the, belt"
It Is not surprising that torpedoes
used TO be looked upon as unclean
things. as something devilish, stealthr,
and altogethe.. uncanny. Indeed, by a
certain school OF seamena they are still
considered an unfair and cowardly
weapon: but that feeling Is quickly dy-
,nS out now and torpedoes have, after
mana years Of curious neglect. taken
a front place in the art, ofsnaval var
fare. Is
During our civil war no fewer than
tHeaty-e!sht vessels were blown up by
mines, aud six vessels by.varlous forms
Of torpedoes. All these weapons were
Of the most crude and nakeshift de-
scription, yet they served the double
purpose o. doing what was required OF
them, and OF giving their users the
f;rstusetul, insight Into what was fated
20 be highly Important branch of
warfare. CAUTIOUSLY enough, in spite OF
the enormous benefits which torpedoes
save 10 their users on this occasion,
they received only the scantiest atten-
lion on this side Of the ocean after the
conclusion OF the war. Yet their re-
markable success set a good many clcV-,
er,heads thinking and about the time
the civil war closed the original idea OF
the Whitehead torpedo was evolved
from the brain OF an officer In the Aus
trIai navy. ~ s..
So consistent have been the care and
attention bestowed on tho construction
Of this style of torpedo, and so many
are the improvements effected that no
less than twenty-four different patterns
now exist. Many OF the older patterns
are gradually being eaten away with
rust, or constant wear and tear, though
the newer forms are likely to last a
considerable time longer, owing to the
fact that their working parts are made
Of nou-corrosive metal. The engines.
and in fact the whole mechanism. are
stouter and stronger.
The adoption of the N"controlling
gear" the improved system OF loading
and ballasting the torpedo whereby Its
stability Is greatly augmented, the in-
creased working pressure OF the air,
and It's general finish and delicacy OF
construction, have served to render this
weapon a veritable marvel OF mechan-
zeal skill When one considers that It
can be fred from the fastest ships and
make reliable practice no matter what
the bearings or speed OF the enemy It
is easf to understand its claim for alb
solute supremacy as an engine OF naval
warfare. The adoption OF the torpedo
as a naval weapon has had ore espe-
cisl and beneficial effect on che sea SER
vice OF the present day. It has been the
means OF supplying the younger officers
OF. the, navy with fresh outlet OF dash
and enterprise.
Twenty years ago there was every
prospect that the introduction OF mast
lees ships would turn the life OF an or
binary junior, officer Into the most un-
eventtul and humdrum OF exlstences. It
looked as though walking pitch and
routine drills were to be the sum total
o. his career In peace times. The advent
o. The torpedo and the new classes OF
vessels which followed III its wake
have changed all that, however. With q
A9ti!la OF torpedo boats and number
o. "catchers'' or ''destroyers".. that are
bound to follow, there stand many OPP