New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
MINES IN HARBOR DEFENCE
rur INTRICATE WORK OF THE ENGI-
NEER CORPS IN MAKING AND
PLACING THEM.
TIE PART PLAYED BY ELECTRICITY IN THEIR
OPERATION INSTRUCTION AT TIE
WlILFTS POINT SCHOOL,

=, WOW Of the recent catastrophe in the harbor
., Havana. interest has been aroused in de-
tnsye torpcdoes or submarine mines, as they
arc now officially designated But as military
,O,;cv in the past has deemed it prudent to with
Mold all spccinc details concerning this arm Of
the service from reporters and artists. the public
fau TO recognize the fixed torpedo of the coast
defence as a well-eQuipped military weapon quite
distinct from the aggressive torpedo which rep
,esents somewhat similar branch Of the naval
service Some grOtcslue sketches and descrip-
fms OF material and adjuncts that have re-
r4ntly appeared in the pages Of sensational jour
mails have evidently beel drawn from sources
.hAro the Imagination largely dominated facts.
while in no case has attention been invited to
tho skilled operators-the battalion OF engineers
Of the United States Army.
IN Nav Q 1860. the Secretary Of War in
.,rpc,ed the Board Of Engineers for For,iiica-
,ions TO study experimentally the general sub
vet Of torpedo defence. ard TO prepare plans for
applying the approved methods to the important
tarbors Of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts The
commanding officer of the engineer battalion
was associated with the Board in this duty. and
the engineer troops were ordered to perform the
work required in the trials.
detailed study Of the extensive seaboard
was made and those ports were selected which
demanded local protection for their cities as I'M
prtant centres of commercial wealth and es-
sential bases for naval stations and depots OF
supply. Elaborate projects were submitted. corn
Nisng plans for preparing the forts and bat
,eries TO serve as secure operating stations. and
mans showing the numbers and proposed loca
tons Of the lines of torpedoes. That the per-
scnnel Of the operating corps might be always
found available and thoroughly trained IN TINS
technical duty. the service of the submarine
mines was devolved upon the engineer troops
and TO the engineer school at WilctS POINT
Log Island. was added branch Of instruction
comprising the operations of defensive sub
marine mining for coast defence. and electricity
was adopted as the operating and ignitng agent
that the following general conditions essential
to success might be fully met:
Frs;-Th mines must be so arranged as TO
admit Of the safe passage Of the American
vessels while they can instantly be rendered
3angercus TO the enemy.
Second-Sincc the mines may remain IN po-
sion for long periods. the system must provide
tests by which the condition of every part may
BE- often verified in detail. and automatic tell
tales are required instantly to signal the nature
and location of any injury to the cases that
shield the operating apparatus and decorating
charge or TO the cable conductors.
TIE work Of the school is arranged in three
dlyisions-the duties Of the loading-rOom. where
n mines are made ready; the manipulauons
pertaining 70 the boat service. including the
Planting Of the mines and the laying Of armoTed
cables that carry the insulated copper con-
a., measurements that
verify the satisfactory working of the mines
and the electrical continuity of the circuit that
links the decorating fuses to the fring-key in
the operating casemate.
The enlisted men are divided into sections. and
are thorouchly drilled in all the duties oi the
bridegroom. and circuit regulators are ADJUST
ed and submitted to careful electrical tests For ,
this electro-mcchanical apparatus, which IS to
be imhcdlcd in the three hundred POUNDS OF
high explosive that is incased in the buoyant
shells is the brain Of the torpedo; it signals To
The Operat!ng-room fatal leak in the mine case
Or in the insulation Of a joint receives a blow
from a friendly vessel with inert acquiescence'
but leaps into deadly action upon contact with
9 foe
The buoyant spherical cases, which are formed
BY two steel hcmispheres welded around the
equator. then charged with sawdust with
every prccaution that would be used in handling
modern high explosives. agents which allow 10
nargin for ignorance. careiessnoss or neglect. I
The boat-scrvice detail prepares the planting
lug for action. Tool boxes for jointing. rlggerS
'ises, mushroom anchors and wire mooring rope /
10 adjus, the anchorages are provided Drums OF
Insulated cable swung aboard, and multi .
pe-armore1 cable carrying seven separately IN !
sulated copper wires through each OF which is
Controlled triple group. is first laid from the .
caSema,e gallery to a point about a hundred .
'eet in the rear Of the proposed line OF