The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-29
IT WILL BE THE TORPEDO
That Will Introduce a New Era in
Naval Warfare.

Chicago March 2S.--AutomobiIe torpe-
does and the important part they promise
to play in future naval engagements are
discussed at considerable length in the
forthcoming number Of Modern Machin-
cry, a technical publication Of this city,
the author of the paper being w. E. Will
lis, mechanical engineer who has given
special study to the subject. 1t is the be-
lief of the writer that torpedoes Of the
automobile type have been so perfected
that armor plate offers no effectual resist
ance to their attack, and that they are
practically irresistible. The character
and operation of three prominent types of
torpedoes are described in the article, with
close attention to technical details, after
the writer has stated his reasons for con-
sidering such instruments of naval war
fare the most formidable today.
In stating some of the causes which
have led to the opening Of a new era in
naval warfare 1t is noted that the weight
and floating capacity of war vessels have
arrived at such a stage that little short
of a limit has been reached, and that
thinking men are constantly looking to
new expedients with which TO annihilate
their foes af1oat.
Referring to this problem the writer
makes the following conclusions:
Our costly cruisers and battleships are
weighted down with tons OF impregnable
armor and carry monstrous guns to
throw supposedly armor-piercing shells at
an enemy. The enemy being equally well
prepared, 1t is more a matter Of chance
than anything else which is victorious.
1t is the old question over again Of what
will happen if IAN irresistible force meets
an immovable body"
One day we are informed that our Har-
veyized and nickel steel plates prove in
vulnerable TO shots; another time We
learn that some new projectile has pierced
the best of them. The common sense Of
the matter is that practical limits have
been reached in both directions. and think
ing men are looking to new expedients
with which TO annihilate their foes af1oat.
With the marine automobile torpedo 1t
is proposed to accomplish this purpose,
and il has proved its ability to do so;
quantity or quality OF armor opposes no
serious resistance to 1t; burying the mag
azine. engine and other vital elements OF
fighting power below the water line. sur
rounded by Goals and other material in
tended to defend them. effects nothing,
but rather insures their more speedy de-
struction, for il is there that the torpedo
is aimed to strike with as much accuracy
and precision as at target shooting.
AS unseen as the wind, with a speed
that is as rapid and an effect that the
tornados concentrated force has never
eoualed. the work is done. and the water
closes over where moment before pow
erful vessel was.
Among the several promising types OF
automobile torpedoes. the Cunningham,
Whitehead and Howell are mentioned in
the article as the most prominent. The
Cunningham is described as resembling
A huge pointed screw. II being cylinder
with conical end and having on its body
| a series Of fine ridges arranged after the
| manner Of a screw thread. In the opin'
! ion Of the writer this torpedo IS perhaps
| tho simplest in its construction, having
| practically no interior mechanism and re-
| curing nc expensive apparatus for its dis
| charge Being lowered into the water
| and pointed in The direction Is 70 take
| the Cunningham torpedo keeps IFS course
! with remarkable fidelity rs motive powe'
/ consists OF q series OF discharges OF case!
arising from chemicals arranged II peck
| n,s along is sides. which causes il L
! -evolve through the water Ike screw
| through It's nut. It's explosion depends
upon the conclusion OF rs forward enc
ara!nst some hard. firm object
The following description ard comments
! upon the Whitehead torpedo are given b
! the writer:
The whitehead-an English coatrivanc'
is % the FISH variety. inclosed in a stes
/ she'll containing elements % locomonoa
consisting % compressed a.. Rotor div
.nE tandem screws az lis rear end A.
/ though ex-Secretary % the Navy Trac'
. has said IN his report that 2; had beer
/ bean successfully concentrated. K f.
! doubtful from a mechanical qo.cc % view
/ Il Z; is the most desirable. foF IS WORK
ia, necessits:es q powerful air compress
ing plant. 1910 pounds 70 the square iac:
being demanded. trained farce 90 re