The Lamar register., 1898-04-23

experiments In sumarlne mining ana
turned his attention to steam nayiga-
tion. 1t is a remarkable fact that Full
ton planned a system OF torpedo war
fare upon which very little improve
ment has been made today He de.
yised four classes Of torpedoes-b
ant mines anchored in the channel to
be defended and exploded by contact
with the hull of an enemy's vessel; line
torpedoes. TO be set adrift and fouled
by the cables OF hostile fleet AT an
chor: harpoon torpedoes. to be dis
charged from gun and fired by clock
work after being attached 10 vessei's
side. and block ship torpedoes, to be
carried on long spars projecting from
u boats bow and exploded by contaet.
All these devices except the harpoon
torpedo are included in the modern
system.
Colonel Samuel Colt. inventor of the
revolver that bears his name, was the
next American genius TO take up the
study Of torpedoes, and the first to in
troduce electricity as an igntiug agent
for the explosive charge. After years
of experiment he blew up brig under
full sail In the Potomac river, April
IS, 1S43. It was wonderful demon
stration for those days, and has never
been equaled since Colonel Colt oper-
ated his electrical battery at Alexan-
dris. 1--WE miles away from the spot
where the brig was destroyed, feat
which the government engineers at
willet's Point have yet 10 undertake
with the same success. The secret
believed to relate to q method Of max
ing \ vessel telegraph her own position
died with him.
When the civil war broke out Amer
lean inventors were given an oppor-
tunity to demonstrate on grand scale
the important part which the torpedo
can be made to play In maritime war
fare. During the last two years Of the
war the federal government lost seven
ironclads, thirteen wooden war YES
sells and seven army transports, and
had eight more vessels seriously in
jured. The confederates lost four yes
sells by their own torpedces and the
Albemarle. a fine new ironclad which
had proved terror to United States
vessels. The destruction Of the Abe
marie was accomplished by one OF the
most daring exhibitions OF bravery
ever recorded in history. and served to
place the name OF Lieut. William b.
Cushing in the long list OF the worlds
heroes Cushing was Cnly q years
old
Gushing asked for pcrmtEsi-1 TO de
stroy the Albemarle while she was tied
up to the wharf at Plymouth in the
Roanoke River TIE permission was
granted. and on the night Of Oct, p.
1864, with a crew Of thirteen officers
and men. he steamed up the river in
a little launch. A long spar projected
from the bow CT the launch. at the end
OF which was q torpedo. A string, one
end OF which was tied to the trigger
of the torpedo and the ether OF which
was in the hand Of Gushing Afforded
the means OF exploding the charge Al
full speed the launch dashed at the
ironcIad. and when within twenty
yards it was discovered that a Gordon
OF floating logs sGTroundsd the ship as
4 protection against such an attack.
The little launch darted out into the
middle Of the river, Gushing gave or
ders to put on all steam. and then he
turned her once more toward the en-
emy. The speed was so great that
when the launch struck the log she
slid over. A volley of musketry sa-
iuted the daring crew as Gushing pulled
the string. and thea a mighty column
of water shot up in the air. A few
minutes later and the Albemarle was
on the bottom of the river. So was
the launch. Cushing swan down the
river and escaped. and the rest OF his
crew was captured. W. Fl. VI.