The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-08
No Torpedoes or Mines Have Been Placed
in Hampton Roads.
HOW THE MORTAR BATTERIES WORK
Tho Hundred Yard Squire Method
Would Probably he Adhered to-.
Factory ExpIodcd-AIuniti for

The fake factory has been indus
tr!ously grinding away ever since the
explosion in Havana harbor, and u
number of very healthy specimens have
been finished and sent out from this
section.
The latest is u special sent out to Il
number OF papers Saturday night from
portsmouth stating that L vessel had
that day been engaged in laying tor
pedocs In Hampton Roads to protect
the channel from invasion"
This statement is without the slight
! est Foundation in fact and is an in
Fention, pure and simple, contrived for
! revenue only-the few dollars that can
DC obtained In markets where lies are
| salablc.
Indeed, the fact that torpcdoes have
not been placed in position is provoke
ing some criticism, for the operation Is
one requiring some time, and in case
war were declared IL might be possible
Tor a. warshp or n fleet of them to
reach Hampton Roads before the en-
franco to the hurbor could be pro-
perry mined. 1t is conceded that this
would be Il most important point in
the case OF u hostile fleet operating
from Spain or Havana, on account OF
It's cabling facilities. Particularly
would this be true were Havana block
AIDED. n Spanish fleet contemplating
an attack on New York would be out
OF coal by the time IL reached this
coast. and before proceeding to the
metropolis would undoubtedly cndeavor
10 coal somewhere along the coast In
view OF this fact, there is little doubt
mat the work of laying torpedueS I'm
ltSlmpton Roads will not be DELAYED
iluch further. unless there Is clear
ing IN the international atmosphere.
When the Government is ready 10
plant It's destroycrs IL will find the
bottom OF the harbor already plated
from the job. This work was done
years ago,
Inc mortar barrels for lie new bat
terieS will be at Fort Monroe in few
days and will be Immediately placed
upon their mountings. In case of war
1t is not probable that the plan Of
firing volleys of shells into hundred
yard squares In front of the batteries
Will be adhered to. This method has
been much discussed in the hypothcti-
cal defense OF New York. AS n mat
ter OF fact. Il has been discovered that
better results can be obtained not by
hfins ut squares into which hostile
vessel Is supposed to be coming, but
by firing at the vessel herself The
operation will consist I'm getting the
range of the approaching ship. and
knowing the distance and the time II
Will take q proicctile to traverse IT,
train the mortars on d space lust 4
little In advance of the vessel, the idea
being that the proiectile and the for
elgner Will reach the point about the
same TIME. Indeed. so far as the NOR
tars is concerned, the method would not
differ materially from that used in
firing the big guns.
There has been much talk Of NUM-
n Nk.n 111.- 4
TO Fort Monroe. AS u matter OF fact
not pound of high explosives and
not single armor piercing projectie
has been sent to the fort in the last
month. That these munitions in ample
quantities will be forwarded ms soon
rs possible is n well known fact. It
is now but question of 4 few days.
About the only proJectiles that have
arrived are some shells for target prac-
tee. These are not intended for any
thing but canvas and would be incfIec-
tive agains; anything else. Heavy gun
drills are being held daily.
y New Orleans dispatch states that
"a special from Norfolk reports the
loss of the tug Underwater" This Is
another fake. The Underwater has
reported safe at Charleston. No actual
information about the tug reached Nor
folk or anywhere else until the vessel
put into that port.
The Chief of the Construction Bureau
in Washington has made inquiries as
TO the time required to complete re-
pairs on the Newark without workin.,
overtime. No order has been issued to
have her ready for sea in sixty DAYS,
wild reports TO the contrary notw!th-
standing.
The Purltan's bottom is IN good con-
dition and she will be ready for SER
vice In less than week.
SIXTY new men went TO work in the
construction department yesterday.
The clerk of the labor board is kept
busy seven days IN the week register
ing the thousands OF applicants FOR
work.
The Machias is expected about the
! last OF the week
The New York Herald and phiIodc,-
phia Press of Sunday published some
striking Views Of the Norfolk Navy
yard. They were made from photo
graphs taken for them by Faher. the
Norfolk photographer, and are among
| the best that have been obtained OF
| the yurd