The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-28

Z. ,r,;o efpptonch To the inner harbor Of
pert Arthur Id ideal for defense us Rich
.1o,,l was defended by many torpedocs
{ during or war; rho channel from tho
onler' hnr,,or inward, something over q
milo iii lotglll, is less than wo hundred
(, %ards wide at the nnriowtst, and runs
III ti,o way between abrupt cllffs crowned
WITH powcfful batteries well able to pre-
cent tlln removal by All enemy Of the
torpedo mines, both floating and electric
wtth4wldch ITO doubt this russagc has
been planted. az Il a
gtrhus protected the liner harbor OF Port
Arthur8,is lmprcgnnble. and unless ting
torpedocs nro first removed, e their ell
cheney destroyed, or the batteries silcnced,
1npnn,s fleet will surely meet disaster
should It attempt to enter.
1vc III Richmond hrc specially Interested
In their dcrcnsc because many years aso
lchn,ond was thus successfully defended;
hoto 1t was that this powerful weapon
or modern warfare was first cffectunlly
s,iscd iii. actual war. and from here II
was that tho knowledge OF this new
science was taught to tho great govern
q i1,cnt which IL now Using 1t 70 effectively
upon the Yellow Sea. S3g ls{
In 1861 Cnptnin Mhtthcw8F. hihury in-aa
troduced this hyBtetn Of defense Into the
Confederate navy md was tic first then
tgiulillze film actual conflict. With the
Confederate navy accomplished more
than i'll other nations combined " nave
since, ana (tfe Secrotnry Of the United
{ States Navy said In his report to Con-,
4 gross In 1869 destroyed moro Federal veg
scls Thar, were Loot from u llsother causes
y whatever. 81 8 ls l&.s
WITH torpcdoes Of Ills own device con-
strl,ction and operation, undtr tho greet
est diiilcultrs imaginable, for we llad
neither proper shops or proper matdriai,
4 nc mined James River Just below
Il Chafrin's Bluff 80 successfully that the
{ enemy, having learned Of them. never
\ ticreA Richmond 20 where
they wcrc--and these placed below al liter tier
4 the land batteries were Carried furtner'
down ana destroyed every Federal Vessel
That attempted to pass, and kept the TIE
powerful flee ut bay during the siege CT
Richmond BY General Grant.
While thus engaged Captain Marry wns
ordered to London to- continue. under
most favorable surroundings, wltllsacccss
oBthc laboratories and workships Of Eu-,
rope FOR experiment and CONSTRUCT lon, the
development and improvement OF this
new scienee, which opportunities were 50
successfully utilized, cspeclallyaH to cleo
trical torpedo mines their location. pre-
Ii Ia1Simprovcmtn IN the use OF this sps. 4
cai class Of torpedoos has since been
made. Several years after onr&Har at tho
re1ues, OF the Car OF Russia, who, whct1
I DIR war commenced, had offered q; home
on the banks OF the sScSh and ample fn-
clltles to continue his scientIflc invcstlGa
ton. Captain Maury impaired the secrets
OF his torpedo system to officers OF the
Russian navy ard instructed them fully
Z In tholr use. Their great value was nl,.i
prccIated at once. and Russia took The
lead. which she has ever since held, In
i developing ana improving this new new
science. No doubt these Virginia Lessons
Will soon bear rich fruitsa At Port Arthur.
"a fcw weaks after Captain Marry had
been relieved or tho charge OF the tor-5
{pcdo deferse OF James River, unon y htct
u lie had been engaged Ii for a year ana
had turned the office over to his assis-
tdnt and successor, tho boat used. With
the records. maps and charts OF the work,
was captured by the enemy near l1nxalls.3