The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-05-04
USE OF TORI EDGES.
The Confederates First Proved Their
Value in Modern Warfare.
have BEEN GREATLY IMPROVED
They Were Invented by Captain AR
thur z. clsury. Of Virginia
an Officer IN she c c n
Iraec2tc irInY.
IGGerate :ir.ny.

an Officer IN Ghe q n
IGGer&te :iriny.
The torpedo, whose ELECTS has oeef
amply demonstrated by the japanese
in their eDsagenentS with the RuS'
slams in the harbor OF Port Arthur
first came into use in the civil war
and vas the invention of Capt. ar.
thur f. Maury, of Fredericksburg.
Va. 2n ctlicer in the Confederate
army. There was at first much pre-
iuSice against the use of the torpedo
but after a time the idea was accepted
apd tie report OF the United States
Secretary Of the Navv. made IL 1868
showed that the Union cause lost
more ships from that source thar
from al others combined, the tot a.
number being tfty-eigat.
Capt. Maury evolved the torpedo as
a means Of defence Of the narlgable
rivers Of the Southern States, sano
especially those Of Virginia. There
was little means for experimenting,
and at first his tests were all carried
On with minute charges Of powder
submerged and exploded in wash
tub Of water in chamber ~ Gne
house Of cousin. 1t was early ID
the first year Of the war that the nTst
working experiment. was made. 1t
occurred in The James River at Rich
mo16, where the torpedo, barrel
flled with ordinary powder, was care
fully lowered to the bottom. Inc
coctrivacce was fred by means OF
q trigger, which was pulled from a
distance with lanyard. The hammer
was much like the hammer OF toe old
army mUsket, and of course it had to
be raised before the torpedo was
placed in position. The success Of
the invention was Immediately seen.
A column Of water was thrown into
the air twenty feet and it was but a
minute or so before many fish came
to the surface dead. The test was
conducted in the presence Of a number
of officials Of the Confederate Govern
ment who, though beforehand they
had been free to express their DOUBTS
as TO the success Of the invention I'M
meGiately gave It their warinest ap'
proyal and the mining Of the river
was at once begun. These torpedoeS
were made to explode by contact.
Floating torpedoes were made in
pairs, connected with rope 800 feet
long. This rope-or span, as 1t was
~called-ha6 its purpose. It was float
ed on the surface by means OF corks,
and the torpedoeS themselves hung
suspended from it at depth OF twenty
feet. They were kept at that depth
by empty barrels painted dull color
so as not to be easily discernible.
The idea was to set the Jorpedoes
>ahoat at the approach Of hostile YES
sci and trust to the span becoming
entansled with the hull in such a
way that the torpecoes would be
drawn against tie side Of the vessel,
where they were to be fired by the
mere tightness Of the rope which con-
nected them. Several attempts were
made to get these to work, but with
out result.
In the natural. development OF the
torpedo idea it Soon became evident
that submerged powder could not al
ways be trusted to explode, especially
where there was chance OF contact
with water through triggers and such
contrivances. The electric wire then
was suggested. For some tire 1t was
impossible to get any insulated wire
as there was no factory for its manu-
tacpure except in the North, but at
last an abandoned cable which the
Unionists had endeavored to lay
across the Chesapeake Bay to Fortress
Monroe fell into the hands Of the In
yentor. From this standpoint the IND
was a providential one. BY its AID be
was enabled to mine the mouth Of the
James River with electric torpedoeS,
and for some time every Federal
vessel that tried to pass was destroy
ed and the entire fleet kept at bay.
TIE torpedo idea spread to all parts
Of the South and it was not long ere
eyery Southern harbor was mined. In
all waters where Union vesSeiS ap-
peared beer kegs full Of powder were
Set atlcaU having percussion attach
ments supposed to explode on contact;
Not many Of these did the work aopeo
for them. Then a Confederate officer
thought out the spar torpedo. e., a
torpedo set at the end Of long spar
to be rigged at the bow Of small
boat to be exploded by impact against
a vessels side. Soon a submarine
boat with a torpedo attachment was
evolved, but it's first attack brought
death to its entire crew, though tney
tock the Federal steamship HouSato-
mic to the bottom with them.
When it was seen that the torpedo
was capable Of doing great damage.
Capt. Maury was sent to EngIanc 10
develop The idea and to keep the Con-
federacy posted upon his researches.
Advancement was rapid, and 1t was
not long ere the Unionists, who az
first denounced the torpedo as bar
b.rous engine Of war, were Ialrly
driven to use the same means ID tnelr
own defence The close Of the war
found Capt. Maury the acknowledged
head of torpedo learning Of the world,
and by requset Of the several Govern
nents be instructed naval officers OF
Engiand, France, Russia. Holland
and Germany in the use Of the ne"
weapon. All CT these countries I'M
rceI;nrelr scnnteS the idea and 1t has