The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-06-29
TORPEDOES In WARFARE
THEIR SUCCESS IN CHILL, BRAZIL,
CHINA AND JAPAN.
Low Cost Of the Destroyer Devices
by Which BattIeships Hope to Es.
cape Destruction by the Swift Ma.

The Whitehead automobile torpedo
may be regarded as the parent of al
most all the automobile torpedoes
which are now in use in the navies of
the world, writes Sir William Laird
Clouse in the London Telegraph.
Our own service torpedoes, which are
made at Woolwich, at Portland, and at
Leeds; the French service torpedoes,
many of which are made at Toulon
the Russian service torpedoes, which
are made in Russia; the German SER
vice torpedoes, which are made in Ger
many-all owe their existence to the
original mention of Mr.. Whitehead,
an invention now more than a genera
tion old; and although each national
type differs somewhat from every 9TH
er, each still bears a strong couslnly
resemblance to the service torpedo
which the firm of Whitehead makes to-
day at Flume, on the Adriatic, for
such powers as have no torpedo manu-
featuring plant of their own. Among
these powers is Japan.
IL is true that the original White
head was a weapon that travelled on
the surface of the water only, while the
modern automobile torpedo is essen
TALLY submarine engine. Many
years, nevertheless, have now elapsed
since the marvellous weapon, by steady
evolution, became extraordinarily per-
feet and formidable, although it is but
right to add that its improvement has
been continuing from first to last, and
is not yet at a standstill. Strange to
say, however the significance of the
automobile torpedo as factor in naval
warfare is only now beginning to re-
ceive adequate recognition. The
weapon has always had its enthusiastic
champions Of course. although until
quite recently they have been the few,
while its detractors have been in the
majority. According to some, the tor.
pedo was little better than a bogey;
according to others, it was suitable
for use only against vessels at anchor,
or vessels, with incompetent, If not
criNinally careless, crews on board;
according to yet others, it could never
be employed with advantage against
ships of the civilized and well-disci-
plined races, especially il such ships
CHANGED to be under way.
IL was admitted that the automobile
torpedo had won success during the
civil war in Chilli, during the revolu-
tionary fighting in Brazil and during
the conflict between Japan and China;
"but," said the wisoacros, wait until
one of the leading naval powers is
concerned, and then you will see that
although the torpedo may be all very
well against South Americans or yell
low Men, it wont work against civ
ilized Europeans"
In spite of tits sort of discourage
ment, which reached them from within
the various services as well rs from
without, torpedo officers have never
ceased to study and develop their fa-
vorite weapon. They increased its
speed from 10 TO Il to upwards of 80
miles an hour; they increased its range
from 300 or 400 to couple of thousand
yards or more; they increased its ex-
plosive-carrying capacity from 30 TO
nearly 200 pounds; and they increased
the accuracy of its submarine fight,
both literal and vertical, until, even
in a cross-running tideway, its pre-
cision could be depended upon. BY
means of a device which is now being
perfected in America the speed of the
weapon can be increased to some 40
miles an hour up to 1000 yards. The
process employed is a mere superheat-
ing of the compressed air as it is fed
from the FASH" or reservoir, to the
driving machinery; and 1t involves
little additional expense. We know
now what the Japanese, acting not
against careless and ignorant Celes-
tials, but against the finest officers and
best ships of leading European navy,
has been able to do with this perfected
engine of destruction. No one will
ever again decry the power of the tor
pedo.
And this terrible torpedo, in its
most highly developed form, costs only
about 9400. A big battleship costs
anything from a million 10 a million
and a half sterling; yet, as events
have shown, it may easily fall victim
to its small and absurdly cheap foe.
OF course, do not mean that the mere
outlay Of. say e400 is likely to be the
sole expenditure involved in the Grip
pling of 13,000-ton CZarevitch. The
torpedo, if used at sea, must be dis
charged from a vessel of some sort,
by men who must inevitably run some
risk. But the craft which are usually
employed on torpedo work are small,
costing, ii may be, no more than from
e15.000 to 100000 apiece. and having
but small crews. Thus, there may be
on one side but e25,000 worth of ma
terial and 10 and 20 lives, and on the
other a ship worth G1, 100000, with
750 people on board; and, as we have
seen the cheap little boat may spoil
the career Of the splendid machine.
Even if the big ship do her worst in
such a case, she can do nothing ade-
quate. Let her sink half dozen of
her twopenny-halfrenny opponents and
drown all their crews, she must still