New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-11
AIMING AUrouoBILE roRpEDoEg.

In a recent issue Engineering described
some apparatus which was recently tried at
Antilles, on the coast of France, for the con
troll of the movements of a Whitehead torpedo
by Hertz waves. In several particulars the
mechanism employed differed from that exhib-
tied IN the presence OF the King of Spain a
few months ago by Senior Quevedo, though IN
neither instance the use of a boat TO
carry the missile dispensed with In both cases
the craft was small, inexpensive and so ad-
mirably managed from distant station that
the presence of even n single person on board
was unnecessary, but some sort of accessory
to the torpedo itself was essential
While experiments of this kind are not to be
dsparased hastily, their value is not yet par
ticularly obvious. The method of guiding tor
pedoes which they utilize costs less than the
one IN vogue-launchng the pro1ectiles
from boats which are manned-but the saw
ing Of money IS no recommendation If it be
attended by a sacrifice OF efficiency. Tho prin-
ciple followed in is to get the best re-
CARELESS of expense. To be sure, life IS not
risked when Il boat IS used which has neither
officers nor crew. Yet even that advantage
may be Oyerestlmated. Service on ordinary tor
pedo boats involves little, If any, more danger
than service on battleships and every man
who enlists in either the navy or army antici-
pates exposure 10 peril That is a part of his
business. =.
For the defence of a harbor II is proba bile
that military experts would prefer the manned
to the unnamed torpedo boat. To the sue
cessful use Of the latter 1t Is essential that the
operator who guides the craft from shore shall
be able to watch its progress and finding an
unobstructed Wow OF the whole scene of no.
ton from that point might not always prove
feasible. The range Of torpedo whose course
Is directed with the aid Of Hertz waves there
fa~a would IN ho
of one fired from a moving station Still. II
nothing better were available, even the poorer
of the two systems might do some good
The idea Of controlling the movements of a
torpedo by means OF ether waves might posi-.
bly, be regarded with favor by officers IN com.
mand Of large war vessels. No modern bat.
tleship or cruiser is without torpedo tubes, but
In order TO use these effectively the vessel must
be swung around to exactly the right position
before the torpedo is discharged If Il could
be accurately aimed after it was released. that
form of attack from cruiser or battlesbIp
would be far more practicable than It is now.
1t Is possible already however to perceive
one objection to the adoption of this plnn on
large war vessels. In all the experiments with
1t which have thus far been made only single
set Of Hertz waves was employed Now. no.
cOrding to Engineering" the equipment of the
unnamed boat tested at Antilles could have
been actuated by waves from more than one
source. Apparently it would not have bear
controlled exclusively from shore had there
been accidental or intentional interference nv
generators on board ship in the vicinity
Hence, unless tuning system should be in
uoduced which would safeguard the torpedo
against any such influence, there would he
danger that It would behave erratIcaIlv and
damage the wrong ship. Certainty Of action IN
harhor, too, might thus be prevented. Eyi.