Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-23
new TYPE OF TORPEDO.
Successful Test Of Davis Projeo-
tile That Pierces Nets.
HAS ITS OWN MOTIVE POWER.

Former Objection as TO Weight ovsr-
| come by use OF Vanadium-eores
Into Heavy Target and Has Dou-
bic Action--Can Travel 5000 Fest.
Torpedo nets, such as are extensive
y Used by Great Britain and which
recently at Newport were demonstrat-
ed as protection to battleships from
torpedo attack, were proved vulnera-
bic the other day by new type Of
torpedo, an invention of Lieutenant
Commander Cleland Davis. The trial
test /at Sheep island, at the entrance
Of Quincy bay, was attended by Tru-
man II. NeSyberry, acting secretary of
the navy. and by Brigadier General
Arthur Murray, chief Of artillery, rep
Resenting the army.
The successful demonstration show
Cd the practicability Of firing projec-
tile from torpedo which serves as a
gun after 1t makes hole In the enc
my's ship This double action Of the
Davis torpedo characterizes 1t as an
entirely new departure. Lieutenant
Commander Davis, as soon as he was
assured that his invention practically
met his expectations, said to New
York Herald reporter at Quincy,
Mass. This will enhance the value
Of submarine attack as conducted by
torpedo boats, destroyers and subma-
rine boats. It will require radical
change in the construction of battle
ships, making it necessary to armol
their bottoms"
Former types Of torpedoes when
they strike the enemy's ship detonats
on the exterior Of the hull and by the
escape of gases lose much Of their ef.
fectiveness. The Davis torpedo is con
tfived to puncture the ships bottom
carrying into the ships vitals pro-
jectile which detonates by time fuse.
Such an interior explosion directed in
the engine room, the magazine or in
the steering apparatus quickly places
the ship out of action.
In exterior appearance the new tor
pedo resembles short torpedo OF thu
known type. 1t has its own motive
power, operated by compressed air,
capable Of travelling 5000 feet. Exact
measurements Of the torpedo have not
been officially given out, but 1t is
about sixteen feet long and eighteen
inches at It's greatest diameter 1t has
second torpedo inside, which is fred
through tube when the initial explo.
sion tears hole in the ships bottom.
rho Rvok cko p,vca
for the second defamation.
Commander Davis has made expert
ments for the last two years and at
tributes much Of his success to new
element which has only recently be
come obtainable in commercial guam
titles. 1t was necessary to keep the
torpedo gun light enough to float to TT
objective and at the same time Of suf
ficient tensile strength to preserve tn.
inner tube against the initial detona
ton. This new element Is vanadium
which he uses IN combination witt
chromium and nickel This reduces
the weight Of the tube from half TOT
to eighty pounds. Tho only availabl,
deposits Of this new element are in
Peru and are under American control
The steel for the torpedo and the shell
were constructed by American com
panies.
Sheep island, where Commander Da
Wis has worked out his trials, is de
serted, low lying waste at the entrance
Of the bay, sharply eroded on the open
ocean side, so that this natural breast
work afforded spectators protection
and also complete view Of the expert
ment. The torpedo was moored at
lighter and the target foated 100 feet
to the south. The sun was bright over
the bay, which was, scarcely rufled,
making every detail plainly visible.
The target tank was said by it's con-
structors to be stronger than section
of battleship. 1t was Of three-qnar
ter inch iron, with three interior bulk.
heads. The metal was formerly
Standard Oil company tank at Chelsea
and was relic of the conflagration
last April This tank was fifteen feet
high and ten feet in diameter. In the
top manhole was left open to relieve
air pressure. Ballasted with forty
tons Of scrap iron, the target was sub
merged eleven and one-half feet
When all was ready the assembled
officers sought the protection Of the
sea worn bank, carrying long rope
with which to set the machine going
Secretary Newberry and Commander
Davis, in tenders from the dispatch
boat Dolphin, watched the experiment
from the water
Cali ready, firev' came the order
At the jerk Of the rope there was vic.
lent bubbling at the lighters side. On
a straight line for the red tank the
torpedo bored its way, revealing its
course by wake Of bubbles. This
path Of busy bubbles looked mystic.
rious as it neared the red tank, which
swayed on the tide Suddenly the tank
was enveloped In great splash. and
the manhole cover bounced from the
iron. Then slowly the big
tank sank down into the foamy water
Secretary Newberry and the inventor
quickly assured themselves Of the sue
cessful outcome. They saw for the
first time that Il projectile could be ex
ploded within an armored ship. The
was not completed until