New-York tribune., 1908-03-23
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS.
Matters of Interest to Men of Both
Services
from The Tribune Bureau.

Washington. March %.
AUTOMOBILE TORPEDOES.-The coast artiI
lerists who have. to do with the development OF
the appliances for coast defence disappointed
the prospect that provision is likely TO be
made by the present Congress for the procurement
and test of experimental automobile torpedCes II
estimated that The cost of such acquisition
and experiments would 100000. and It
planned 10 conduct the test at Fort Monroe.
Va One of the projects which have been under
consideration By the coast artillery officers has
been the defence OF the Race the eastern
trance of Long Island Sound. where the automo-
Bile torpedo would be good adjunct to the mines
where they would take the place OF the mines
The eastern entrance Long Island Sound
be mined with difficulty. and under those circun
stances the automobile torpedo would be a vau-
able possession Another place where II was pro-
posed to make of il was in certain waters Of
Puget Sound, where the depth is too great to be
mined and in San Francisco Harbor. where much
the conditions prevail : at the eastern en-
to Long Island Sound The automobile
torpedo used by the navy is fired usually on board
battIeships by a small charge. which expes it
from the discharge tube. After il has entered the
water it is propelled by its power. and there
fore. is called automobile. This power is supplied
by compressed air. and with the first type made
they used 1.5Oo pounds a square inch to give a
range of about 100 Yards at given speed The
latest type used about 2250 pounds Of compressed
air 10 the square inch, and it is asserted that
these tor7edoes have a at the same speed
the first type. OF approximately 1000 yards 1t
is said that they VIII 2.0Oe yards at speed
Of about so krots and 1000 yards at speed Of
IS knots. They set for uniform speed when
they are discharged, and the distance run depends
upon the amount Of power the compressed air
pressure available. These torpedoes are fitted
with gear which makes them keep the same
course which they fired in spite Of cur
that would otherwise defect them from their
SHOOTING THROUGH WATER--The experts
of the Navy Department have under consideration
some experiments which shall show To what
tent tweIve-inch shell fired service velOCitfes
viii penetrate water During the hearings before
the Senate Naval Committee difference Of ex-
pert view disclosed in the testimony given by
Commander W. 8. Sims. inspector Of naval target
practice. and Lieutenant Commander Cieland Da-
Wis Of the bureau Of equipment and an inventor
of note The former officer is Of the opinion that
the tweIve-ncb shell cannot penetrate water 70
any extent. while the other officer entertains an
entirely different view L is proposed 20 CONSTRUCT
a tank and I'LL II with placing twelve-inch
gun that It will discharge the projecttle a.
service velocity into the mass Of water, in when
shall inserted mark the passage
of the shell in its travel BY this means
f will be definitely and practically determined TO
what extent the projectile will 80 through the
water. The importance OF the demonstration Is
in the fact that ii Awin show whether it IS neces-
ary 70 extend the belt of ships of war much
below the waterline. One OF the opinions ex-
pressed by Lieutenant Commander Davis was that
the bottom OF the ship rot sufficiently pro
teCted. and that a shell going Denedtn JHs wafer
could strike the hull below the arrnor belt and do
its damage there. Other officers hold that the
water is sufficient protection and offers a greater
resistance to the shell than armor
ROBBERY ON WARSHIP--Paymaster GREY
Skfpurith L s y. is in the uneuyiabe position of
being required 20 reimburse the government 70
the extent of about $4,000. what will amount 20
his pa, for about two years This is due TO rob
berry which took place the L : s. Milwaukee.
with which vessel Paymaster Skipvith is on duty
The theft occurred while the ship vas on target
practice in Aagdaena Bay. The money was locked
up in the safe. and the usual precautions were
taken by the navy paymaster- Much mystery
surrounds the whole affair. the official report OF
which has just reached the Navy Department
There Will a further Investigation OF the TOD
berry in the hope that the culprits Viii De ldetl-
fed In the mean time Paymaster SkIpVith -
respone ib!e the government for the money Uticn
has been lost. He will probably not be required
10 refund the once. and It - poSsihle
that the Navy Department viii suspend the charge
against him until there be action by congress
which will relieve him from liability This VIII
be done if IL IS found thar the paynlasteT eXer-
cised ali possible precautions and may not laiTiy
be held responsible for the loss