The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-14
MONITOR CRIPPLED
BY TORPEDO TEST
CONTINUED from First Page)


that smashed her turret plate failed TO
touch it Not only this. but the dummy
man placed OF her toward bridge that
came out OF the other attack unscathed,
was thrown down with great violence.
Still in Fighting Shape.
The Florida's entire starboard side
was bIackeued and begrimed, three sup
porting booms and her torpedo net
we're blown away and the supporting
beams were bent and twisted The
torpedo pierced her outer and inner
shell. below the armor belt. and blew
the cal in every direction. Her maya
zine and handling room were dry.
The Florida listed about a foot and
halg in twenty minutes and then slowly
settled. Two stationary pumping en-
gines had been placed on her super
structure in anticipation OF serious
damage and Ihese were brought into
play.
Hurried sack to Port.
The collision mat placed over the hole
made b. the torpedo. Is heavy canvas
mat stuffed with hemp and horse hair
and designed &c stop the rapid inflow of
water in - collision or other contin-
gency. After The preliminary !nspec-
uCn. prepa rations were begun for tow
ing the Florida to the Norfolk yard.
This work had to be hurried, as the
tide was running out rapidly and she
would have soon been aground.
Secretaries MetcaB and Taft and
Postmaster General Meyer were the
FIRST persons to board the Florida after
the explosion. All others We're not per
Tnitted 70 come aboard until the Cabinet
officers had made an inspection.
Weather conditions today were ideal
and the test went OF as smoothly as a
cavalry driI. There was a light south
westerly breeze, but inside Of Willough-
by spit tbs water was almost calm.
4 Spectacular Scene.
The torpedoing OF the monitor fur
nished d spectacular scene. The torpedo,
guided By a trolley, was fred at a DIS
lance Of 100 feet from the monitor. It's
course could be followed by the rippling
of the water. When it struck and OK
ploded a huge column of water shot
high IN the air.
The crew on the monitor consisted OF
thirty men under command OF Admiral
Mason. They say the explosion was so
terrific that for a moment they thought
the vessel had been torn asunder.
1t was at first reported that the ex-
plosion had only punctured one com
partment OF the bulkhead, but the dam
age was found TO be much greater thar
this. The torpedo was fired from g
/ specially constructed float. fitted with
a bomb-proof to protec, those aboard
from stray splinters of wood or steel.
Coal dust, fragments of steel anC
wood fell for several minutes after tn,
| shot was fired. Babcock and his
men were fortunately in a bomb-prO0
| especially erected for their protection
l They were blackened and begrimed
| but their shelter. not unlike a connin:
/ tower, saved them from injury.
| A number of spectators on the Pin
! Beach pier narrowly escaped. A heav!
| fragment OF steel missed ]. Marshal
| Rellamy by twelve inches.
! A dozen naval and aT-1g' officials cam
! down on the Norfolk boas to witnes
| the test. including Admiral Mason, Com
/ mander Smith, and Lieutenant Brady
/ of the Ordnance Bureau; Chief Con
structor Caps, Captain Fletcher. @
! the general board; Lieutenant Com
| mander Zenn, In charge Of the torped
station at Newport; Gen. Arthur Muir
| ray, chief of artillery and LieUtenan
! Colonel Porter, assistant judge advocat,
| general