Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-15
Monitor FIOridaW ithstandS
Torpedo Test WE'LL
Big Hole In Side But Still In
Condition For Fighting.
Value Of Water Tight BuIkheads
L..-x.-- Fully Demonstrated.

Fort Monroe, Va, June 14.-Pierced
with an American Whitehead torpedo
carrying a charge of gun cotton which
tore a big hole in her side, the United
States monitor Florida now rests in
the dry dock at the Norfolk navy yard
a victim Of a naval experiment to test
tie vulnerablity from torpedo attack
of water-tight bulkheads. The water
in the vessels hold gives her a list of
II inches.
The test took place off Pine Beach,
near the jamestown Exposition
grounds, where the monitor was an
chored in Is feet of water. The naval
officials, while admitting that the
damage is serious, declare that it is
not vital and that the test is satisfac-
tory. They say a battleship equipped
with bulkheads similar to that tested
today could continue fighting if in
iured to the same extent, unless sever
al compartments on the same side
were similarly punctured and the
weather conditions were bad.
Thorough investigation will be
necessary before all the actual daln-
age to bulkhead and collateral injuries
suffered can be ascertained, and the
effect of the torpedo charge properly
measured
The test was witnessed by Il num-
Der of officials, including Secretaries
Metcalf and Taft. Postmaster General
Meyer and ordnance officers of the
navy and army. The cabinet officers
went to the navy yard after the test.
Messrs. Metcalf and Meyer made an
inspection of the yard. and Secretary
Taft awaited them on the yacht May
flower.
The arrangements for the test were
carried out in detail without an APP
parent hitch. Admiral Mason and 9TH
er officials from Washington boarded
the Florida before s o'clock and gave
the final orders for conducting the
test Aboard the float anchored 400
feet away, from which the torpedo
was dispatched, the crew was ready
for its work Directions to fire were
given from the monitor about 20 min
utes after s o'clock and five minutes
later Lieut. Babcock, aboard the float.
touched the lever which sent the tor
pedo whizZing six feet below the wa
ter. A roar accompanied the explosion.
The great mass of water thrown into
the air cast shadows for some distance
around The column exceeded in height
the high mast of the Florida. Almost
simultaneously there was shower of
pieces of steel. fragments of broken
torpedo, accompanied by fine dust
which scattered for fully a third of a
mile around. There was scamper for
shelter by persons on half dozen YES
sells in the vicinity.
A dummy figure of man had been
erected on the bridge of the Florida
and although it was so feet from the
point which the torpedo struck, the
shock knocked it over.
The dozen or more officials or crew
inside the superstructure of the vessel
waited for few moments before VEN
turing on the deck to ascertain the
damage. They found that on and aboxe
the deck the damage was confined to
bending some of the framework which
s,1pported the booms holding the tor
pedo nets, the cracking of several
mates. the breaking of iron guy ropes
and breaking three booms from their
fastenipgs, letting net used for pro-