Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-06-19
RISK LIVES TO
WATCH TORPEDO
STRIKE MONITOR
FLORIDA CREW AND OFFICERS ON
BOARD WHEN PROTECTIVE
EXPLODES.
VESSEL Is SLIGHTLY DAMAGED.
Spectators on Target Follow Whitehead
by Ripping of Water on
Its Course.
SCENE MOST SPECTACULAR ONE.

FORT MONROE. Va, June ia
crew of about thirty men and Admiral
Mason and other officials of the ordi-
nance bureau of the navy riskcd their
lives this morning when they remained
on board the monitor Florida during an
attack by II Whitehead torpedo. The
vessel was seriously, though not vitality,
injured and if she were Il battleship.
would be i'll Il condition to keep in the
fight.
The scene was most spectacular as the
torpedo hit the vessel just about mid
ships and four feet below the water
line, great column of water, estimated
at 200 feet in height and 100 feet in
width, rising into the air. The torpedo
struck squarely ut the point marked.
and penetrated the double bottom and
the coal bunker forming part of the COM
partment attacked. Pumps Immediately
were set at work and preparations made
To tow the vessel to the navy yard for
dry docking
Officials Watched Torpedo.
The Florida listed about is inches on
the starboard side aft, but vigorous work
at the pumps kept her from touching
bottom. The effect of tie contact and
explosion was practically the same as
when shell was fired ut the monitors
turret several weeks ago. Officials saw
the torpedo about as it emerged from
the gun and followed its course by the
ripping of the water. The torpedo gath
cred speed as it progressed along its
course and struck home, shaking the yes
sci as though there had been Il collision
\ TDnTpnpb
ton of the lower portions of the vessel
was at once began by ordnance and 9TH
er officials.
Secretaries Metcalf, Taft and Post
master General Myer also went aboard
the Florida in the launch Wahanetta and
Joined others in looking at the incidental
damage on the fittings about the deck
of the ship caused by the shock. After
spending half hour aboard the Florida,
they returned to the Maytiower in the
middle of the stream. which later left
for Washington. The Maytlower was en-
gagged for some time i'll wireless telegraph
communication, presumably with the
navy yard and the white house at Wash
ington.
Taft Was Interested.
Secretary Taft evidently was greatly
interested in what he had seen and
frankly confessed that the damage from
the explosion was not as great as he
had expected it would be. The inspec-
ton of the engine room and fire rooms
showed them to be perfectly dry and
that the ship had not been injured i'll her
Titals.
The torpedo was fired at the Florida's
watertght bulkhead compartment from
a distance approximately 400 feet i'll an
almost horizontal line, it being started
from a float specially prepared for the
occasion and fitted with bomb proof to
protect the officers Witnessing the test
from any flying pieces of wood or steel.
10 prevent any danger of detection OF
the line of fight of the torpedo, which
sometimes happens owing to dlsarrange-
ment of the automatic connection by
which it operates, it was sent along a
trolley WIRE which connected the hoat
with the monitor. BY the successful
working Of this device the torpedo hit
the exact spot which it was intended to
strike and thus averted failure of the
experiment. Today's test was made at
Pine Beach, off the jamestown eXposl-
ton grounds, in about fifteen feet or
water. the Florida drawing about tlir-
teen and one-half feet.
Heavy Charge Is Used.
Two hundred and twenty pounds of
SunCOttOn comprised the explosive charge
carried by the torpedo. Gut cotton IS a
powerful explosive but the hope of the
officials was that the damage it might
90 may be absorbed locally, thuS lnSur-
ing the practical stability of the re-
mainder of the vessels water tight com
partments.
Results obtained from today's expert
ment will be a guide for the construction
officials in building of the water tight
compartment bulkheads of the new
Dreadnoughts, North Dakota and Dela-
ware, now partially completed, and of
the Florida and the Utah, authorized at
the last session of Congress. The com
partment pierced by the torpedo is near
ly admidship Of the monitor and is OF
considerable size.
Was Second ATTACK"
Today's test was the second for the
monitor within very short time, the
former being two weeks ago, when a
shell was fired at the eleven inch armor
on the forward turret and others at
lighting mast.