The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-10-06
NEW TORPEDO
DEADLIEST OF
WAR WEAPONS
IT. N. T.. Latest Explo01 ID
More Powerful Than Gun
cotton
MANY DEVICES GOVERN
PROJECTILE'S COURSE
Marvellous .eMechanical Ear,
Guides it Toward Sound Of
Propellers

= LONDON, Oct. b.-Trinitrotoluene,
which. for the benefit OF the un-
Initiated, may be printed tri-nitro-
toluene, and 10 CURLY spoken Of by
navy men; as TN. T.. Is the com
pound on which Germany 10 relying
10 reduce English battleship strength
before her main feet puts forth to
give battle. says h c. Ferraby In
the London Daily Express.
II - the explosive In the warhead
OF the modern torpedo. Until quite
recent years guncotton Whose other
name Is trinitrocellulose) was used,
: but the discovery OF means whereby
T. N. T, could be detonated made the
use OF that much more deadly explo-
sive possible In the torpedo. 1t IL Q
rival to picric acid (of which lyddite
10 o form. and IL derived from nitric
acid and toluene. which 10 one Of the
benxine series.
!. Il Is remarkably insensitive TO
shock oic41riction, and can be sawn
through or fired on at short range by
ride bullets and will mot detonate.
Even illuminate OF mercury, for many
years the only sdetonator used. IL not
powerful enough TO explode T. N. T.
effectively. and consequently. next to
the illuminate In the cap Of the de-
tonator, q quantity of tetryl Is placed,
though Il has been stated that In
the most modern torpedoes this has
been replaced by lead ABIDE, which IS
absolutely insensitive TO damp. and
has other advantages.
The latest pattern Of German tor
pedo Is OF 81 jasinch diameter, carries
3 bursting charge Of $50 pounds OF
explosive and has range Of about
$500 yards.
Most people know that torpedo IL
. cigar-shaped projectile, but only q
few realize that It IL about IL feet
long. Nor probably are many people
aware Of the uncanny devices which
have been added to the torpedo one
BY one to insure that Il shall do its
work.
The torpedo Is ired nearly always
from q tube beneath the water line.
and travelling, as,it does, through the
water and not through the air, Is al
Ways liable to be detected from its
course. Moreover. now that II II de-
sired to be used against ships OF
high speed on the move, j, instead Of
merely at anchored vessels. az was
originally the case, the torpedo lieu
tenant, In arranging the firing OF the
torpedo. has to allow both for the
speed OF the projectile toward the
enemy's ship and the speed at which
sthat snip II travelling acroes the path
ok the torpedo. " s
To correct the tendency 20 leave
the straight course, gyroscopic at
tachment was invented. and, to make
additionally certain that the torpedo
shall md It's mark. o device which
may be- likened to the ears has been
patented. This IL microphone,
which catches the sound OF the ships
propellers and steers the torpedo to-
ward that sound.
Jsaiously Guarded Secrets.
In sections torpedo may be de-
scribed thus:
1. The pistol and detonator.
% The. explosive charge.
3. Air chamber containing the
compressed air motive power.
4. Balance chamber, In which are
the controls OF the rudders.
S. Engines.
8. BuoYancya chamber.
z. Rudders. ~ e.
8. Propellers.
This Ii. OF course, only the barest
outline OF what il one Of the most
Ingenious and complicated death
dealing machines In the world. I'M
provements In the design OF the tor