Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-05-20
TORPEDOES MOVE
AT A RAPID RATE
Forty Knot Missile Probably Hit
and Sunk the LuSitania.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE

|
More Effective In Length
From Fourteen to Nineteen Feet and
Has Machinery For Guidance.
| New York-The German torpedo or
torpedoes that destroyed the Lusitania
| 1000 yards, and the torpedoes them
selves probably Travelled at a speed in
excess of forty knots. The submarine
or submarines from which the weap-
ons were discharged were submerged
/ not more than fifteen feet, and they
had plenty of time to get the exact
range before the torpedoes were dis
| charged. Furthermore, the torpedoes
were of the most modern and power
| full type and Of the highest possible
| speed
| That is the opinion of many of the
| American officers, all of whom have
closely followed the German subma-
I rine activities since the underwater
war was started by the Germans sew
| eral months ago.
was explained by these officers, is
| about 1000 yards, but the evidence to
be had indicates that all the German
submarine work is being done at short
range. perhaps less than 1000 yards
At the lesser range the speed of the tor
pedo is greater and the aim correspond
ingly more accurate. At the 1000 yard
| range the speed of a modern torpedo
should be between twenty-seven and
thirty knots, at 5000 yards about thir-
ty-two knots and at 1900 yards be-
tween thirty-three and thirty-six knots.
At lesser ranges the speed may vary
from thirty-five to forty knots.
One Of the American officers stated
that in Charles w. Domville-Fifes
book, entitled "Submarine Engineering
Of Today" there is a chapter on "The
Life of Torpedo" which describes
in understandable language and in
correct way these terrible missiles of
war.
"a first class battleship takes the
best part of three years to build and
may cost anything from $5,0O0,OO0 up
ward" the author writes. ''This pom
derous ship Of war can be sent to the
bottom of the sea in but few min
utes if struck by torpedo.
''The modern torpedo varies in length
from fourteen to nineteen feet and
weighs up to half ton. 1t has an ex-
IRENE range Of 1000 yards. The blunt
ic
the business end of the torpedo and
contains the dry and wet guncotton
and the illuminate of mercury neces-
sary for the explosion. Behind the ex-
| plosive head is the air chamber to hold
the compressed air by which motive
| the search chamber or brain of the
| weapon, which contains most marvel
Gus mechanism for directing and con-
| trolling the machine. Next comes the
engine room and, at the tail Of the tor
pedo. the buoyancy chamber.
Every one Of these little peculiari-
ties INDUCED in by the torpedo is noted
| in the history sheet and referred to be-
fore the weapon is again fired. By
this means all the slight defects can
be allowed for and a much more accu-
rate aim obtained. It is the duty Of
| the torpedo lieutenant to make up all
the history sheets on a vessel. and he
may be almost looked upon as school
master with a lot Of small; children to
understand and manage. Sometimes,
but not often during trials, a torpedo
is lost. Perhaps days afterward the
truant turns up, either washed ashore
or towed in by some fishermen after
having torn their nets to pieces.
"a small chamber in the torpedo car
ries compressed air. This helps to sink
| it to the required depth after it has
entered the water. This air, escaping
from the chamber by means Of a reg
ulating valve, drives the engine at a
high rate OF speed, which is almost uni
form throughout the trip from the tube
to the target. The engines turn two
screw propellers at the tail Of the tor
pedo. These revolve on the same axis.
but in opposite direction, the object be-
ing to give stability to the weapon.
1.-THE steering is effected by vertical
rudders, which keep the torpedo in the
required direction, while the proper
depth in the water-usually from ten
to fourteen feet-is maintained by
horizontal rudders. The torpedo is
kept submerged by means Of the bal
ance chamber and is controlled in its
steering by the wonderful instrument
known as the gyroscope.
$50 marvellous is its mechanism that
in favorable circumstances torpedo
well aimed may be depended upon to
strike within a yard or two of the spot
aimed at. Briefly described, the gyro-
scope is a rotating wheel which auto
matically controls the torpedo's course.
1.-THE method of firing torpedo is
very much like that Of discharging
gun. 1t is expelled from torpedo tube
by compressed air. Upon reaching the
water the torpedo is driven by its
screws in the required direction. The
missile is guided by very ingenious
| invention called a torpedo director