The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1915-08-26
MODERN TORPEDO
TERRIBLE WEAPON
Weighs $500 Pounds and Is
TWapty.three Feet Long.
COST IS $4,000 TO $4,000.

Skinned Ship, and Then Explode.
Loaded Only With High Explosive,
Either Guneotton or Nitroslyesrin.
What Happens as !, Strikes Prey.
The up 10 date torpedo is loaded
automobile shaped like cigar, made
to run in a certain direction In fixed
time and explode when Il strikes some.
thing that offers sharp resistance. \
reliable one, properly equipped with ex-
plosives and running gear, costs from
5000 TO S9,ooo. according TO size. A
large torpedo Is twenty-threc feet long,
twenty-one inches In diameter and
weighs $500 pounds and II tears a
hole 80 by 10 feet in the bottom Of a
ship OF two skins.
The torpedo" said an expert Of the
navy. has four principal PARASITIC
war head, which carries the explosive;
the air flask or fuel chamber, the en-.
CINE and the steering gear and the bal.
ance chamber. The explosive head Is
filed with some high exploslve-gun.
cotton. etc.-and is provided with a per.
cussion detonator. This strikes a hard
or solid substance. and the explosive
goes or lnstantancously
Guneotton or Nitroplyeerin.
The explosive head Is the foremost
compartment Of the torpedo aud con.
talns the deadly charge and the pistol
with which II Is fred. Guncotton and
nltroglycerin are the high explosives
generally used for submarine purposes.
There are many others, but these form
the foundation for most OF them. Gun
powder Of the sort used by the country
boy 10 shoot at rabbit or a squirrel
is no longer used The high explosive
is more powerful than gunpowder.
Gunpowder burns quicker than the
high explosive. and II splutters around
II scattered on the ground, but II ex-
plodes II confined Ia a close place.
The high explosive VIII burn II you
stick match 10 II. but not so easily
as gunpowder. 4 sudden blow will
apply heat 20 an explosive and set II
on.
The explosive head strikes the bot.
tom Of a ship, and 'detonation,' not
an explosion takes place. The mass
OF high explosive seems 10 explode at
once. and that Is what Is desired. rs
the most sudden blow will knock a
hole IN the ship. Guncotton Is det-
Dnated by illuminate OF mercury.
which. when ignited by a blow, ex-
pands $3.50 times It's original size
The sudden expansion giyes a blow 10
he guncotton that detonates H."
This Is What Happens.
what happens when the explosive
head strikcsf'
"a defamation follows Instantaneous
y and blows the outside Of the ship
IN, making a hole about % by 10 feet
n size. There Is no rule about the ex.
lent OF the damage 90 the side OF the
boat II may bc twice % by 10 feet
The blow drives In both the outer and
inner skins of vessel like the Lust
.auia. The double bottom Is not suf
icient 10 break the force Of the tor
Dedo II Il strikes we'll \ glancing
blow may not cause an explosion
The torTcdo would have about the
same effect On a collier that Il would
On a big merchant vessel We have
never tested thoroughly the eject II a
torpedo blow on an oil tanker such rs
he Gulnight We are doing that now
After the torpedo struck II would
be blown 10 bits and most ~ the pieces
would 20 10 the bottom OF the sea.
Some fragments might 90 inside AMI
become entanglcd IA the splinters made
by the detonatiou,
The torpedo must do many things
in very thor0ughsoBg way. u can
not succeed In is mission II cog
slips on the way, for II Is prlmcd for
automatic action Everything must Ice
Just right AMI In its proper place when
Il starts on its journey OF destruc
ton. 1t has TO run AT a certain speed
so as 10 get 10 It's destination ON SEIZED
lle time. to go certain calculated dis
lance in that fixed time, and travel IN
4 certain direction 10 make sure OF its
mark IL cannot loaf. vary from the
course outlined for IL OF dip down or
shoot up on the way. II anything goes
wrong all IS on with that torpedo. and
he thousands OF dollars invested In u
disappear beneath the waves.
"Torpedoes run from 1000 TO 10000
Yards to reach the object they are sent
10 destroy. IL requires about eleven
minutes 10 make the longer distance"
what II the torpedo struck a whale
)n the wayT"
ut would be bad for the whale. al.
though the torpedo might not explode |
unless big solid bone was hit"
OF Many Sorts.
'The torpedo Is not known Intimate.
y by many naval officers" said one
specialist. There are an sorts OF tor.
)edoes. Some OF them have indlvid- !
Iallty. No two seem To he exactly !
Hike. We continually Improve our
Of them Each torpedo has
% lie carefully studied aud corrected |
'0r It's one voyage Of destruction. Like !
he bee that stIngs. II gives up Its life
'or one sting The ship II STRIKES
links. The 300 pounds Of guncotton In |
Is warhead tears the ship so that II |
'annot escape. II l. the most terrible !
Weapon Of warfare known to ID,
world"