The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1915-05-22
7ORPEDOES MOVE
AT A RAPID Rate
Forty Knot Missile Probably Hit
and Sunk the Lusitania.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVICE.

Extreme Range of Torpedo Is 1000
Yards, but at 1000 Yards It 10 Much
More Effeetive-Varies In Length
From Fourteen to Nineteen Feet and
Has Machinery For Guidance.
New York.-The German torpedo or
torpedoes that destroyed the Lusitania
were fired at range Of not more than
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
eul 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-
rine activities since the underwater
war was started by the Germans sew
eral months ago.
The extreme range of a torpedo. It
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
1ngly more accurate. At the 1000 yard
range the speed Of modern torpedo
should be between twenty-seven and
thirty knots, at 5000 yards about thir-
ty-two knots and at 1000 yards be-
tween thirty-three and thirty-six knots.
At lesser ranges the speed may vary
from th1rty-five to forty knots.
One of the American officers stated
that In Charles w. Domville- Flies
book, entitled "Submarine Engineering
of Today" there is chapter on 1.-THE
Life Of Torpedo" which describes
In understandable language and in a
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.OOOOOO 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
nose or war head as it is called. is
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
power is furnished Then we come TO
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. 1t is the duty of
the torpedo lieutenant to make up all
the history sheets on vessel. and he
may be almost looked upon as school
master with lot of small. children to
understand and manage Sometimes.
but not often during trials. torps do
Is lost. Perhaps days afterward the
duant turns up, either washed ashore
or lowed 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
1t to the required depth after it has
entered the water. This air, escaping
from the chamber by means of 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 it's
steering by the wonderful instrument
known as the gyroscope.
so marvellous is its mechanism that
in favorable circumstances a torpedo
well aimed may be depended upon to
strike within 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.
"The method Of firing torpedo Is
very much like that Of discharging ;
gun. It 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 torpedo director
This is little brass instrument fitted
with sights like a gun. When the
sights are aligned on the enemy the
officer in charge presses a key, and
electricity causes the discharge"
|