The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1915-05-28


Yards, but at 1000 Yards 1t Is Much
More Effective-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 a range of not more than
1000 yards, and the torpedoes them
selves probably travelled at 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-
rine activities since the underwater
war was started by the Germans sew
eral months ago.
The extreme range of a torpedo, 1t
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 1000 yards be-
tween thirty-three and thirty-six knots.
At lesser ranges the speed may vary
from thirty-fve to forty knots.
One of the American officers stated
that in Charles w. Domville-Fife's
book, entitled Submarine Engineering
of Today" there is a 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 $5,000,00O 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 1t 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
petlo 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 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 a school
master with 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 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