Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-14
THE 4o.KNoT TORPEDO
United States Naval Officers Discuss
Sinking of the Lusitania.

United States Naval Officers Discuss
Sinking Of the Lusitania.
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 sub
marine or submarines from which
the weapons were discharged were
submerged not more than fifteen feet,
and they had plenty Of time to get
the exact range before the torpedoes
were discharged. Furthermore, the
torpedoes were Of the most modern
and powerful type and Of the highest
possible speed.
That Is the opinion Of many Of the
officers of the torpedo flotillas now in
the Hndsou river, all Of whom have
closely followed the German subma-
rine activities since the underwater
war against belligerent and neutral
commerce was started by the Ger
mans several months ago.
The extreme range Of torpedo, 1t
was explained by these officers, is
about 1000 yards; but the evidence
to be had indicates that all the Ger
man submarine work Is being done
at shorter range, perhaps less than l.
900 yards. At the less range the
speed of the torpedo is greater and
the aim correspondingly more accu-
rate. At the 4,000-yard range the
speed Of q modern torpedo should be
between q and 80 knots; at 5000
yards about 80 knots, and at 1000
yards between 33 and 36 knots. At
less range the speed may vary from
35 to more than 40 knots.
One Of the American officers stated
that in Charles w. Domville-Fife's
book entitled Submarine Engineer
ing of Today" there is a chapter on
The Life Of a Torpedo" which de-
scribes in understandable language
and in a correct way these terrible
missiles.
"A first-class battleship takes the
best part Of three years to build, and
may cost anything from 100000
upward" the author writes. This
ponderous ship Of war can be sent
to the bottom Of the sea in but few
minutes If struck by a torpedo.
1.-The modern torpedo varies in
length from fourteen to nineteen feet,
and weighs up to half ton. It has
an extreme range Of 1000 yards. The
blunt nose or war head as 1t is
called, is the business end Of the tor
pedo, and contains the dry and wet
guncotton and the illuminate Of mer-
curry necessary for the explosion.
Behind the explosive 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 con-
tains most marvellous mechanism for
directing and controlling the machine.
Next comes the engine room, and, at
the tail Of the torpedo, the buoyance
chamber.
1.-The moment a torpedo Is used for
practice a new phase Of It's life begins.
Like a boy first going to school, q
record is started Of its conduct. It has
already been given distinctive
number, and at the top Of each record
or history Sheet as they are more
often called, this will be entered. Be
low is entered the number Of times it
which have been noticed during its
progress through the water. It Is
curious. fact that no two torpedoes
have ever been constructed exactly
similar. Each one is always found to
have some little peculiarities when
travelling through the water. One will
turn slightly to the left, another to
the right, or sink in the water lower
than is usual.
Everyone Of these little peculiai-
ties indulged in by the torpedo Is
noted in the history sheet and referred
to before the weapon is again fired.
can be allowed for and a much more
accurate aim obtained. 1t 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 a
schoolmaster with lot Of small chill
dren to understand and manage. Some
times but not often during trials a
torpedo is lost. Perhaps days after
ward 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
carries compressed air Weighing
about nine stone. This helps to sink
1t to the required depth after 1t has
entered the water. This air, escaping
from the chamber, by means Of a
regulating valve drives the engine at
a high rate of speed, which is al
most uniform throughout the trip
from the tube to the target. The en-
gines turn two screw propellers at
the tail of the torpedo. These revolve
on the same axis, but in opposite di-
rections, the object being to give sta
bility to the weapon-a necessary
thing inasmuch as It has no keel and
would route it if it were driven by a
single screw.
The steering is effected by vertical
rudders, which keep the torpedo in
the required direction, while the
proper depth in the water-usually