Year: 1878

The New Orleans Times says:
The dredge boats in the canal at
Spanish Fort have lately brought
to light most curious monster of
the deep in the shape of an Exon
federate torpedo boat. 1t now lies
right side up upon the shore of the
canal, opposite the fort. A careful
examination shows that it conforms
to the following description: 1t is
made of oue-fourth-inch boiler iron,
riveted in plates. Its length is
eighteen feet, breadth five and
depth seven. In shape it somewhat
resembles sun perch, although it
is equally pointed at both ends. A
three-bladed screw is attached to
the stern, while at the bow are two
species of steering apparatus, con-
Sisting of set fans, which, being set
at certain inclinations, force the
vessel upward or downward, to the
right or to the left. In the point
Of the bow is a socket plugged with
wood. From this fact it is seen
that the torpedo was suspended
from the bow upon a wooden pole,
which, judging from the diameter
of the socket, could not have been
very long-not more than six feet.
Neither could it have sustained a
very heavy torpedo. Through the
upper deck OF the boat, or rather
through the back of the iron fish


rises an iron pipe six inches in
diameter. This is broken off at thu
height of four inches above the
deck. 1t probably was several fee


in length, and was used, doubtless


to permit q circuit of fresh air t,


pass through the vessel while pass


ing beneath the surface of the water


The entrance to the interior


through two-foot hole in the decl
An iron stove.lid door closes thi
aperture. There are traces of key


etc., by which this door wa
battened down air-tight. Bnterin
the little ship one finds ones self i


very narrow quarters indeed. i


the bow is an air-pump, with a pip
piercing the starboard side of tn


boat above the water line. Thi
pipe is worked by a astraight drivin


crank about three feet long.


was intended to be used in fair sal
ing upon the surface Of the waite


When found necessary to go b,


meath the waves, the pump woul
, be vigorously worked, and as muc


air forced in as possible. For tn


rest the occupants of the vess,


would have to depend upon the a
:. they could obtain through the SUI
4. ply chimney above mentioned


Still further toward the bow is th
a mechanism for the working of th
: elevating fans and the rudde


This consists of a series of crank


of limited movement, but suflicien


doubtless, to give the fans and I'll


rudder the necessary inclination.


little back of midships is the 60,
q wheel and rotary crank arrang,


ments for the working of the screy


From the size of said screw


g seems that it must have require


two men to work it effectively. Or
!. man could handle the steering gea
e Total crew, three. The official hi


tory of this little instrument of WI
i IS probably embraced in the archiv


of the Confederacy now in Wasl
e ingtOn. What is here to be di
1 covered about it is a mere comic
: lecture. 1t was made probably
! 1862, and never took any acti'
+ part in the civil war. This la
k fact is evident because the vess
e was found in port and uneccupie
d Had it gone out to action in Il
o lake it would never have returne
G and had it sunk fighting in Il
o canal it would have had the bon
# of the crew within it. Very like
n it never made even its trial trip, b
l. was sunk as a matter of precautiC
G by the Confoderates when the ci
q was cantured bY the United Stat