Year: 1870




From the Detroit Free Press


Captain Ericsson, to whose genius the
world is indebted for the screw propeller
the air engine, and the American monitor
system of ironclads, thinks he has now
perfected another great invention for wal
purposes in the form of controllable sub
marine straveling torpedo. This torpedo
consists of a great shell of iron, charged
with five hundred pounds of dynamite,
equal in its destructive power to i've thou
sand pounds of powder. The shell has, at
its stern, two propellers, turning in oppos,
it directions. When loaded, the shell
weighs exactly as much as an equal bulk OF
sea water. Its propellers are to be drv'
by compressed air, which air runs throu5h
a hollow. flexible tube, one end attached to
the torpedo, and the other end wound over
large reel on board the torpedo ship,
monitor, or any other ship of war The air
is compressed by powerful pumps, driven
BY the steam engine of the vessel. The
prepared torpedo is put into tube, ten
feet, more or less, under water, pointing
forward Fl ON the bow Of the monitor, or
other war ship fitted with the apparatus.
Above the torpedo is wire, having at its
ends float, or bladder, designed to float
upon the surface of the water, so that the
course of the torpedo shell under the water
can be seen. This float, or bladder, will
carry small electric light at night, with a
screen.in front, so that it can only be seen
from the rear. The alr-tube may be Z
quarter of mile, or even a full mile long.
The torpedo is so arranged with fms that it
will keep just as far beneath the surface as
it is started Ten horse power, or more,
may be made to work on its propellers.
1t is thus driven rapidly through the water,
dragging after it the floating air tube,
which supplies it with power. The torpedo
has rudder too, which is so arranged that
by increasing the air pressure through the
tube, the rudder steers the she'll to port,
but diminishing the air pressure steers the
shell to starboad. This change may, of
course be effected at any moment with the
greatest ease.


Now, suppose one of our monitors, armed
with a dozen or more of these torpedo
shells. observes British h-iron- clad, or is
engaged with one, the hostile vessel being
a quarter or a half mile off, The bow of
the monitor is pointed at, nearly at, the
hostile vessel, and torpedos is attached to
to the air tube, pressure is made, and the
torpedo started. The officer in charge
watches with his glass the progress of the
upper float over the water, and is thus able
TO steer the terrible shell exatly for the
opposing vessel. When the torpedo reaches
the opposing vessel, and touches its bottom,
ten or fifteen feet beneath the water line,
an explosion is sure to take place, with a
force equal to two and half tons of gun
powder, which would be sufficient to blow
the vaunted British ironclad Monarch into
such absolute little bits that not fragment
as large as mans body could ever be
recovered.


These machines may also be operated
from the shore, or from any kind of a
vessel; but they are mainly designed as a
support to our monitor system. Captain
Ericsson does not believe in building
immense sea cruising ironclads, after the
English style and he says that he has
thus proved "the futility. of encasing ships
of war with huge masses of iron, and the
absurdity of wasting millions of tons o.
coal in propelling weight which does moi
protect" He is now engaged in expert
menting with view to arranging his tor
pedoes so that they can be used in lOugt
water at sea, at all times, and under al
conditions. The Army and Nary Journa
declares that, with this terrible invention
in our hands, we mead have no fear of tn,
naval supremacy of Great Britain, bu
may confidently measure strength with an.
power in the world that ventures to tram
pie upon our rights.