Navies of the world

by Edward W. Very

CLEARING CHANNELS OF TORPEDOES.

The greatest skill and care is necessary in attempting to clear a channel of mines and torpedoes. Light-draught boats, launches, gun-boats, drag-nets, grapnels, and materials for handling torpedoes at a distance of thirty or forty feet are indispensable. Torpedoes of the Brooks class may be dragged over many times and escape notice. The frame-torpedo requires the aid of counter-mines or large torpedoes extemporized and sunk on them to blow them to pieces. The shallow water both sides of the channel must be carefully and thoroughly dragged for leading wires. Boats on search must proceed with frames rigged from their bows to catch and explode torpedoes in advance. Deep-draught frames of timber must be dragged up or floated down a channel. Muddy bottoms must be thoroughly sounded, and after the search is complete deep-draught vessels cannot pass through suspected channels without torpedo-catchers rigged from their bows. Too close an examination of a torpedo after it is picked up must be avoided. It may almost invariably be easily and safely exploded, and no better disposition can be made of it.

EXAMPLES OF THE USE OF TORPEDOES
DURING THE PAST TWENTY YEARS.

Whitehead.

Sent from the British frigate Shah against the Peruvian iron-clad Huascar, May 29th, 1877. During the running fight between these vessels, the Shah discharged a Whitehead from a bow tube under water, which failed to reach the Huascar, the reason given being that at the moment of firing the latter changed her course. It is to be presumed that the torpedo in this case was carefully aimed, as there was no cause for great hurry. The Huascar could not be aware of the moment of firing, and the failure appears to demonstrate the great difficulty of using this type of torpedo between rapidly moving vessels at distances of eight hundred yards or over.

Sent from Russian steam-launches against Turkish iron-clads off Batoum, December 28th, 1877. The Turkish vessels in this instance were lying at anchor, surrounded by booms of logs and vertical timbers, and having guard-boats out. The Russian launches succeeded in passing the guard-boats and approaching to within less than a hundred yards of the Turks before they were discovered. Two Whiteheads were then launched at one iron-clad, missing their mark completely, both being found on the beach, unexploded, next morning. The attributed causes of the failure were non-familiarity with the complications of the torpedo itself, darkness, and a slight swell.

Sent from Russian torpedo-launches against a Turkish revenue vessel, January 26th, 1878. In this instance the torpedo-launches were entering Batoum harbor with the intention of attacking the iron-clad fleet, when they were met by a revenue steamer coming out. Whiteheads were discharged at a distance of less than one hundred yards, and the steamer was struck and sunk.

The Lay torpedo has never been used in war.

Towing-torpedoes were used on several occasions by the Russians against the Turks, but never successfully.

Spar-Torpedoes.

Attack by a steam-launch armed with a spar-torpedo on the Confederate iron-clad Albemarle, October 27th, 1864. The Albemarle in this instance was secured to a wharf and surrounded by a boom of logs at a distance of about thirty feet. The Federal steam-launch approached within one hundred yards of the boom without being discovered. Fire then being opened on her, she started ahead full speed, passed the ram, and made a complete turn in order to get speed and direction for striking the boom a fair blow. Hitting the boom, the launch breasted it in several feet and mounted it, evidently coming to a stand-still. At this moment, and whilst under a close fire, the torpedo-spar was pushed under the ram and the torpedo was exploded fairly, thus sinking her. In this case success was due entirely to a cool and deliberate execution of a thoroughly developed plan.

Attack by Russian launches armed with spar-torpedoes on the Turkish monitor Duba Saife, on the Danube, May 26th, 1877. In this attack the launches passed the guard-boats without being seen. The monitor was not protected by booms, and two launches, making a dash at her from opposite sides, planted their torpedoes fairly, exploded them, sank the monitor and escaped.

Attack by Russian spar-torpedo boats on the Turkish fleet at Sulina, June 10th, 1877. There were six torpedo-boats arranged in two divisions in this attack, the two fastest boats leading. These leaders reached to within thirty yards of the Turks before being discovered.

Fire was then opened on them. The first boat, coming down on the bow of one of the monitors, fouled her cable and swung alongside; her torpedo was exploded, but not being put in proper position no damage was done. The boat succeeded in getting clear, but was sunk by the Turks and the crew captured. The other boat succeeded in exploding her torpedo, but also failed to get it in position. The other division of boats did not follow up the attack.

Attack on a Turkish monitor off Rustchuk by a Russian Thornycroft boat. In this attack the Russians approached very closely before being discovered. Fire was opened on the boat and the circuit-wires of the torpedo were cut, rendering it harmless; the boat escaped.

Attack on Turkish monitors at Soukum Kaleh, August 24th, 1877. Four torpedo-boats, taking advantage of an eclipse of the moon, dashed into the Turkish fleet. They were discovered at a distance and a heavy fire was opened on them, driving them off. One boat exploded her torpedo, but it was not properly placed and did no harm.

Attack by a spar-torpedo boat on the United States frigate Minnesota, April 9th, 1864. In this attack the Minnesota was unprotected; the torpedo-boat was discovered about fifty yards away and fire was opened on her. Her torpedo was properly planted and exploded, damaging the frigate considerably, but the charge was not heavy enough to sink her.

Attack by a spar-torpedo boat on the United States corvette Housatonic, February 17th, 1864. The boat used in this attack was in reality a submarine boat, but there are good reasons for believing that on this occasion she was used as a spar-torpedo boat. She was discovered about fifty yards away, but there was no time to open fire on her. She planted her torpedo fairly and exploded it, sinking the vessel and herself at the same time.

Besides these attacks there were several during the American civil war, in which the boats were discovered at a distance and driven off.

PART IV.
ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION.

American Revolving Turret
(Ericsson’s System).

English Revolving Turret
(Coles’ System).

French Revolving Turret.

French Barbette Fixed Turret
and Revolving Gun Carriage.