Sec. XXI. Of the Torpedo.
The late Mr. Fulton applied himself to the improvement of the Turtle during the late war, and brought it to such perfection, that if it came in contact with a ship's bottom, it would inevitably blow up the vessel. From the account we have given of the turtle, we may readily imagine the construction of the torpedo. These were of several kinds; some (or rather the magazine attached to them,) were designed to be screwed under the bottom, and others to explode by coming in contact with the vessel, or any resisting body. The time of explosion was so determined, by clock-work machinery, in the manner of Bushnel's contrivance that it would invariably explode at the minute or second required.
Mr. Fulton wrote a number of essays on this torpedo, and other contrivances for annoying the enemy, such as the harpoon, &c. The torpedo, at which the British ships, stationed on our coast, were so much alarmed, is in fact a powerful weapon of destruction. It is to be observed, that the magazine, accompanying the bell, in some instances, was detached; so that the latter was removed out of danger, when the former was fixed to the ship's bottom. In order to prevent the torpedo from floating against the sides of a vessel, the precaution of having netting spread at some considerable distance round the vessel, and of keeping up a constant guard of boats, which were rowed round the ship both day and night, was used. Not having the writings of Mr. Fulton before us, we can give no precise description of his improvements. They are described to be an apparatus, of which the principal piece is a copper box, and prepared with an interior spring, which sets fire to the powder; at the same time that the whole is enclosed in a covering of cork, or some other light wood, to make the torpedo float under the surface of the water.
It will be sufficient to remark, that they have produced the effect of causing a constant, and, in our opinion, painful anxiety to the British. Of this we have abundant proof. We may add, however, the result of some of the experiments, by which it will appear, that they are eminently calculated, like the infernal machine, to produce death and destruction.
In consequence of some essays, published by Mr. Fulton, on the practicability of destroying ships by torpedoes, several persons turned their attention to this subject; among whom was a Mr. Mix of the navy. Mr. Mix's intention was to destroy the ship of war Plantagenet, of 74 guns, lying in Lynnhaven bay. Having made a torpedo, Mr. Mix, accompanied by two gentlemen, one of whom was a midshipman, proceeded in a boat, on the night of the 24th of July, 1813, and, having reached within 100 yards of the ship, dropped the torpedo. It was swept along by the side, but exploded a few seconds before it would have come in contact with the vessel. It produced, however, great consternation and confusion on board the vessel, and induced several of the crew to take to their boats. The ship was greatly agitated, and some damage done by the violent motion of the water. The noise, occasioned by the explosion, was loud and tremendous; and the appearance of the water, thrown up in a column of thirty or forty feet high, awfully sublime. It has not been ascertained, that any lives were lost.
The case of a Mr. Penny, of Easthampton, Long Island, is connected with the subject of torpedoes. He was carried on board the Ramilies, and put in irons; because his name had been entered on the books of one of the frigates, as having been "employed in a boat, contrived for the purpose, under the command of Thomas Welling, prepared with a torpedo, to destroy this (Capt. Hardy's) ship."
The affair of Stonington, also, shows, that the British were determined to punish the inhabitants for having, as captain Hardy expresses it, prepared torpedoes; and the captain stated, in his reply to the deputation from the town, that the bombardment should cease, in case the inhabitants would engage that no torpedoes should be fitted out by them. No torpedoes, however, were fitted out at Stonington.[34]
Mr. Fulton made a number of experiments with the torpedo, in the harbour of New York; and one vessel was completely cut in two. These experiments were very satisfactory to all who witnessed them.
The greatest difficulty he experienced was in giving them a proper direction, so as to hit the vessel intended to be destroyed. This he acknowledged to a friend, professor Eaton, of Troy, who informed us of the fact. He entertained no doubt whatever of the effect of the torpedo, when once brought in contact with a vessel.
At Havre, in France, Mr. Fulton constructed a sub-marine boat, sufficient to contain several men, and air for eight hours, and strong enough to bear submersion to the depth of one hundred feet, if necessary. In this boat, he remained an hour under water, made half a league of way in that time, with his boat horizontally situated, and at various depths, where he found that the compass traversed exactly, as on the surface. To the boat he attached a machine, by means of which he blew up a lighter in Brest Harbour.