FLYING TORPEDOES AND COAST DEFENCE.

Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6245, 24 September 1885, Page 3

FLYING TORPEDOES AND COAST DEFENCE.

An " Engineer" oontribntee an interesting article on coast defence to the "Fall Mall Gazette," from which we extract the following passages:—

" I will now point to some serious limitations that have been found to exist as regards the practical utility of submarine torpedoes. First, they are excessively bulky compared with their explosive charges. This arises from their having to contain their own propelling apparatus. Becondly,their range is comparatively short, so that a torpedo boat to be of service nrast come within the reach of the enemy's machine guns, and this fact almost prohibits the use of torpedoes in daylight. Thirdly, their speed is low, and therefore they may be readily evaded, as] was seen in the recent evolutions; while this same want of velocity renders {hem capable of being easily stopped by nets and other light obstacles, to say nothing of the action of currents and the fouling of their propelling gear by ropes, seaweed, and the like. Fourthly, they cannot be carried in any great number by a single Teasel, so that when a torpedo boat has discharged its few projectiles it ia, practically, hort de cnnbai. U, then, the defence of any port were to be entrusted to a squadron of torpedo boats, as enemy's man-of-war ought to be master of the situation, shelling the town with impunity in the daytime and retiring out to sea at night. "Nor would the port fare much better if dependence were placed upon heavy artillery. Suitable fortifications are out of the question, if only on the ground of expense. Heavily-armed cruiaers are efually out of the question. Aa adequate enpwr of guns and shells simply doee_ not exfst, " Suppose, however, thai it were possible to load artillery with torpedoes instead} of shells. A small torpedo striking an irpnclad would be equal to a volley from msjny heavy guns, and yet could be fired from a comparatively email piece of ordnance. Even as a #pent shot it would be fully

effßctiveT "for, ~aa above explained, the blow struck by. a torpedo is not dependent upon the velocity of the projectile. A "r flying torpedo, , ' therefore, could be efficiently used-at a distanoe of several ' miles, andthe gunboat from' which it was nred eonld keep well oofr** the enemy's ; range. No skill in handling a ship would avail to eyade a projectile flying through i the air with the swiftness of a cannon-

-ehet-j and ne-neta-or booms would stop iteeouree. - .-.- ■ .?•■;--. i.? •. •.■ * -

■■"■ w Wnat would a * flying torpedo* be like? The answer ie almost absurd in its simplicity. An ordinary shell, charged with a proper explosive, is a 'flying torpedo *—that is to say, it is a projectile which produces its effect, not by penetration, but by mere impact. And when we consider that a Sob dynamite cartridge skilfully exploded is sufficient to I tear asunder m&ny feet of solid rock, it'doe3 not seem extravagant to suppose that a 91b dynamite shell would inflict a death wound upon the Inflexible.

" Our American cousins have not been blind to these considerations. For some time past they have been experimenting with dynamite shells, propelled at flret by eomprested air; and latterly in the ordinary *ay by gunpowder. The following account, which appeared recently in " Iron," ie instructive:—

"Four shots were fired with 6-inch shells, carrying 111b bursting charges of nitro-gelatine. The range waa 1000 yards, and the target was a perpendicular ledga of solid trap rock on the couth bank of the river. The first shell struck near the eastern margin of the ledge, and exploded by concussion, shattering the face of the rock for a radius of about 80ft, and carrying away several tons of debria, which,were hurled for hundreds of yards up and down the stream. The second shell nruck nearly in the centre of the ledge, exploding like the first shot fired. It opened a cavity in the face of the ledge about 25ft in diameter, and excavated a pit or crater about 6ft deep. Some of the fragments of rook from this exploeion were hurled half a mile. " Here, then, we have a feasible plan for the defence of our porta and coaeta. All that is required is the provision of small gunboats armed with light, long-range artillery, firing sheila charged with the most powerful explosives that the progress of science from year to year may render available. Such vessels could engage hostile men-of-war with practical impunity, and could keep thorn sufficiently far away to protect a coast town from bombardment

''It will be obvious that the cost of such a method of protection would be trifling compared with the expense attendant upon any plan involving the employment of great guns and submarine torpedoes. And the rapidity with which such a scheme could be carried into effect is an equally important consideration. Light artillery can be had in large quantity at short notice, and can be fitted ana effioiently worked on all kinds of email craft. What is wanted is systematic organisation."