The Brennan Torpedo. (Melbourne Daily Telegraph).

Otago Witness, Issue 1752, 20 June 1885, Page 14

The Brennan Torpedo. (Melbourne Daily Telegraph).

The invenfcicn of the torpedo has revolutionised naval warfare. The historic " wooden walla" of England are now fast becoming a tradition, and in their place the enormously strong ironclad baa grown up, It is no mere figure of speech to call tha nineteenth century an "age of iron," and especially in shipbuilding the carpenter has given way to tbe smith. Year after year the plating on war vessels has been increased until there are now ironclads afl lat which cannot he pierced by the most powerful cannon. The nlating of the Italian warship Lepanto is_ 37in thfrk. and there are numerous shipß in the different navies with SOin armour. But whilst this system of constructing enormously strong ships has been pursued, man's intellect has not been idle in devi»ing effective methods of attacking them, with the resu't that one of the monfc terrible weapons of destruction imaginable bas been invented, called the fifh torpedo. The first kind of torpedo used waa simply a f-übmatine mine, exploded either hy percussion or by electricity. Thß fish-torpedo, however, is inconceivably more dangerous, aa, Vy means of ingenious mecbrvmßin, it is propolled through tho water at a rapid rate, and on striking ifa object explodes by percussion, and is s'-ffiaionMy strong to destroy ■ the largeFtt ironc'art nfl>at Nothing can be concMved more terrible than one of these engines of destruction, dartirjg unseen through tha wa^er, a few feet below the surface, at the rate of 30 miles an hour, and silently approaching one of those magnificent ironclads, than which no nobler monument of the skill and industry of

man can h* shown, and, like a flash of light- ] ning, striking tbg otatoly vessel, which > in a few miauten sinks. Tho fi>h torpedo is aa insidious and terrible foe, To Australia taunt ba given tbo questionable credit of having m- j vented thn most effective fish-torpedo yet dis- j covered, Tho inventor ia Mr Louis Brennan, I who for fche last 22 years baa roaided in Victoria, Mr Bremum is not yot 30 years ol age, and may almost bo considered an Australian j native. About aevea yaara ago ha tirafi thought ! of coitbtructing a torpedo, and he set to work in Buch earnest chat in a comparatively short timo he malured his fchame, and had a model conßtructed, which for somft time waa on view in one of tho passages in Parliament House. Throughout the work he received much assistance from Mr Ellery and Professor Karnot, and also from Mr William (Jlarton, civil engineer, who subsequently aucomDanitd him to England. Several trials of the invention took place in Hobson'a Bay with marked success, the then Government giving considerablft assistance. Afc length Mr Brennan resolved to go to England, and bring hia invention under tho notice of the British Admiralty. With the help of Millar Brothers, the well known railway contractors, be carried out this intention, and a cablegram lately j announced that, after repeated trials, the Admiralty have decided to adopt the Brennan torpedo, which is henceforth to be called tbe "Australian Brennan." Mr Brennan is a selt- taught man. Many yeara ago tha late Mr A. K. Smith, the'well-known engineer, took him in hand, and allowed him the use of his splendid library, which contained the best works op meohanioat subjects. Mr Brennan waa noPclow to foka advantage of his opportunities, and he rapidly acquired knowledge wbich he turned to account in the making of his torpedo. The weapon adopted by tho Admiralty is 22ft long, and made of .the finest polished stool, ao that chere is very littlo friction in going through the water. It w shaped like a huge cigar, and has two 6ns in tbe middle, which assist to scud it along at the rate of 32 mileß an hour, and by simple yet ingenious mechanism it is guided through tho water iv eueh a way that it kaeps at a uniform ctapfh. This is one advantage it has over other fish feorpedoee, which frequently dip, <i«d, ufcriking the bottom, explode. If the Bronnan torpedo misses its mark ie can bo brought back again by means of a wire which is attached to it. This is another ■*d\aniago it possesses. A technical description of the invention bas already appnared in the Press, but if; might bo mentioned that the ingenious steering apparatus is placed in the centre. Tho propelling power is obtained from an engine on Bhora, or on shipboard, which, by pulling wires off drums inside the torpsdo, causes two fans at th 3 stern to rovolvo, tbus sending the machine through the water at a veiy rapid rale. Whilst iv Kngi.ind, the navai authorities have given Mr Brennan every facility to perfect hi« torpedo, the whole work has been done at tho expense of the Admiralty, and a steam launch, with a competent staff of men, have been placed at Mr Brounan'a disposal. Ifc is gratifying to find that success has at length rewarded the young Australian's efforts, aad that after tbo severest tests, the " Australian Brennan " has come triumphantly through the ordeal. \<t Brennan is at present employed at the Chatham dockyards, supervising the construction of the torpedoes. Inventive genius seems to run in the Brennan family, aa another brother, Mr Joseph Breciian, of this city, has invented a watch for courting matches, which will register every point made by each dog in the running. Evidently Australian soil is not fatal to the growth of the inventive faculties. ■ > I