TORPEDOES SUPERSEDED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 663, 29 March 1879, Page 2

TORPEDOES SUPERSEDED.

A. new invention, which it ia, confidently anticipated by many . who have witnessed the preliminary trials made with it will altogether supersede the use of torpedoes, is, it is stated by the St. Petersburg correspondent of the Cologne Gazette, being much discussed at the present time by Russian naval men. During the late war the torpedo attacks undertaken by the Russians were,- f6r the most part carried out by means of torpedo boats, and notoriously very few of them were successful. Of late also defensive arrangements, against torpedoes have been organised in every navy, which render it very doubtful whether in future there will be much chance of similar attacks succeeding } and consequently much attention, has ■ been given in Russia since the conclusion of the war to devising some plan for bringing explosive charges into; contract with hostile vessels without employing torpedo boats. The result of a number of experiments which have been made with this object of view is, that a dynamite shell has been invented, which, it is stated,' can be projected against a hostile man-of-war from a distance of 200 paoes, and which, falling upon the hull of the vessel, or into the water near it, will explode and saf*" destroy, or at all events seriously damage the Bhip. The firing of these Bhella is said to be 'attended with far less danger than is incurred in making au attack with torpedo boats, and. as a greater effect is produced by a smaller charge they are also, it is asserted, cheaper than any kind of torpedo at present in use.