Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare

[ILLUSTRATED]

By

C. W. Sleeman

Illustrated by Murat Ukray

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THE earliest record we have of the employment of an infernal machine at all resembling the torpedo of the present day, was in 1585 at the siege of Antwerp. Here by means of certain small vessels, drifted down the stream, in each of which was placed a magazine of gunpowder, to be fired either by a trigger, or a combination of levers and clockwork, an Italian engineer, Lambelli, succeeded in demolishing a bridge that the enemy had formed over the Scheldt.

(Early History of the Torpedoes)

Table of Contents

Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare

Preface

Chapter I: The Early History of the Torpedo — Remarks On the Existing State of Torpedo Warfare

Fulton’s Torpedoes

Footnones

Chapter II: Defensive Torpedo Warfare — Mechanical Mines — Mechanical Fuzes — Mooring Mechanical Mines

Frame Torpedoes, Buoyant Mechanical Mines

Singer’s And Mevoy’s Mechanical Mines

Extempore Mechanical Mine, Mechanical Primers

Mechanical Fuzes

Footnote

Chapter III: Defensive Torpedo Warfare — Continued

Form of Case of Submarine Mines

Electrical Fuzes

Electric Cables, Extempore Cable Joints

Permanent Joints For Electric Cables

Junction Boxes Mechanical Turk’s Head

Moorings For Submarine Mines

Steam Launch For Mooring Submarine Mines

Chapter IV: Defensive Torpedo Warfare — (Continued)

Mathieson’s Circuit Closer

Austrian Circuit Closer, Mercury Circuit Closer

Mc Evoy’s Magneto Electro Circuit Closer

Russian Submarine Mine, Firing By Observation

Apparatus For Firing By Observation

Systems of Defence By Submarine Mines

Firing Batteries, Testing Batteries

Firing Keys, Shutter Apparatus

Shutter Apparatus

Galvanometers For Testing

Siemen’s Universal Galvanometer

Shunt, Commutator, Rheostat

Wheatstone’s Bridge

Test Table, Differential Galvanometer

Methods of Testing — Armstrong, — Austrian

Footnotes

Chapter V: Offensive Torpedo Warfare

Drifting Torpedoes

Harvey’s Towing Torpedo

Harvey’s Towing Torpedo

Systems of Attack With Harvey’s Towing Torpedo

German And French Towing Torpedoes

Whitehead’s Fish Torpedo

Thornicroft’s Boat Apparatus For Fish Torpedoes

Lay’s Locomotive Torpedo

Mc Evoy’s Doplex Spar Torpedo

Chapter VI: Torpedo Vessels, Boats, And Submarine Boats

The Alarm Torpedo Ship

The Destroyer Torpedo Ship

Thornycroft’s Torpedo Boats

Yarrow’s Torpedo Boats

Russian Torpedo Boat, Herreshoff’s Torpedo Boat

Footnotes

Chapter VII: Torpedo Operations

Crimean War (1854-56)

Austro-Italian War (1859)

American Civil War (1861-65)

Paraguayan War (1864-68)

Austrian War (1866)

Russo-Turkish War (1877-78)

First Affair

Second Affair

Third Affair

Fourth Affair

Fifth Affair

Sixth Affair

Seventh Affair

Eighth Affair

Chapter VIII: On Explosives

A.—Explosive Mixtures

B.—Explosive Compounds

Submarine Mine Explosion

Chapter IX: Torpedo Experiments

Chapter X: The Electric Light — Torpedo Guns — Diving

Footnotes

Chapter XI: Electricity

Footnote

Appendix

Mc Evoy’s Single Main System

Table of Torpido Angle

A Synopsis of the Principal Events That Have Occured In Connection With the History of the Torpedo

Griffin & Co. Portsmouth. W.F. Mitchell del.

TORPEDOES AND TORPEDO WARFARE:

CONTAINING A COMPLETE AND CONCISE ACCOUNT OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF SUBMARINE WARFARE;

ALSO A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALL MATTERS APPERTAINING THERETO, INCLUDING THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS.

BY

C. W. SLEEMAN, Es., LATE LIEUT. R.N., AND LATE COMMANDER IMPERIAL OTTOMAN NAVY.

WITH FIFTY-SEVEN FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS, DIAGRAMS,

WOODCUTS, &c.

Preface

In the following pages the Author has endeavoured to supply a want, viz. a comprehensive work on Torpedo Warfare, brought down to the latest date.

The information has been obtained while practically engaged in torpedo work at home and abroad, and from the study of the principal books which have already appeared on the subject, and to the authors of which he would now beg to express his acknowledgments, viz.: Submarine Warfare, by Lieut.-Commander Barnes, U.S.N.; Notes on Torpedoes, by Major Stotherd, R.E.; Art of War in Europe, by General Delafield, U.S.A.; Life of Fulton, by C. D. Colden; Torpedo War, by R. Fulton; Armsmear, by H. Barnard; Treatise on Coast Defence, by Colonel Von Scheliha; Professional Papers of the Royal Engineers; The Engineering; The Engineer; Scientific American; Iron; &c., &c.

The Author is also desirous of thanking the following gentlemen, to whom he is indebted for much of the valuable information contained herein:—

London, 1879.

Chapter I: The Early History of the Torpedo — Remarks On the Existing State of Torpedo Warfare

THE earliest record we have of the employment of an infernal machine at all resembling the torpedo of the present day, was in 1585 at the siege of Antwerp. Here by means of certain small vessels, drifted down the stream, in each of which was placed a magazine of gunpowder, to be fired either by a trigger, or a combination of levers and clockwork, an Italian engineer, Lambelli, succeeded in demolishing a bridge that the enemy had formed over the Scheldt.

So successful was this first attempt, and so tremendous was the effect produced on the spectators, by the explosion of one of these torpedoes, that further investigation of this new mode of Naval warfare was at once instituted.

But it was not until some two hundred years after that any real progress was effected, though numerous attempts were made during this period, to destroy vessels by means of sub-marine infernal machines.

It was owing to the fact, that the condition which is now considered as essential in torpedo warfare, viz., that the charge must be submerged, was then entirely ignored, that so long a standstill occurred in this new art of making war.

Captain Bushnell, the Inventor of Torpedoes.—To Captain David Bushnell, of Connecticut, in 1775, is most certainly due the credit of inventing torpedoes, or as he termed them submarine magazines. For he first proved practically that a charge of gunpowder could be fired under water, which is incontestably the essence of submarine warfare.

Submarine Boat.—To Captain Bushnell is also due the credit of first devizing a submarine boat for the purpose of conveying his magazines to the bottom of hostile ships and there exploding them.

Drifting Torpedoes.—Another plan of his for destroying vessels, was that of connecting two of his infernal machines together by means of a line, and throwing them into the water, allowing the current to carry them across the bows of the attacked ship.

Mode of Ignition.—The ignition of his magazines was generally effected by means of clockwork, which, when set in motion, would run for some time before exploding the machines, thus enabling the operators to get clear of the explosion.

Captain Bushnell's few attempts to destroy our ships off the American coast in 1776 and 1777, with his submarine boat, and his drifting torpedoes were all attended with failure, a result generally experienced, where new inventions are for the first time subjected to the test of actual service.

Robert Fulton.—Robert Fulton, an American, following in his footsteps, some twenty years after, revived the subject of submarine warfare, which during that interval seems to have been entirely forgotten.

A resident in France, in 1797, he is found during that year making various experiments on the Seine with a machine which he had constructed, and by which he designed to impart to carcasses of gunpowder a progressive motion under water, to a certain point, and there explode them.[A]

Fulton's Failures.—Though these first essays of his resulted in failure, Fulton thoroughly believed in the efficacy of his schemes, and we find him, during that and succeeding years, vainly importunating the French and Dutch Governments, to grant him aid and support in carrying out experiments with his new inventions, whereby he might perfect them, and thus ensure to whichever government acceded to his views, the total destruction of their enemy's fleets.

Bonaparte aids Fulton.—Though holding out such favourable terms, it was not until 1800, when Bonaparte became First Consul, that Fulton's solicitations were successful, and that money was granted him to carry out a series of experiments.

In the following year (1801), under Bonaparte's immediate patronage, Fulton carried out various and numerous experiments in the harbour of Brest, principally with a submarine boat devised by him (named the Nautilus), subsequently to his invention of submarine carcasses as a means of approaching a ship and fixing one of his infernal machines beneath her, unbeknown to the crew of the attacked ship.

First Vessel destroyed by Torpedoes.—In August, 1801, Fulton completely destroyed a small vessel in Brest harbour by means of one of his submarine bombs, then called by him for the first time, torpedoes, containing some twenty pounds of gunpowder. This is the first vessel known to have been sunk by a submarine mine.

Bonaparte's patronage withdrawn.—Notwithstanding the apparent success, and enormous power of Fulton's projects, on account of a failure on his part to destroy one of the English Channel fleet, at the end of 1801, Bonaparte at once withdrew his support and aid.

Disgusted with this treatment, and having been previously pressed by some of England's most influential men, to bring his projects to that country, so that the English might reap the benefit of his wonderful schemes, Fulton left France, and arrived in London, in May, 1804.

Pitt supports Fulton.—Mr. Pitt, then Prime Minister, was much struck with Fulton's various schemes of submarine warfare, and after examining one of his infernal machines, or torpedoes, exclaimed, that if introduced into practice, it could not fail to annihilate all military marines.[B]

Though having secured the approval of Mr. Pitt, and a few other members of the Government, he was quite unable to induce the English to accept his schemes in toto, and at once employ them in the Naval service.

Twice Fulton attempted to destroy French men-of-war, lying in the harbour of Boulogne, by means of his drifting torpedoes, but each time he failed, owing as he then explained, and which afterwards proved to be the case, to the simple mistake of having made his machines specifically heavier than water, thus preventing the current from carrying them under a vessel's bottom.

Destruction of the Dorothea.—Though in each of the above-mentioned attempts Fulton succeeded in exploding his machines, and though on the 15th October, 1805, in the presence of a numerous company of Naval and other scientific men, he completely demolished a stout brig, the Dorothea, off Walmer Castle, by means of his drifting torpedoes, similar to those employed by him at Boulogne, but considerably improved, still the English Government refused to have anything further to do with him or his schemes.

England, at that time, being mistress of the seas, it was clearly her interest to make the world believe that Fulton's schemes were impracticable and absurd.

Earl St. Vincent, in a conversation with Fulton, told him in very strong language, that Pitt was a fool for encouraging a mode of warfare, which, if successful, would wrest the trident from those who then claimed to bear it, as the sceptre of supremacy on the ocean.[C]

Wearied with incessant applications and neglect, and with failures, not with his inventions, but in inducing governments to accept them, he left England in 1806, and returned to his native country.

Application to Congress for Help.—Arrived there, he lost no time in solicitating aid from Congress to enable him to carry out experiments with his torpedoes and submarine boats, practice alone in his opinion being necessary to develop the extraordinary powers of his invention, as an auxiliary to harbour defence.

By incessant applications to his government, and by circulating his torpedo book[D] among the members, in which he had given detailed accounts of all his previous experiments in France and England, and elaborate plans for rendering American harbours, etc., invulnerable to British attack, a Commission was appointed to inquire into and practically test the value of these schemes.

They were as follows:—

1.—Drifting Torpedoes.—Two torpedoes connected by a line floated in the tide at a certain depth, and suffered to drift across the bows of the vessel to be attacked; the coupling line being arrested by the ship's cable would cause the torpedoes to be forced under her bottom; this plan is represented and will be readily understood by Fig. 3.

2.—Harpoon Torpedo.—A torpedo attached to one end of a line, the other part to a harpoon, which was to be fired into the bows of the doomed vessel from a piece of ordnance mounted in the bows of a boat, specially constructed for the purpose; the line being fixed to the vessel by the harpoon, the current, if the vessel were at anchor, or her progress if underweigh, would carry the torpedo under her bottom. Fig. 2 represents this type of Fulton's submarine infernal machine.

3.—Spar Torpedo.—A torpedo attached to a spar suspended by a swivel from the bowsprit of a torpedo boat, so nearly balanced, that a man could easily depress, or elevate the torpedo with one hand, whilst with the other he pulled a trigger and exploded it.

4.—Block Ship.—Block ships, that is vessels from 50 to 100 tons, constructed with sides impervious to cannon shot, and decks made impenetrable to musket shot. A spar torpedo a, a, a, to be carried on each bow and quarter Fig. 4 represents this curious craft.

Stationary Mines.—Stationary buoyant torpedoes for harbour defence, to be fired by means of levers attached to triggers. This kind of mine is shown at Fig. 1.

5.—Cable Cutters.—Cable cutters, that is submarine guns discharging a sharp piece of iron in the shape of a crescent, with sufficient force to cut through ship's cables, or other obstructions.[E]

Practical Experiments.—Various and exhaustive experiments were carried out in the presence of the Commissioners, tending generally to impress them with a favourable view of Fulton's many projects.

As a final test, the sloop Argus was ordered, under the superintendence of Commodore Rodgers, to whom Fulton had previously explained his mode of attack, to be prepared to repel all attempts made against her by Fulton, with his torpedoes.

Defence of the Argus.—Though repeated attempts were made, none were successful, owing to the energetic, though somewhat exaggerated manner in which the defence of the sloop had been carried out. She was surrounded by numerous spars lashed together, nets down to the ground, grappling irons, heavy pieces of metal suspended from the yard arms ready to be dropped into any boat that came beneath them, scythes fitted to long spars for the purpose of mowing off the heads of any who might be rash enough to get within range of them.

As Robert Fulton very justly remarked, a system, then only in its infancy, which compelled a hostile vessel to guard herself by such extraordinary means could not fail of becoming a most important mode of warfare.

Three of the Commissioners reported as favourably as could be expected, considering its infancy, on the practical value of Fulton's scheme of torpedo warfare.

Congress refuse aid.—But on the strength of Commodore Rodgers's report, which was as unfair and prejudiced, as the others were fair and unprejudiced, Congress refused Fulton any further aid, or to countenance any further experiments that he might still feel inclined to prosecute.

Though undeterred by this fresh instance of neglect, and still having a firm belief in the efficacy of his various torpedo projects, yet other important matters connected with the improvement of the steam engine occupied his whole time and prevented him from making any further experiments with his submarine inventions.

Mode of Firing, 1829.—Up to 1829, that is to say for nearly sixty years after the invention of torpedoes, mechanical means only were employed to effect the ignition of the torpedo charges, such as levers, clockwork, and triggers pulled by hand; with such crude means of exploding them, it is not extraordinary to find, that all the attempts made to destroy hostile ships, resulted in failure.

Fulton’s Torpedoes

Briefly reviewing the history of the torpedo during its first period of existence, viz., from Captain Bushnell's invention of submarine magazines in 1775, down to the introduction of electricity, as a means of exploding submarine mines, by Colonel Colt, in 1829, we find that due to the unwearied exertions, and numerous experiments carried out by Captain Bushnell, Mr. R. Fulton and others, the following very important principles in the art of torpedo warfare were fully proved:—

1.—That a charge of gunpowder could be exploded under water.

2.—That any vessel could be sunk by a torpedo, provided only the charge were large enough.

3.—That it was possible to construct a boat which could be navigated, and remain for several hours under water, without detriment to her crew.

4.—That a ship at anchor could be destroyed, by means of drifting torpedoes, or by a submarine or ordinary boat, armed with a spar torpedo.

5.—That a vessel underweigh could be destroyed by means of stationary submarine mines, and by the harpoon torpedo.

These principles, which at the time were fully admitted, laid the foundations of the systems of torpedo warfare, that are at the present day in vogue, all over the world.

Second Epoch.—The second epoch in the life of the torpedo dates from 1829, when Colonel Colt, then a mere lad, commenced experiments with his submarine battery.

Colt's Experiments.—His first public essay, was on the 4th June, 1842, when he exploded a case of powder in New York harbour, while himself standing at a great distance off.

Having by numerous successful experiments satisfactorily proved that vessels at anchor could be sunk by means of his electrical mines, Colonel Colt engaged to destroy a vessel underweigh by similar means, which feat he successfully accomplished on 13th April, 1844.

Colt's Electric Cable.—The electric cable as used by Colonel Colt, was insulated by cotton yarn, soaked in a solution of asphaltum and beeswax, and the whole enclosed in a metal case.

Colt's Reflector.—On examining Colt's papers after his death, one was found illustrating one of his many devices for effecting the explosion of a submarine mine at the proper instant.

Description of Reflector.—One set of conducting wires from all the mines is permanently attached to a single pole of a very powerful firing battery, the other wires lead to metal points which are attached to marks on a chart of the channel in front of the operator and which marks correspond with the actual positions of the mines in the channel. A reflector, is arranged to throw the image of a hostile vessel on the chart, and as this image passes over either of the wire terminations on it, the operator with the other battery wire, completes the circuit, and explodes the torpedo, over which by her image thrown on the chart, the vessel is supposed to be at that precise moment.[F] In his experiment with a vessel under weigh, Colt had probably taken the precaution of laying down several circles of mines, and thus aided by cross staffs, ensured the experiment being a success.

With regard to the invention of the word torpedo, for submarine infernal machines, Dr. Barnard in his life of Colt says, that Fulton used the word torpedo, probably on account of its power of stunning or making torpid, and that a long way through the water,—in so naming it, he buildeth better than he knew, for Colt's torpedoes being fired by electricity may with special fitness take its name from the electric eel.[G]

Theoretical Knowledge.—Though many opportunities have occurred during the last thirty-five years for practically testing the effectiveness of torpedoes when employed on actual service, especially during the American Civil War (1861-65) and the late Turco-Russian War (1877-78), yet in so far as the offensive and electrical portion of submarine warfare is concerned, our knowledge of them is still principally theoretically.

Failure of Offensive Torpedoes.—The manipulation of the ordinary spar or outrigger torpedo boats, and of the various automatic torpedoes, appears simple enough, when practice is made with those submarine weapons during peace time, also the results of such practice is without doubt uniformly successful, yet when the crucial test of actual service is applied, as was the case during the war of 1877, with the Whitehead and spar torpedoes, then a succession of failures had to be recorded.[H]

The cause of this want of success in war-time with offensive torpedoes, lies in the fact, that during peace time the experiments and practice carried out with them, are done so, under the most favourable circumstances, that is to say in daylight, and the nerves of the operators not in that high state of tension, which would be the case, were they attacking a man-of-war on a pitch dark night, whose exact position cannot be known, and from whose guns at any moment a sheet of fire may be belched forth, and a storm of shot and bullets be poured on them, whilst on actual service, this would in nine out of ten instances be the case.

Some uncertainty must and will always exist in offensive torpedo operations when carried out in actual war, where, as in this case, the success of the enterprise depends almost wholly on the state of a man's nerves, yet this defect, a want of certainty, may to a considerable extent be eradicated were means to be found of carrying out in time of peace, a systematic practice of this branch of torpedo warfare, under circumstances similar to those experienced in war time, and this is not only possible, but practicable.

Moral Effect of Torpedoes.—We now come to the moral effect of torpedoes, which is undoubtedly the very essence of the vast power of these terrible engines of war. Each successive war that has occurred, in which the torpedo has taken a part, since Captain Bushnell's futile attempt in 1775 to destroy our fleet by drifting numerous kegs charged with gunpowder down the Delawarre, teem with proofs of the great worth of torpedoes in this respect alone.

That such a dread of them should and always will be met with in future Naval wars, at times creating a regular torpedo scare or funk, is not extraordinary, when it is remembered that these submarine weapons of the present day, are capable of sinking the finest ironclad afloat, and of launching into eternity without a moment's warning or preparation, whole ships' crews.

The torpedoes existing at the present day have, without doubt, reached a very high degree of excellence, in so far as their construction, fuzes, cables, &c., both electrically and mechanically, is concerned, but much has yet to be done to develop their actual effectiveness.

The result of the numerous and exhaustive experiments that have of late years been carried out by England, America, and Europe prove that the necessary distances between stationary submarine mines are by far greater than those within which the explosions are effective.

Therefore it will be found necessary to supplement those submarine harbour defences, by automatic torpedoes that can be controlled and directed from the shore, as well as by specially constructed torpedo boats.

Automatic Arrangements.—And to ensure certainty, which is the desideratum in torpedo warfare, circuit closers, or other automatic arrangements for exploding the submarine mines, must be employed, as the system of firing them by judgment is not at all a sure one.

Ship Defence.—The problem, which occupies the attention of Naval and other scientific men, at the present day, is how best to enable a ship to guard herself against attacks from the fish and other automatic torpedoes, and this without in any way impairing her efficiency as a man-of-war.

The means of such defence, should most certainly be inherent in the vessel herself, outward methods, such as nets, booms, etc., are to great extent impracticable, besides one of the above mentioned torpedoes, being caught by such obstructions would, on exploding, most probably destroy them, thus leaving the vessel undefended against further attacks.

Mechanical Mines.—Several ingenious methods have of late been devised for the purpose of obviating one of the principal defects common to all kinds of mechanical submarine mines, the most efficient and practical of which will be found fully described in the following pages, viz., the great danger attendant on the mooring of such mines; but as yet, no really practical mode of rendering mechanical mines safe, after they have once been moored and put in action, has been discovered, were such to be devised, a very difficult and extremely important problem of defensive torpedo warfare would be solved.

Electrical Mines.—In regard to electrical submarine mines, much has been done by torpedoists in general to simplify this otherwise somewhat complicated branch of defensive torpedo warfare, by adopting the platinum wire fuze, in the place of the high tension one, by the employment of Leclanché firing batteries, by the simplification of the circuit closer, and discarding the use of a circuit breaker, by altering the form of torpedo case, and whenever possible by enclosing the circuit closer in the submarine mine.

The necessity of a very elaborate system of testing should, if possible, be overcome, for a system of submarine mines that requires the numerous and various tests that are at the present day employed, to enable those in charge of them to know for certain that when wanted the mines will explode, cannot be considered as adaptable to actual service. It must be remembered that the safety of many ports, etc., will in future wars depend almost entirely on the practical efficiency of electrical and mechanical mines. As yet, in actual war, little or no experience has been gained of the real value of a mode of coast defence by electrical mines, excepting from a moral point of view, though in this particular they have most undoubtedly been proved to be exceedingly effective.

A submarine mine much wanted on active service, is one that can be carried on board ships, capable of being fitted for use at a moment's notice, and of being easily and rapidly placed in position by the ordinary boats of a man-of-war. It should be a self-acting electrical mine, with the circuit closing apparatus enclosed in the torpedo case, and capable of carrying about 100 lbs. of guncotton. This form of mine would be found extremely useful to secure the entrance to a harbour, etc., where ships might happen to be anchored for the night, or which might have been wrested from the enemy, etc.

They should be capable of being placed in position and picked up again, in the shortest possible space of time.

Offensive Torpedoes.—Coming to the question of offensive torpedoes there still seems to be a great difference of opinion as to the real value of the Whitehead fish torpedo, and this point will never be finally settled until that weapon has been more thoroughly tested on actual service; from a specially built torpedo boat, by which is meant a Thornycroft or Yarrow craft, the spar torpedo would seem to be the most effective weapon. Torpedo vessels for the special purpose of experimenting with the Whitehead torpedo have been built by England, America, and several continental governments, so that we may soon hope to get some more decided opinion as to the utility of that weapon. When manipulated from the shore, or large ships, the Lay torpedo boat, if only its speed be increased will prove an exceedingly effective submarine weapon, for the purposes of offence, active defence, or clearing harbours, etc., of mines, in fact, it may be more truly said of this weapon, than of the Whitehead, that it can do everything but speak. Captain Harvey has greatly improved his towing torpedo, but it is still a somewhat complicated and difficult weapon to manipulate by ordinary persons, that is, those not specially trained for the work.

Drifting torpedoes under certain circumstances should prove invaluable, but little or no improvement has been effected in this direction. Submarine boats have also remained in statu quo, though for the purpose of clearing an enemy's harbour of mines, it seems impossible to devise any better method.

Electric lights are now universally adopted for use on board ship, and will play a very important part in the defence of ships against torpedo attacks in future wars. Glancing back on what has been effected in the matter of improving the system of torpedo warfare in all its branches during the last few years, with the exception of the vast improvements in the form and construction of steam torpedo boats, their engines, etc., very little has been done, owing principally to the want of that practical knowledge which unfortunately can only be gained from their employment in actual war.

The late Turco-Russian war afforded a splendid opportunity for applying the crucial test of actual service to both the offensive and defensive branches of torpedo warfare, yet little or no light was thrown on the somewhat shadowy subject of submarine warfare. The present struggle between Peru and Chili may furnish some experience, but it will not be very satisfactory, as hardly any knowledge of manipulating torpedoes is possessed by either side.

Footnones

[A] C. D. Colden's Life of Fulton.

[B] C. D. Colden's Life of Fulton.

[C] C. D. Colden's Life of Fulton.

[D] Torpedo Warfare, by R. Fulton, 1810.

[E] C. D. Colden's Life of Fulton.

[F] Johnston's Cyclopædia.

[G] Armsmear.

[H] See Chapter VII.

Chapter II: Defensive Torpedo Warfare — Mechanical Mines — Mechanical Fuzes — Mooring Mechanical Mines

BY defensive torpedo warfare is meant the protection of harbours, rivers, etc., by means of various descriptions of torpedoes moored beneath the surface of the water.

Submarine, or sea mine, is the term that has been generally adopted to designate this particular species of torpedo.

Submarine Mines.—Defence in Future Wars.—The very conspicuous part played by submarine mines, in the many wars that have taken place since the introduction of the torpedo as a legitimate mode of Naval warfare, when their manipulation was comparatively little understood, and construction very imperfect, proves that, with the experience so gained, and the vast improvements that have been, and are daily being effected, in all that appertains to the art of torpedo warfare, the protection of harbours, etc., will in future wars depend in a great measure on the adoption of a systematic and extensive employment of submarine mines.

The utility and power of this mode of coast defence has been fully exemplified in actual war, more especially during the Franco-German war (1870-1) and the late Turco-Russian war (1877-8).

Torpedoes in the Franco-German War.—In the former instance, the superiority of the French over the Germans, in the matter of ships, was more than neutralised, by the use on the part of the latter of electrical, mechanical, and dummy mines for the protection of their harbours, etc. In regard to the utility of the latter, it is on record that a certain German port was entirely defended by dummy mines, the Burgomaster of that place having been unable to obtain men to place the active mechanical ones in position, owing to the numerous and serious accidents that had previously occurred in other German ports at the commencement of the war, in mooring the latter kind of submarine mine.

The effect, so far as keeping the French fleet at a distance was concerned, was precisely the same, as though active instead of dummy mines had been employed, thus still further proving the vast moral power possessed by torpedoes.

Torpedoes in the Russo-Turkish War.—In the war of 1877, the Turks, though possessing a powerful fleet in the Black Sea and flotilla on the Danube, made little or no use of their superiority over the Russians in this respect. They failed to even attempt to destroy the bridges formed by the Russians over the Danube, nor did they make any attempt to capture Poti, re-take Kustendje, or to create diversions on the Russian coast in the Black Sea. Had the latter service alone been effectually carried out, by which means, a large force of the enemy would have been held in check, immense help would have been afforded to the Ottoman armies in Europe and Asia. Again, during the whole of the war, the Russian port of Odessa was never sighted, and Sebastopol only once by the Ottoman fleet.

Cause of Failure of the Ottoman Fleet.—The cause of this repeated neglect on the part of the Turkish fleet may be traced almost entirely to the assumption (which in nine out of ten cases was an erroneous one) on the part of the Naval Pashas and Beys that every Russian harbour, etc., was a mass of submarine mines, and this in several instances extending many miles to seaward.

So also, some of the many failures experienced by the Russians in their numerous boat torpedo boat attacks, were due in a great measure to an erroneous supposition on the part of the captain of the Russian steamer, Constantine (employed to convoy the torpedo boats), that the Turks had defended the entrance, to a distance of some miles to seaward, of their harbours, etc., and thus the torpedo boats were dispatched to the attack some miles off the entrance, causing them, owing to the darkness, to enter the harbour in which the Turkish vessels were lying, in a very straggling manner. And to a similar reason the failure of the Russians to capture Sulina, in the attack made on that place in October, 1877, was principally owing to their not daring to send their Popoffkas to attack from the