I,,/>~~~~~ / Zi ~~~ /J I', J /g/t'' SUBMARINE WAARFARE. ................... Maintain!................... -IX Giuliani. I '. ". -XI: I -..................... mile rim,.......... m..?......... mg.-NK Mg........... S "IE AIM'. SI, O'(D"' lk'k "ll SUBMARINE WARFARE, OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE. INCLUDING A DISCUSSION OF THE OFFENSIVE TORPEDO SYSTEM, ITS EFFECTS UPON IRON-CLAD SHIP SYSTEMS, AND INFLUENCE UPON FUTURE NAVAL WARS. BY LIEUT.-COMMANDER J.S1.3'ARNES, U. S. N. WIT H ILLUSTR AD IONS. NEW YORK: D. VAN NOSTRAND, Publisher, 23 MURRAY ST. AND 27 WARREN ST. 1869. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by D. VAN NOSTRAND, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. PREFACE. THE Author, in presenting this work to the public, is perfectly well aware that there is much therein open to adverse criticism, and feels very confident that it will not be spared, particularly by his professional brethren of both branches of the service. He has only designed calling attention to a subject so fraught with consequences to the profession of arms, and to collate the history of the Torpedo, and the various advances made in this new system of warfare, in the hope that it may prove interesting and instructive to those who have not found it convenient or practicable to gather together the scanty scraps of information to be discovered, scattered here and there, among the contributions to military arts and sciences at home and abroad. NAVAL ACADEMY, June, 1868. LIST OF PLATES. FRONTISPIECE.-DESTRUCTION OF "HOUSATONIC." PLATE I.-FULTON'S TORPEDOES. II. " TORPEDO BOATS.' C" III.-EARLY PLANS FOR TORPEDO VESSELS. " IV.-REBEL FRAME AND OBSTRUCTION TORPEDOES. (" V.- " CONTACT TORPEDO FUZES. " VI.- " BUOYANT TORPEDOES. " VII.- " CURRENT TORPEDOES AND CIRCUMVENTOR. " VHIL.- " HYDROGEN GAS CURRENT, CLOCK AND COAL TORPEDOES. " X. - " ELECTRIC TORPEDOES, PLATINUM AND ABEL'S FUZE. " X.- " OFFENSIVE TORPEDOES. " XI. -U. S. TORPEDO BOAT AND APPARATUS. " XII.-FUZES FOR DYNAMIC ELECTRICITY. " XIII.-TORPEDO BOAT "SPUYTEN DUYVIL." XIV.-ERICSSON'S OBSTRUCTION REMOVER. XV. -BEARDSLEE'S MAGNETO-ELECTRIC BATTERY FUZE AND TORPEDO. XVI.-MAJOR KING'S EXPERIMENTING APPARATUS. " XVII.-ERICSSON'S TORPEDO AND IGNITING APPARATUS. " XVIII.-MAJOR KING'S THEORIES OF EXPLOSIONS. " XIX.-WHEATSTONE'S MAGNETO-ELECTRIC BATTERY. VIGNETTES. PAGE COMMODORE RODGERS' ILLUSTRATION OF FULTON'S TORPEDO BOAT....... 36 RUSSIAN TORPEDOES................................................ 59 FIRST TORPEDOES OF THE REBELLION................................ 66 PLAN OF DEEP BOTTOM, JAMES RIVER................................ 98 COL. VERDU'S SYSTEM OF EXPLODING GROUPS......................... 166.4 cA RHEOTOME............................................ 167 M. SAVArE'S IMPROVEMENT.......................................... 168 SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC TORPEDOES, RANGES AND CONNECTIONS, AT FORT FISHER.......................................................... 185 ERRATA. On page 154, for Plate XIV., read Plate XII. "' 169, " XV., " XIX. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.-Page 13. Gunpowder-History of its adaptation to war —Reasons which retarded its development and use-Utility of the invention, and employment in war, humane-Improvement in instruments adapted to its use-The Torpedo. CHAPTER II.-Page 17. David Bushnell the inventor of Torpedoes-Description of his original machine His experiments in submarine explosions-Attempts upon H. M. S. "'agle," and other English ships of war, in New York HarborFloating Torpedoes-Attempts to use them in Delaware River-General Washington on Bushnell's Torpedoes-Connecticut legislation in regard to them-Attack upon the "Cerberus"-Commodqre Symons to RearAdmiral Sir Peter Parker, R. N.-Battle of the Kegs.) CHAPTER IIL-Page 30. Robert Fulton proposes the Torpedo system to the French GovernmentProceedings under the authority of the French Consulate-Description of the "Nautilus"-Exiperiments-M. St. Aubin's report-Fulton in England-Catamaran expedition-Destruction of the "Dorothea"English alarm at the results —Fulton's plans abandoned in EnglandPayment to him of ~15,000 —is return to the United States and experiments there-Receives governmental assistance-Description of his Torpedoes-Attempt upon the "Argus "-Opposition of Commodore Rodgers and his official report-Reports of other Commissioners-Fulton's explanations-Attempts upon English ships during war of 1812. 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV.-Page 51. Fulton's apparatus incomplete-Prevailing sentiment opposed to the use of Torpedoes as inhuman-Col. Colt's experiments-First appearance of Electric Torpedoes-Col. Colt to President Tyler-Destruction of a vessel under way-Russian Torpedoes-Jacobi's fulminate-General Delafield on Torpedoes and harbor defence. CHAPTER V.-Page 61. Causes of the final acceptance of the Torpedo as a legitimate engine of warThe Southern States the first to create a regular system of Torpedo warfare-First appearance of Torpedoes during the war-Acts of the rebel Congress authorizing a Torpedo corps-Frame Torpedoes-FuzesBuoyant Torpedoes-Loss of rebel vessels "Ettiwan,"' "Marion," and " Schultz " —Singer's Torpedo-His percussion system-Spar Torpedo and "Devil Circumventor" —Slow-match Torpedo-Current TorpedoHydrogen gas Torpedo-Obstruction Torpedo-Clock-work TorpedoCoal Torpedo-Electric Torpedoes-Platinum fuze and electric batteries. CHAPTER VI.-Page 79. Loss of the U. S. S. "Cairo "-Report of Admiral Porter-Injuries to the monitor "Montauk"-Rebel confidence in Torpedoes at CharlestonU. S. Government warned of their presence at Charleston-Mr. Ericsson's Torpedo and Obstruction Remover-Admiral Dupont's preparations to protect his fleet-Attack on Charleston-Escape of "New Ironsides " and "' Weehawken "-" Essex" Torpedo-Loss of iron-clad "Baron de Kalb" -Reports of Admiral Porter. CHAPTER VII.-Page 92. Injury to the " Commodore Barney "-Cause of failure to destroy her-Adoption of the Torpedo system by the United States —U. S. Torpedoes in Roanoke River —Loss of the "Maple Leaf"-Red River expeditionLoss of the iron-clad " Eastport "-Growing importance of the system — Precautions taken by Admiral Lee in ascending James River-Loss of the "Commodore Jones," accompanied by great loss of life-Capture of operators and batteries-Raising electric Torpedoes-Effects of Torpedoes upon General Grant's campaign. CHAPTER VIII.-Page 103. Loss of monitor " Tecumseh"-Reports of Admiral Farragut, Captains Drayton and Alden —"Brooklyn" stopped in battle by Torpedoes-Loss of CONTENTS. 9 "Otsego" and "Bazeley"-Loss of monitor "Patapsco "-Naval operations against Fort Fisher and Wilmington-Admiral'Porter's opinions on running the batteries-General Butler's "powder boat"-Torpedoes in Cape Fear River —Loss of the "Harvest Moon "-Naval operations in Mobile Bay-Loss of monitors "Milwaukie" and "Osage," gunboats "Rodolph," "Sciota," "Ida," and "Althea "-Summary of losses during the war. CHAPTER IX.-Page 122. Offensive Torpedoes-The "Atlanta "-Forms of rebel offensive TorpedoesFuzes-Attack upon the "New Ironsides "-Precautions against such attacks-Destruction of "Housatonic "-Attack on the frigate "Wabash" and the "Memphis "-Attack upon the frigate "Minnesota "-Extent of injury-Efforts of the United States to use Torpedoes offensivelyEffects of Torpedo boats on the James River-U. S. officers obstruct the river-Correspondence of Admiral Lee and General Butler-General Grant's opinion of Torpedo boats-Wood & Lay's Torpedo boat and apparatus-Destruction of rebel iron-clad "Albemarle." CHAPTER X.-Page 146. Discussion of the offensive Torpedo system-The cases of the "Housatonic" and "Albemarle" compared-Results show that the practice of the system is not necessarily hazardous-Moral effect of a Torpedo attackValue of the system to the weaker nations-Imperfections in the boats used during the war easily remedied-Submarine boats-History of submarine operations-Description of an U. S. plunging boat-Surface Torpedo boats-Their requirements-Description of the "'Spuyten Duy. vil "-Value of water-tight compartments-The "23 Light Drafts." CHAPTER XI.-Page 161. Electricity as an igniting agent-Necessary parts of a voltaic battery and fuze-Austrian battery and system-Col. Scholl's fuze-Platina fuzesStatham's fuze-Col. Verdu's electro-magnetic induction machine-M. Savare's improvements-Wheatstone's magnetic exploder-Beardslee's exploder and fuze-Abel's fuze-dRussian fuze-Guyot's fuze-English experiments with magneto-electric batteries and magnet fuzes-West Point experiments with Beardslee's battery and fuze-Electric Torpedoes part of the permanent defences-Forms of buoyant Torpedoes-Methods of removing Torpedoes-Calcium or magnesium lights-Submarine guns 10 CONTENTS. -Jones' battery-Hunt's-General discussion of the defensive Torpedo system-Difficulty in fixing the position of an object over an electric Torpedo-Plans for doing so-Arrangements at Fort Fisher-Paucity of experiments-Gun-cotton. CHAPTER XII.-Page 189. Experiments in submarine explosions-Maillefert's system of blasting-Rule for determining amount of charge necessary for an effective explosion"Line of least resistance "-Case of the frigate " Minnesota "-Absolute contact unnecessary-" Albemarle "-" Terpsichore "-Condition of success-Air-chambers-Wood & Lay's Torpedo-Experiments with itEricsson's Torpedo-Major King's experiments-Description of apparatus used-Effect of an air-chamber-Increasing number of points of ignition -Relation of charge, depth, and distance below the surface-Extent and form of crater-Major King's conclusicps-Theory of submarine explosions-Nitro-glycerine-Mr. North's experiments and practice-Dynamite -Conclusion. EARLY HISTORY OF GUNPOWDER. CHAPTER I. GUNPOWDER.-HISTORY OF ITS APPLICATION TO WAR.-REASONS WHICH RETARDED ITS DEVELOPMENT AND USE. —UTILITY OF THE INVENTION, AND EMPLOYMENT IN WAR HUIMANE.-IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMiENTS ADAPTED TO ITS USE.-THE TORPEDO. No invention of man ever created so great a change in warfare, and consequently in the destinies of nations, as the combination of the ingredients which compose gunpowder. Writers upon engines of war have ascribed the origin of the invention to various periods of history, and to different nations. But it would appear that, although the compound had been rudely manufactured by Arabs and Chinese to astonish and delight the curious, the discovery was not promulgated in Europe until the middle of the thirteenth century, when Roger Bacon declared that with " saltpetre, charcoal, and sulphur, one could make thunder and lightning if he knew the art." Certain it is, that what to the Crusaders was known as "Greek Fire" was some imperfect combination of nitre and sulphur; and that as far back as the seventh century the rulers of the Byzantine Empire were acquainted with an incendiary substance of an extraordinary character, the composition of which was ordered to be kept as a state secret, and was so kept until the beginning of the thirteenth century. Then the secret escaped to the Arabs, and the substance was used by them to terrify the superstitious Crusaders, who resorted to prayers and supplications to avoid its effects, and spread throughout the world exaggerated accounts of its terrors.' 14 ENGINES OF WAR. It was not, however, until the commencement of the fourteenth century that gunpowder was employed as an agent for throwing balls and: stones. Although its explosive character was then known to monks and students of Christian nations, the Arabs were the first to avail themselves of its advantages in their wars with the Spaniards, and from Spain its use spread to the other countries of Europe. Still circumstances tended to check, rather than to develop, the improvement of fire-arms and artillery for a long period after the invention of gunpowder became generally known. The same sentimentality which in our times has denounced the use of torpedoes as contrary to humanity, prevailed to some extent with reference to gunpowder, and there was a general aversion to the newly invented arms, as calculated to extinguish personal bravery. The ruling classes, who made war their study and sole occupation, saw their armor, lances, and knightly prowess rendered useless, and they vigorously opposed the innovation. It was difficult to overcome the prejudices of the people in favor of ancient engines of war. Fire-arms and artillery were awkwardly constructed, and the gunpowder used in them was so wretched, that its real effects were insignificant when compared with that now in use. The ingredients were imperfectly freed from their impurities, and roughly mixed together on a slab of marble. The compound thus made served better for pyrotechnical displays than for purposes of war, and, at best, formed only a nominal portion of the military engineer's resources, and would seem to have had more of a moral than a physical effect. There was also a great lack of tire mechanical skill necessary to adapt this new agent to purposes of war. Iron and brass were, during the 14th century, costly and scarce; great difficulties were encountered in working them, and in making guns sufficiently strong to stand the explosion of even the powder of that day. Saltpetre and sulphur were also rare and expensive materials. They could only be obtained in small quantities, at great expense and labor. However, in this invention, as in all arts and sciences, THE TORPEDO. 15 progress was made. Schwartz discovered that the granulation of gunpowder increased the force of explosion, and soon cannon and small arms figured in every siege and battle. lMen were no longer pitted against each other like gladiators in the amphitheatre, where victory declared itself in favor of the stronger brute. The musket was as powerful in the hands of a pigmy as in those of a giant. Nations as as well as men were put more on an equality as to strength. While gunpowder is more terrific and destructive in its immediate effects than any of the former instruments of war, there seems to be no doubt that the discovery has been beneficial to the human race. Humanitarians are agreed that while war is the greatest of human calamities, its miseries are ameliorated by every improvement in military art; and, however paradoxical it may at first appear, whoever increases the powers of destruction is engaged in the cause of humanity. Battles are not more bloody than formerly, but are shorter and more decisive. Submission to force of arms comes only with the exhaustion of one of the combatants, and that means is the best by which this condition of things is brought about in the shortest space of time. Whatever may be the reluctance of Christian people to employ the modern implements of war, on the score of their " inhumanity to man," " self-defence is the first law of nature and the first duty of nations." Governments act not only in their own interests, but in that of mankind, by supplying their armies and navies with weapons calculated to develop the greatest possible destructive force. It is needless to trace particularly the progress of improvement in arms and engines of war resulting from the discovery of gunpowder. The mechanical genius of each generation has been constantly directed to the subject, andc has left behind it vastly improved cannon and small-arms. Monster ordnance, incendiary shells, rifled cannon, breechloading, magazined fire-arms and torpedoes have succeeded simpler and less destructive weapons. Every expedient to 16.TEE TORPEDO. destroy life which the ingenuity of an ingenious age can devise, is eagerly adopted, and the originator honored and enriched, until it would seem that the only limit to progress in the art of destruction will be the advent of that period when wars shall cease to be the arguments of contentious humanity. Of all the inventions by which gunpowder has been adapted to war, the torpedo * is perhaps the most destructive and terrible in its immediate effects when successfully employed, either as a mode of attack upon ships or defence against their operations. Until the war with Great Britain which secured the independence of the United States, military history furnishes no evidence that the machine now designated torpedo was ever employed as an engine of war, although nearly allied in its operation to the system of mining which followed closely upon the discovery of gunpowder. It shall be our purpose to show the reasons for this indifference, and, in tracing the history of the torpedo, to account in some measure for the failure to improve and the reluctance to use this truly formidable machine. * Torpedo is the popular name of the electric ray or skate, of the family torpediedce. It was called vapsa by the Greeks, and torpedo by the Latins; the Germans call it kramnpffisch, the French torpille, and the English num.itt fish. It is said "to kill its prey as by lightning." DAVID BUSHNELL. 17 CHAPTER II. DAVID BUSHNELL, THE INVENTOR OF TORPEDOES.-DESCRIPTION OF HIS ORIGINAL MACHINE.-HIS EXPERIMENTS IN SUBMARINE EXPLOSIONS. ATTEMPTS UPON THE " EAGLE") AND OTHER ENGLISH SHIPS OF WAR IN NEW YORK HARBOR.-BUSHNELL S FLOATING TORPEDOES.-ATTEMPT TO USE THEM IN DELAWARE RIVER.-GENERAL WASHINGTON'S DESCRIPTION AND OPINION OF BUSHNELL'S TORPEDOES.-CON-.NECTICUT LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO THEM.-ATTEMPT UPON H. M. S. " CERBERUS. -LETTER OF COM. SYMONS TO R. A. SIR PETER PARKER. —' BATTLE OF THE KEGS." To David Bushnell* of Connecticut is justly attributed the idea of attacking a ship by applying to its submerged parts a magazine of powder, which, when exploded by devices con. trived for the purpose, should disable or destroy her. He * David Bushnell was born in Saybrook, (now Westbrook) Conn., in the year 1742. He entered Yale College in 1771 and graduated in 1775. During his collegiate career he turned his attention to submarine warfare, and after leaving college devoted his time and patrimony entirely to the subject. He was noted for his studious habits, great inventive genius, and eccentricity. The unfortunate issue of his projects rendered him very dejected. Disappointed by his failures and the neglect of the Government, he went to France at the close of the war, where he remained for a number of years, when he returned and settled in Georgia, under the assumed name of Dr. Bush, desi. ring thus to conceal his identity and connection with the early efforts of his life. There he was placed at the head of one of the most respectable schools in the State, but subsequently engaged in the practice of medicine, by which he amassed:a considerable fortune. He was much beloved and respected by all who knew hili, and died at the age of ninety years, in the year 1826. By his will his proper name became known; his executors were required to make inquiries in the town of Saybrook for persons of the blood and family of Bush. nell, and whoever in the opinion of the executors was found to be most worthy, on the score of moral worth, should be regarded as the sole legatee. But should none of the kindred be found to fulfil the condition set forth in the will, the estate was'to be transferred to Franklin College, Ga. Legatees were found in Connecticut, of whom Mr. Charles J. Bushnell of New York is a direct descendant.- IVhite's Historical Collections of Georgia, pp. 404-409; Howe's American Mechanics, pp. 136-145; Transactions of Am. Philos. Soc., vol. iv., pp. 303-12; Clarke's 2Naval History U. S., Sec. ed., vol. L. pp. 63, 64. (2 vols., 1814. ) 18 BUSHNELL'S SUBMARINE BOAT. may also be said to have originated a plan for submarine navigation, in pursuance of which he constructed the first submarine boat capable of locomotion, of which there is any accurate record in history. In its application as a means of warfare, he must have entire credit for originality. The following account of Captain Bushnell's invention was written by him, and read before the American Philosophical Society June 8, 1798: " General principles and construction of a submarine vessel, conmunicated by David Btushnell, of Connecticut, the inventor, in a letter of October, 1787, to Thomas Jejferson, then Minister Plenti)otentiary of the United States at Paris. " The external shape of the submarine vessel bore some resenmblance to two upper tortoise shells of equal size, joined together; the flue of entrance into the vessel being represented by the openings made by the swells of the shells at the head of the animal. The inside was capable of containing the operator, and air sufficient to support him thirty minutes, without receiving fresh air. At the bottom opposite to the entrance was fixed a quantity of lead for ballast; at one edge, which was directly before the operator, who sat upright, was an oar for rowing forward or backward, at the other edge was a rudder for steering. An aperture, at the bottom, with its valve, was designed to admit water for the purpose of descending, and two brass forcingpumps served to eject the water within, when necessary for ascending. At the top there was likewise an oar, for ascending or descending, or continuing at any particular depth. A water gauge or barometer determined the depth of descent; a compass directed the course, and a ventilator within supplied the vessel with fresh air, when on the surface. The entrance into the vessel was elliptical, and so small as barely to admit one person. This entrance was surrounded by a broad elliptical iron band, the lower edge of which was let into the wood whereof the body of the vessel was made, in such a manner as to give its utmost support to the body of the vessel against the pressure of the water. Above the upper edge of this iron band there was a brass crown or cover, resembling a hat with its crown and brim, which shut water tight upon the iron band. The crown was hung to the BUSHNELL S SUBMARINE BOAT. 19 rto band with hinges, so as to turn over sideways when opened. _o ma-ke it perfectly secure when shut, it might be screwed down lpon the band by the operator, or by a person without. "There were in the brass crown three round doors, one directly n front and one on each side, large enough to put the hand lrough. WVhen open they admitted fresh air. Their shutters;vere ground perfectly tight into their places with emery, and ivere hung with hinges and secured in their places when shut. There were likewise several glass windows in the crown for looking through and for admitting light in the daytime, with'overs to secure them. There were two air pipes in the crown; X ventilator which drew fresh air through one of the air pipes, and discharged it into the lower part of the vessel. " The fresh air introduced by the ventilator expelled the impure air through the other pipe. Both air pipes were so constructed that they shut themselves, whenever the water rose near their tops, so that no water could enter through them. They opened themselves immediately after they rose above the water. The vessel was chiefly ballasted with lead fixed to its bottom. AVhen this was not sufficient, a quantity was placed within, more or less, according to the weight of the operator. Its ballast rendered it so solid that there was no danger of its oversetting. The vessel, with all its appendages and the operator, was of sufficient weight to settle it low in the water. About two hundred pounds of the lead at the bottom for ballast, could be let down forty or fifty feet below the vessel. This enabled the operator to rise instantly to the surface of the water in case of accident. " Vhen the operator desired to descend, he placed his foot upon the top of a brass valve, depressing it, by which he opened a large aperture in the bottom of the vessel, through which the water entered at his pleasure. When he had admitted a sufficient quantity, he descended very gradually. If he admitted too large a quantity, in order to obtain an equilibrium, he ejected as much as was necessary by the two brass forcingpumps which were placed at each end. WVhenever the vessel leaked, or he desired to ascend to the surface, he also made use of these forcing-pumps. ~When the skilful operator had ottained an equilibrium, he could row upward or downward, or continue at any particular depth, with an oar placed near the 20 BUSHNELL'S SUBMARINE BOAT. top of the vessel, formed upon the principle of the screw, the axis of the oar entering the vessel. By turning the oar in one direction he raised the vessel, by turning it the other way he depressed it. A glass tube, eighteen inches long and one inch in diameter, standing upright, its upper end closed, and its lower end, which was open, screwed into a brass pipe, through which the external water had a passage into the glass tube, served as a water-gauge or barometer. "There was a piece of cork, with phosphorus on it, put into the water-gauge, condensing the air within, and bearing the cork on its surface. By the light of the phosphorus, the ascent of the water in the gauge was rendered visible, and the depth of the vessel ascertained by a graduated scale. " An oar formed on the principle of the screw was fixed in the fore part of the vessel; its axis entered the vessel, and, being turned in one direction, rowed the vessel forward; but being turned in the other, rowed backward. It was constructed to be turned by the hand or foot. "A rudder to the hinder part of the vessel, which commanded it with the greatest ease, was made very elastic, and might be used for rowing forward. The tiller was within the vessel, at the operator's right hand, fixed at a right angle on an iron rod which passed through the vessel. * * * "A compass marked with phosphorus directed the course above and under water. "The internal shape of the vessel, in every possible section of it, verged toward an ellipsis, as near as the design would allow; but every horizontal section, although elliptical, was yet as near to a circle as could be admitted. "The body of the vessel was made exceedingly strong; a firm piece of wood was framed parallel to the conjugate diameter, to prevent the sides from yielding to the great pressure of the incumbent water in a deep immersion. This piece of wood was also a seat for the operator. "Every opening was well secured. The pumps had two sets of valves. The aperture at the bottom for admitting water was covered with a plate perforated full of holes, to receive the water and prevent anything from closing the passage or stopping the valve from shutting. The brass valve might likewise be forced into its place with a screw. The air-pipes had a kind of BUSHNELL S TORPEDO. 21 hollow sphere fixed round the top of each, to secure the air-pipe valves from injury. These hollow spheres were perforated full of holes for the passage of air through the pipes; within the air-pipes were shutters to secure them, should any accident happen to the pipes or the valves on their tops. All the joints were exactly made, and were water-tight. "Particular attention was given to bring every part necessary to performing the operation, both within and without the vessel, before the operator, so that everything might be found in the dark. Nothing required the operator to turn to the right hand or the left. "Description of a magazine and its appendages designed to be conveyed by the submarine vessel to the bottom of a ship. "In the fore part of the brim of the crown of the vessel was a socket, and an iron tube passing through the socket; the tube stood upright, and could slide up and down six inches. At the top of the tube was a wood-screw, fixed by means of a rod, which passed through the tube and screwed the wood-screw fast upon the top of the tube. By pushing the wood-screw up against the bottom of a ship, and turning it at the same time, it would enter the planks. When the wood-screw was firmly fixed, it could be cast off by unscrewing the rod which fastened it upon the top of the tube. "Behind the vessel was a place, above the rudder, for carrying a large powder magazine. This was made of two pieces of oak timber, large enough, when hollowed out, to contain an hundred and fifty pounds of powder, with the apparatus used in firing it. A rope extended from the magazine to the woodscrew above mentioned; when the wood-screw was fixed, and to be cast off from its tube, the magazine was to be cast off likewise, leaving it hanging to the wood-screw. It was lighter than water, that it might rise up against the object to which the screw and itself were fastened. "Within the magazine was a clock, constructed to run any proposed length of time under twelve hours; when it had run out its time, it unpinioned a strong lock, resembling a gun lock, which gave fire to the powder. This apparatus was so pinioned that it could not possibly move till, by casting off the magazine from the vessel, it was set in motion. 22 BUSHNELL'S EXPERIMENTS. "The skilful operator could swim so low on the surface as to approach very near a ship in the night without fear of being discovered, and might, if he chose, approach the stem or stern with very little danger. He could sink very quickly, keep at any necessary depth, and row a great distance in any direction he desired without coming to the surface. When he rose to the surface he could soon obtain a fresh supply of air, and, if necessary, he might then descend again and pursue his course. " Exjerimnents Smade to prove the nature and use of a submarine vessel. "The first experiment I made was with about two ounces of powder, which I exploded four feet under water, to prove to some of the first personages in Connecticut that powder would take fire under water. " The second experiment was made with two pounds of powder, enclosed in a wooden bottle, and fired under a hogshead, with a two-inch oak plank between the hogshead and the powder; the hogshead was loaded with stones, as deep as it could swim. A wooden pipe, descending through the lower head of the hogshead and through the plank into the powder contained in the bottle, was primed with powder. A match put to, the priming exploded the powder with a very great effect, rending the plank into pieces, demolishing the hogshead, and casting the stones and ruins of the hogshead, with a body of water, many feet into the air, to the astonishment of the spectators. This experiment was likewise made for the satisfaction of the gentlemen above mentioned. "I afterwards made many experiments of a similar nature, some with large quantities of powder. "In the first essays with the submarine vessel, I took care to prove its strength to sustain the great pressure of the incumbent water, when sunk deep, before I trusted any person to descend much below the surface; and I never suffered any person to go under water without having a strong piece of rigging made fast to it, until I found him well acquainted with the operatiyns necessary for his safety. After that I made him descend and continue at particular depths without rising or sinking; row by the compass; approach a vessel; go under her, and fix the wood ATTEMPT UPON THE " EAGLE." 23 screw into her bottom, etc., until I thought him sufficiently expert to put my design into execution. I found, agreeably to my expectations, that it required many trials to make a person of common ingenuity a skilful operator. The first I employed was very ingenious, and made himself master of the business, but was taken sick in the campaign of 1776, at New York, before he had an opportunity to make use of his skill, and never recovered his health sufficiently afterwards.* "After various attempts to find an operator to my wish, I sent one who appeared more expert than the rest from New York, to a fifty-gun ship, lying near Governor's Island.t He went under the ship and attempted to fasten the wood-screw into her bottom, but struck, as he supposes, a bar of iron. * * * Not being well skilled in the management of the vessel, in attempting to move to another place, he lost the ship, and after seeking her in vain for some time, he rowed some distance and rose to the surface of the water, but found daylight had advanced so far, that he durst not renew the attempt. * * * * On his return from the ship to New York, he passed near Governor's Island, and thought he was discovered by the enemy; he cast off the magazine, as he imagined it retarded him in the swell, which was very considerable.1 " After it had been cast off one hour, the time the internal appara'ts was set to run, it blew up with great violence. "Afterwards, there were two attempts made in Hudson's River, above the city, but they effected nothing. * * * Soon after this the enemy went up the river, and pursued the vessel which had the stlbmarine boat on board, and sunk it with their shot. Though I afterwards recovered the vessel, I found it impossible to prosecute the design any further. I had been in a bad state of health from the beginning of my undertaking, and * This person was Mr. Ezra Bushnell, the brother of the inventor. —T/acher's M1il. Journal, p. 63. t This is a mistake. The ship was the "Eagle," of 64 guns, commanded by Captain Duncan, bearing Lord Howe's flag. The operator was Sergeant Ezra Lee.-Vide Silliman's Journal, vol. ii. No. 1, pp. 95-100 (April, 1820). f For a detailed account of this adventure, see Silliman's Journal, April, 1820, pp. 95-100, where will be found a statement of the operator, Mr. Ezra Lee, taken from his own mouth by Mr. Griswold, and communicated to the Journal by him. 24 ATTEMPT UPON THE " CERBERUS." was now very ill. The situation of public affairs was such, that I despaired of obtaining the public attention and assistance nec3ssary. * * * I therefore gave over the pursuit for that timeand waited for a more favorable opportunity, which never arrived. "In the year 1777, I made an attempt from a whale-boat against the "Cerberus" frigate, then lying at anchor between Connecticut river and New London, by throwing a machine against her side by means of a line. The machine was loaded with powder to be exploded by a gun-lock, which was to be unpinioned by an apparatus, to be turned by being brought alongside of the frigate. This machine fell in with a schooner at anchor, astern of the frigate, and concealed from my sight. By some means or other it was fired, and demolished the schooner and three men, and blew the only one left alive overboard, who was taken up very much hurt.* "After this, I fixed several kegs under water charged with powder, to explode upon touching anything as they floated along with the tide. I set them afloat in the Delaware, above the English shipping at Philadelphia, in December, 1777. I was unacquainted with the river and obliged to depend upon a gentleman very imperfectly acquainted with that part of it, as I afterwards found. WVe went as near the shipping as we durst venture. I believe the darkness of the night greatly deceived him, as it did me. We set them adrift, to fall with the ebb upon the shipping. Had we been within sixty rods, I believe they must have fallen in with them immediately, as I designed; but as I afterwards found, they were set adrift much too far distant, and did not arrive until after being detained some time by the frost; they advanced in the daytime in a dispersed situation and under great disadvantages. "One of them blew up a boat with several persons in it, who imprudently handled it too freely, and thus gave the British that alarm which brought on the'Batttle of the Kegs.' The above vessel, magazine, etc., were projected in the year 1771, but not completed until the year 1775. D. BUSHNELL." * See copy of Commodore Symons' letter to Rear-Admiral Sir Peter Parker, infra. GEN. WASHINGTON ON TORPEDOES. 25 The following is an extract from a letter of General Washington's to Mr. Jefferson, dated MIount Vernon, 26th September, 1785, two years previous to the foregoing communication: "I am sorry that I cannot give you full information respecting Bushnell's projects for the destruction of ships. No interesting experiments having been made, and my memory being bad, I may in some measure be mistaken in what I am about to relate. Bushnell is a man of great mechanical powers, fertile in inventions and master of execution. He came to me in 1776, recommended by Governor Trumbull and other respectable characters, who were converts to his plans. Although I wanted faith myself, I furnished him with money and other aids to carry his plan into execution. He labored for some time ineffectually, and, though the advocates for his schemes continued sanguine, he never did succeed. One accident or another always intervened. I then thought, and still think, that it was an effort of genius, but that too many things were necessary to be combined to expect much from the issue against an enemy who are always upon guard. "That he had a machine so contrived as to carry him under water at any depth he chose, and for a considerable time and distance, with an appendage charged with powder, which he could fasten to a ship, and give fire to it in time sufficient for his returning, and by means thereof destroy it, are facts, I believe, which admit of little doubt. But, then, where it was to operate against an enemy, it was no easy matter to get a person hardy enough to encounter the variety of dangers to which he would be exposed-first, from the novelty; secondly, from the difficulty of conducting the machine and governing it under water, on account of the current; and thirdly, from the consequent uncertainty of hitting the object devoted to destruction, without rising frequently above water for fresh observations, which, when near the vessel, would expose the adventurer to discovery, and to almost certain death. To these causes I always ascribed the failure of his plans, as he wanted nothing that I could furnish to insure the success of it. " This, to the best of my recollection, is a true statement of the case; but Humphreys, if I mistake not, being one of his con 26 OFFICIAL SANCTION TO THE SYSTEM. verts, will be able to give you a more perfect account of it than I have clone." * That the Connecticut authorities were converts to Mir. Bushnell's plans will appear more fully from the following extracts from the acts of the Governor and Council of Safety, or the Committee of War, called by the Governor, and held at different places, from the 7th day of June, 1775, until the 6th day of Miay, 1778: "1776. In session, February 2 (New Haven). —Mr. Bushnell, by request of the Governor and Council, appeared before them, and gave an account of his machine for blowing up ships, etc., which he explained. After he retired, the Governor and Council voted that they were under obligations of secrecy respecting the machine, and that the Deputy-Governor should reward Mr. Bushnell for his trouble and expenses for attending, and inform him that the Governor and Council fully approved of his plan, and would like to have him proceed, and make every necessary preparation and experiment about it, with expectation of proper notice and reward." "1777. In session, April 22 (Lebanon).-David Bushnell, with Colonel Huntington, appeared before the Governor and Council, and exhibited a specimen of a new invention for annoying ships, etc. (torpedo). The Governor and Council gave him an order on officers, agents, and commissaries, to afford him assistance of men, boats, powder, lead, etc., as he might want, delivered him without stint." The latter invention was probably the one with which, a few months afterwards, he made the attempt upon the "Cerberus," the result of which is described in the following letter from Commodore Symons to Rear-Admiral Sir Peter Parker, dated August 15, 1777: "Wednesday night, being at anchor to the westward of New London in Black Point Bay, the schooner I had taken, at anchor close by me, astern, about eleven o'clock at night, we discovered * Sparks' Washington, vol. ix., pp. 134-5. CoM. SYMONS' REPORT. 27 a line towing astern that came from[ the bows; we immediately conjectured that it was somebody that had veered himself away by it, and began to haul in; we then found that the schooner had got hold of it (who had taken it for a fishing line), gathered in near fifteen fathom, which was buoyed up by little bits of sticks at stated distances, until he came to the end, at which was fastened a machine, which was too heavy for one man to haul up, being upwards of 100 cwt.; the other people of the boat turning out, assisted him, got it upon deck, and were unfortunately examining it too curiously, when it went off like the sound of a gun, blew the boat to pieces, and set her in a flame, killed the three men that were in the stern; the fourth, who was standing forward, was blown into the water; I hoisted out the boat, and picked him up much hurt; as soon as he could recollect himself, he gave me the following description, as near as he could remember. It was two vessels shaped like a boat, about twenty inches long, and a foot broad, secured to each other at the distance of four feet, by two iron bars, one at each end, and an iron tube or gun-barrel in the centre, which was loose (as he had himself turned it round with his hand); they swam one over the other, the upper one keel upwards; the lower swam properly, but was so under water as just to keep the upper one a few inches above the surface; to the after iron bar hung a fiat board, to which was fixed a wheel about six inches in diameter, and communicated itself to one on the upper side of the boat, of a lesser diameter; opposite to these was another wheel, on the flat of the under one or loaded vessel, which had likewise communication with the wheels of the upper boat; it was covered with lead, and the keel heavily loaded in order to keep it down in the water. " The fatal curiosity of the seamen (who unfortunately had been bred in working in iron) set this wheel agoing, which it did with great ease backwards'and forwards, and during their looking at it, which was about five minutes from the time of its being first put in motion, it burst. Upon examining round the ship after this accident, we found the other part of the line on the larboard side buoyed up in the same manner, which I ordered to bet cut away immediately for fear of haulin,&' up another machine, which I concluded was fast at the end, and Pmight burst when near the ship. 28 COM. SYMONS' REPORT. "The mode these villains must have taken to have swiftered the ship, must have been to have rowed off in the stream a considerable distance ahead of the ship, leaving one of their infernals in shore, and floating the other at the distance of the line, which, from the quantity that we have got on board (near 70 fathoms), and what the man tells me they saved in the schooner, which was upwards of 150 fathom more, must have been near 300 fathom; they at the length of this. line put the other in the water, and left it for the tide to float down, which in this place runs very strong. "As the ingenuity of these people is singular in their secret modes of mischief, and as I presume this is their first essay, I have thought it indispensably my duty to return and give you the earliest information of the circumstances, to prevent the like fatal accident happening to any of the advanced ships that may possibly be swiftered in the same manner, and to forbid all seamen from attempting hauling the line, or bringing the vessel near the ship, as it is filled with that kind of combustible that burns though in the water. "I am, sir, etc., "J. SYMONS. "To Rear-Admiral Sin PETER PARKER. "P. S. Having made a model as near as I could, from the description of the man who was saved, and sending for him to inquire if the model represented the machine he saw, he informed me the large wheel on the flat of the upper board was made of wood, with iron spokes, sharp at the end and projected about an inch without the gunwale of the boat, in order to strike into the side in hauling up, and by that means set the wheels in motion, which in five minutes after it had been moved by the people, burst; it is therefore very fortunate I ordered the other to be cut away, for had it touched under the hollow of the counter, in hauling up, so as to set the wheels in motion, there is no knowing what damage it might have done, either to the ship or people."* * For further information concerning Bushnell's apparatus and experiment, see Lendrum's Am. Bev., vol. ii., pp. 163-164; Thacher's M1il. Journal, ed. 1817, pp. 63, 121-124, 361-362; Morse's Am. Geog., ed. 1805, vol. i., r. 454; Allen's Am. Biog. Dict., 3d ed. 1857, p. 174; HIinman's HIistor. Collections of BATTLE OF THE KEGS. 29 The following winter we find Mr. Bushnell engaged in fresh adventures with a third contrivance, of which we have no particular description. We only know that it was a floating torpedo in the shape of a keg, and designed to explode by contact. According to some accounts, one of these kegs demolished a vessel near the Long Island shore. About Christmas, 1777, he set out from Bordentown and proceeded down the Delaware, casting adrift a great number of his kegs, in order to annoy the British shipping at Philadelphia. Unluckily, the very night of his enterprise the vessels were hauled into the docks to avoid the ice. The enemy were sufficiently alarmed, however, to man the wharves and shipping, and open a brisk fire upon every floating object. This engagement was made the subject of a humorous song, entitled " The Battle of the Kegs," by the Honorable Francis Hopkinson, the author of "Hail, Columbia," which is an amusing relic of the times, and will be found in the works of that author. Mr. Bushnell served throughout the war under a commission as Captain in the corps of Sappers and Miners. At his death, an unfinished model was found amongst his effects, which was evidently intended for a torpedo. It serves to show that, notwithstanding his failures, his mind still clung to the great project of his life. Connecticut; Works of David Humphries, pp. 298-303; 3Memoirs af Gen. Heath, p. 69; Lossing's Field Book Rev., vol. ii., p. 814; Catter's Life of Putnam, pp. 227, 232; Hoewe's Am. Mech., p. 136. 3 30 ROBERT FULTON. CHAPTER III. ROBERT FULTON PROPOSES THE TORPEDO SYSTEM TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.-PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FRENCH CONSULATE.-DESCRIPTION OF HIS FIRST MACHINE, THE c NAUTILUS." -EXPERIMENTS.-M. ST. AUBIN S REPORT. —FULTON IN ENGLAND.CATAMARAN EXPEDITION.-DESTRUCTION OF,THE DOROTHEA.-ALARMI OF THE ENGLISH AT THE RESULTS.-FULTON S PLANS ABANDONED IN ENGLAND.-PAYMENT TO HIM OF ~15,000.-HIS RETURN TO THE U. S. AND EXPERIMIENTS THERE.-RECEIVES GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE.DESCRIPTION OF HIS TORPEDOES.-ATTEMPT UPON THE U. S. S. "CARGUS." -OPPOSITION ENCOUNTERED FROM COM. RODGERS, AND HIS OFFICIAL REPORT.-REPORTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.-FULTON S EXPLANATIONS. -ATTEMPT UPON ENGLISH SHIPS DURING THE WAR OF 1812. The subject seems to have slept and been forgotten for a period of twenty years, when Robert Fulton, sojourning in France, revived the system, and proposed it to the Government of that country. He seems to have had a correct idea of the vast power of submarine explosions, and his busy and inventive genius was wholly given to the development and recognition of the system as a legitimate means of warfare. In the year 1797 Fulton constructed a machine by which he designed " to impart to carcasses of gunpowder a progressive motion under water to a given point, and there explode them." The French Government, to which he applied for aid to carry on his experiments, rejected his plans as entirely impracticable, although he held out to it the seductive prospect, " To deliver them and all the world from British oppression " by their adoption.* The change in the government, by which Napoleon became its head, with the title of First Consul, gave him new hope, and he renewed his application for assistance with such suc* Admiral Dacres, to whom Fulton explained his plans, is reported to have treated the proposition and the proposer with great contempt, saying, as he turned him out of his office, " Go, sir, your invention may be of use to the Algerines and corsairs, but learn that France has not yet abandoned the ocean." FULTON S PLUNGING-BOAT. 31 cess that a commission was appointed to give him the desired means, and to witness and report the result of his experiments. Fulton immediately built a plunging-boat, which, like all new and strange inventions, was very far from perfect in its arrangements, and, with a daring rarely equalled, he commenced a series of experiments, which cannot be stigmatized as failures. His faith in his invention is evinced by the boldness with which he risked his life. On the 3d of July, 1801, in the harbor of Brest, with several companions, he descended in his boat to the depth of twenty-five feet from the surface, where he remained for one hour in utter darkness. He then ascended, and, provided with candles, again descended, remaining, however, but a short time, as the burning candles made great inroads upon his stock of air, of which he had no other supply than that contained in the boat itself. Having demonstrated to his satisfaction that he could descend to any given depth and reascend to the surface at will, and that he could live for a considerable time without fresh supplies of air, he improved his machine by the addition of windows of thick glass, a wheel and crank to give the boat locomotion above as well as below the surface, and masts and sails capable of being struck in a few moments, when he desired to plunge. He also added an'air chamber of copper of a cubic foot capacity, into which he compressed two hundred atmospheres, intended as a reserve supply of air. With the machine thus improved, Fulton repeatedly descended to various depths, and succeeded in moving about under water in any desired direction at the rate of about one mile per howr; and upon one occasion remained beneath the surface for the space of four hours and twenty minutes, when he came to the surface without experiencing any inconvenience from so long a stay. Satisfied with the performance of his boat, he next made numerous experiments with his " submarine bombs," to which he now gave the name " torpedoes," and baptized the boat "Nautilus." 32 M. ST. AUBIN'S REPORT. By the direction of the Commissioners a small vessel was provided, and Fulton directed to destroy it. He placed under the vessel a torpedo containing but twenty pounds of powder, by means of the "Nautilus," which speedily blew her into fragments. This seems to be the first instance on record of the effect of submarine explosions upon ships. It occurred in August, 1801. M. St. Aubin, a member of the Commission gives, in the Journal de Commerce of the 20th of January, 1802, an account of Fulton's experiments, from which the following curious extract is taken: "The diving-boat, in the construction of which M. Fulton is now employed, will be capacious enough to contain eight men and provisions for twenty days, and will be of sufficient strength and power to enable him to plunge one hundred feet under water, if necessary. He has contrived a reservoir of air which will enable eight men to remain under water eight hours. When the boat is above water it has two sails, and looks like a common sail-boat; when it is to dive, the masts and sails are struck. In making his experiments, Al. Fulton not only remained a whole hour under water with three companions, but kept the boat parallel with the surface at any given depth. He proved that the compass points as correctly under water as on the surface, and that while under water the boat made way at the rate of half a league an hour, by means contrived for the purpose. " It is not twenty years since all Europe was astonished at the first ascension of men in balloons; perhaps in a few years they will not be less surprised to see a flotilla of diving-boats, which, on a given signal, shall, to avoid the pursuit of an enemy, plunge under water, and rise again several leagues from the place where they drescended! But if we have not succeeded in steering the balloon, and even were it impossible to attain that object, the case is different with the diving-boat, which can be conducted under water in the same manner as upon the surface. With these qualities, it is fit for carrying secret orders, to succor a blockaded port, and to examine the force and position of an enemy in their harbors. These are sure and evident benefits which the diving-boat at present promises. But who can foresee all the consequences of this discovery, or the improvements of FULTON IN ENGLAND, 33 which it is susceptible? MI. Fulton has already added to his boat a machine, by means of which he blew up a large boat in the harbor of Brest; and if by future experiments the same effects can be produced upon frigates and ships of the line, what will become of navies, and where will sailors be found to man ships of war, when it is a physical certainty that they may at any moment be blown into the air by means of diving-boats, against which no human foresight can guard them?" * It must be borne in mind that all Fulton's experiments with plunging-boats were made with the machine originally constructed, improved from time to time, as new ideas suggested themselves or difficulties arose. Owing to lack of means and encouragement, the boat St. Aubin refers to was never completed.. Failing in inducing the French Government to adopt or further his schemes, and, it is alleged, at the solicitation of friends in England, Fulton withdrew to that country, in the hope of obtaining the countenance and assistance he needed to demonstrate the value of his system and put it into practical operation. Fulton arrived in London in Mlay, 1804, and proceeded at once to lay his torpedo and plunging-boat schemes before the British Ministry.t Ie assumed the name of Francis, in * Niles' Register, vol. iv., p. 366; also, European llfagazine, April, 1812, p. 245. t LONDON, Dec. 13, 1808.-About three years ago, a man of grave and mys. terious carriage of body made his appearance in a certain class of fashionable society in London, under the name of Francis; it was shortly whispered about that he was a Yankee American, whose real name was Fulton, expatriated for reasons of State. He was undoubtedly an intelligent and ingenious man, which recommended him to the notice of several scientific persons in the metropolis, under whose patronage he was encouraged to lay certain projects before this Government; among the rest was the submarine bomb, which he palmed upon his official patrons as an original invention of his own, to be transferred exclusively to the use and behoof of the English nation. * * Mr. Francis, alias Fulton, received a very liberal gratuity, and took himself off. He had hardly gone when it was discovered that he had been hawking his secret at Paris. * * * The invention is at least ten years old, and is attributed to a Mr. Bushnell; so that unless Mr. F. can make out a right to that name by an additional alias, he is liable to the imputation of having received our money under false pretences. —Nav. Chron., vol. xx., p. 452. 34 ENGLISH EXPERIMENTS. order, as was supposed, to conceal his identity from the French. Mr. Pitt, then Prime Minister of England, was greatly impressed with the importance of the proposed system, and exclaimed, when the force of submarine explosions were explained to him, that " Such a system, if successfully introduced into practice, could not fail to annihilate all military marines." Lords Mulgrave, Melville, and Castlereagh all manifested great interest in the plans of Fulton, and determined upon a course of experiments which should test their value. A commission was accordingly appointed in June to examine and report upon the torpedo and pllunging-boat system. The commissioners were Sir Joseph Banks, Mlr. Cavendish, Sir Home Popham, Major Congreve, and John Rennie. It was a long time before they met, and when they did they at once pronounced the. plunging-boat scheme entirely impracticable. In October, 1804, an expedition against the French shipping lying at Bologne, called the " Catamaran Expedition," was fitted out with a view to test Fulton's torpedoes. Owing to a variety of causes, it failed of results.* A year afterwards another attempt was made, Fulton himself accompanying the expedition. Two officers-Captain Siccombe and Lieutenant Payne, of the navy-succeeded, with their boats, in placing two of Fulton's torpedoes, united by a couplingline, between the buoys and cables of two French men-ofwar lying in the harbor of Boulogne. In both cases the torpedoes exploded without inflicting any damage upon the vessels.t Fulton accounted for the failure to destroy them * The Catamaran Expedition was proposed by Fulton, and carried out, under his superintendence, by Admiral Lord Keith, commanding the English squadron off the coast of France, whose official report will be found in the NVaval Chron., vol. xiv., p. 314. The " coffers" or catamarans, were shaped like a coffin, were made of plank lined with lead, and exploded by clock-work. A reward was given for bringing off the pin which started it in motion. They were towed in amongst the French ships at night by boats, and cast adrift so as to foul the hawses of the ships. Many exploded, but no serious damage resulted. t For the French official report of this attack, see Nav. Chir. vol. xiv., p. 339. DESTRUCTION OF THE "DOROTHEA."' 35 by the fact that the torpedoes exploded on the surface and alongside the vessels, instead of beneath them, and to insure thereafter this necessary condition, he united the couplingline to the torpedoes by means of a span, asshown in PI. II., Fig. 3. This arrangement, he averred, would cause the torpedo to dive beneath the bottom of the ship when influenced by the tide. P1. II., Figs. 2, 3, and 4, illustrates this idea. * These failures, however well accounted for, threw great discredit upon the proposed system. Mr. Pitt alone still believed in Fulton, and encouraged him to persevere. He caused a stout Danish brig, the " Dorothea," to be provided and anchored near his own country seat at Deal, which, after repeated experiments with his new coupling-line, Fulton succeeded in blowing to atoms with a torpedo containing 170 pounds of powder. This occurred on the 15th of October, 1805, in the presence of a large concourse of spectators, amongst whom were the commissioners and a number of naval and military officers of high rank, one of whom, Captain Kingston, loudly asserted, a few minutes before the "Dorothea" was blown up, that " If one of the machines were placed underneath his cabin while he was at dinner, he should feel no concern for the consequences." t * Fulton's Torpedo War. t DEAL, Oct. 16, 1805.-On Monday, MIr. Francis, who last year contrived the Catamaran Expedition, and constructed the machines which Sir Home Popham ran among the enemy's flotilla at Boulogne, arrived here from Dover, to blow up a brig of 300 tons with his newly-invented catamarans. * * * Great crowds assembled on the beach near Walmer Castle, opposite which the brig lay. I saw several people working about her, but till dark the brig remained unhurt, and the people, much disappointed, very liberally cursed Mr. Francis and his catamarans. On Tuesday he appeared on the beach with Lady Stanhope, niece to Mr. Pitt, and tied his pockethandkerchief to his cane, made a signal to the brig. A galley darted out from the brig and threw something into the water. Mr. Francis drew out his watch, and turning to the lady, said: "Fifteen minutes is her time." In sixteen minutes the explosion took place. * * * It is impossible to conceive of a more complete decomposition of a vessel, or a more dreadful crash of materials. It was the most curious experiment of modern times, for who would not have concluded that the powder would spend its force 36 ALARM OF THE ENGLISH AUTHORITIES. Fulton was highly elated with his success, and, in a letter to Lord Castlereagh, thus describes the experiment.: "Yesterday, about four o'clock, I made the intended experiment on the brig, with a carcass of one hundred and seventy pounds of powder. Exactly in fifteen minutes after drawing the peg and throwing the carcass into the water, the explosion took place. It lifted the brig almost bodily, and broke her in two. The ends sunk immediately, and in one minute nothing was to be seen of her but floating fragments. In fact, her annihilation was complete, and the effect most extraordinary. The power, as I had calculated, passed in a right line through her body, that being the line of the least resistance, and carried all before it. At the time of her going up, she did not appear to make more resistance than a bag of feathers, and went to pieces like a shattered egg-shell." The success of this experiment, showing as it did the vast power of submarine explosions, alarmed the English, and particularly the naval authorities. The Earl St. Vincent, when Fulton explained the torpedo, and the result of the " Dorothea" experiment, reflected for some time, and then said: "Pitt was the greatest fool that ever existed, to encourage a mode of war which they who commanded the seas did not want, and which, if successful, would deprive them of it." England at this time was mistress of the seas, a distinction gained by many a hard battle fought upon the ocean. Her fleets scoured the seas, attacked the fortified harbors, and destroyed the commerce of her enemies. Her navy was, as now, the pride and first object of solicitude of her rulers and people, and, more than all else combined, gave to her the position she held amongst the nations of Europe. It is natural that she should have viewed with dislike a project which by any possibility would weaken or tend to neutralize the power she enjoyed by virtue of the strength upon the water, which is movable, and not pass through the strong bottom of a ship? Why was the report so inconsiderable when the effect was so great?-Nav. Chron., vol. xiv., p. 342. P1.I. C D.VAN NOSTRAN't), Pu.I..... -T -I), _bi__h —D _._AN NOST [LAsN, Ptblisher. FULTON IN AERICA. 37 of her navy and the seaman-like qualities of her people, and it is asserted that propositions were now made to Fulton, for a sum of money, to suppress his inventions, so that none should derive any advantage from them, and that he refused the offer with great indignation. * At all events, no one could now be found to listen to him, and Fulton at last turned his attention to his own country for the material aid and encouragement so necessary to the prosecution of his plans. He returned to New York in December, 1806, and immediately presented his schemes for submarine war to the Secretary of State, Mr.'Madison, and the Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Smith. A certain sum was authorized to be expended under Fulton's direction. A vessel was prepared to be submitted to his operations, which, after many fruitless efforts and great disappointment, he succeeded in blowing up on the 20th of July, 1807, in the harbor of New York, with results similar to those in the " Dorothea" experiment. This experiment was advertised to come off at a certain hour, and a large number of spectators assembled to witness it. For reasons afterwards explained, it was not until several * IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, HOUSE OF LORDS, Tuesday, June 5, 1810.-Earl Stanhope adverted to the experiments tried some years back off the French. coast, and since then in America, by a Mr. Fulton, for the ascertaining of a mischievous and horrid mode of destroying vessels of any size while floating in the water. He then went through the history of these terrible inventions. * * * This person (Fulton) was invited over here, and his Lordship had seen an engagement between him, Mr. Pitt, and Lord Melville, agreeing, in certain events, to give him ~40,000. After the failure of the trial at Boulogne, his claim was referred to certain scientific umpires, who awarded him ~15,000. Since then he has made experiments in America, where both Jefferson and Madison were present. His Lordship was led, at the present moment particularly, to this motion, by a pamphlet he had just received from America, containing the particulars, with plates illustrative of the nature and effects of the invention. [Fulton's Torpedo War.] What he wanted to know was this-what had been done by Government in the way of providing a remedy, and to what extent? For the purpose of ascertaining this, he had framed a motion, which he read, describing an account of the measures taken to counteract the effects of these submarine carcasses and explosions, and of the torpedo triggers, etc., etc. The motion was lost by a majority of seventeen votes. 38 GOVERNMENT COMMISSION APPOINTED. hours after the time announced for the explosion, and repeated trials, that the result was accomplished. The experiment was generally denounced as a failure, although it afforded additional proof of the annihilating effects of submarine explosions. In a letter addressed to the authorities of New York, Fulton explained the imperfections of his torpedoes to be purely mechanical, and easily overcome. In this letter he asserts that the weight of the gun-locks capsized the torpedoes when placed in the water, and threw out the primings in the pans; and added: "Having now clearly demonstrated the great effect of explosions under water, it is easy to conceive that, by organization and practice, the application of torpedoes will, like every other art, progress in perfection. Little difficulties and errors will occur in the commencement, as has been the case with all new inventions; but where there is little risk, little expense, and so much to be gained, it is worthy of consideration whether this system should not have a fair trial. Gunpowder has, within the last three hundred years, totally changed the art of war, and all my reflections have led me to believe that this application of it will, in a few years, put a stop to maritime wars, give that liberty on the seas which has been so long and anxiously desired by every good man, and secure to America that liberty of commerce, tranquillity, and independence which will enable her citizens to apply their mental and corporeal faculties to useful and humane pursuits, to the improvement of our country and the happiness of our whole people." Not discouraged by the seeming indifference of the people, or deterred by failures, Fulton addressed himself with renewed energy to the task of arousing interest and confidence in his plans. He published a pamphlet entitled "Torpedo War; or, Submarine Explosions," with the motto, "The liberty of the seas will be the happiness of the earth." It was addressed to the President and to both Houses of Congress, and it contained a description of his torpedoes, the manner of using them, and an account of all his experiments. The result of his unwearied importunities was an act of FULTON S APPARATUS. 39 Congress, passed March 30, 1810, authorizing the expenditure of $5,000, under the directions of the Secretary of the Navy, in trying practically the use of torpedoes. A commission was duly appointed to witness the experiments and report results. * Commodore Rodgers and Captain Chauncey, of the Navy, were also directed to assist in every way in giving the system a fair trial. In the month of September, 1810, the commissioners met Mr. Fulton in New York, who proceeded to explain his torpedoes and methods of operating them. The following are the descriptions of these machines: P1. I., Fig. 1, represents the anchored torpedo, so arranged as to blow up the vessel which should run against it. B is a copper case, two feet long, twelve inches diameter, containing one hundred pounds of powder. A is a brass box containing a lock similar to a gun-lock, with a barrel two inches long, to contain a musket charge of powder; the box, with lock cocked and barrel charged, is screwed to the copper case. H is a lever attached to the lock and holding it ready to fire. C is a deal box filled with cork, lashed to the case (B). The cork renders the torpedo about 15lbs. lighter than water; it is held by the weight (F) and anchor (G). During flood tide it will rest as represented; at slack water it will stand at D, at ebb tide at E. Fulton proposed an arrangement to be attached to the box (C), which would hold the torpedo under water for a day, week, or month, and then lock the lever (H) and permit the torpedo to rise to the surface and to be handled with safety. P1. I., Fig. 2, represents a clock-work torpedo, as prepared for the attack of a vessel while at anchor or under sail, by. harpooning her in the bow. B is a copper case for 100lbs. of powder. C, cork cushion bored with holes to make it sink rapidly. A, a cylindrical brass box 7 inches in diameter, 2 inches deep, in which is a gun-lock and. barrel for charge and wad, which is to be fired into the powder. In the * The commissioners were Chancellor Livingston, Morgan Lewis, Cadwallacler D. Colden, John Kemp, Oliver Wolcott, John Garnett, and Jonathan Williams. 40 FULTON S APPARATUS. brass box (A) there is a piece of clock-work which, being wound and set, will let the lock strike fire at any desired interval after drawing out the pin at K. D is a pine box ten or fifteen pounds lighter than water, and floats on the surface. The line from it to the torpedo is the " suspending line," in length equal to the estimated draft of the ship to be attacked, or eight or ten feet longer than that draft, so that it may bend around her sides. A span connects the float and torpedo, and is united to the harpoon line at E. The harpoon line should be about fifty feet long, to bring the torpedo underneath the bottom when the ship is harpooned in the bow. The harpoon (K) is of iron, two feet long, half an inch in diameter, made large at one end to fit the bore of the gun. The line is spliced into the eye of the harpoon; a link runs on the shaft to which the line is fastened, so that when in the gun it makes a loop as at H. When fired, the line straightens and acts as the tail of a rocket and guides the harpoon straight. F is the harpoon gun, to work on a swivel fixed in the stern sheets of a boat. The object of harpooning the ship in the bow is to fix the end of the torpedo line, so that the tide, or her action through the water, will draw the torpedo under her. This was the form of torpedo used against the " Dorothea" and the hulk in New York bay; the gun and harpoon were after-thoughts of Fulton's. P1. II., Fig. 1, represents the boat, torpedo and gun, arranged for attack, and sufficiently explains itself. P1. II., Fig. 5, illustrates Fulton's ideas of the use of the span, and the position the torpedo would assume when at-.tached by the harpoon and line to the bow of the ship. P1. II., Fig. 6, represents the torpedo boats rowing to attack a ship with torpedoes and harpoons, which Fulton explained to be an entirely practicable scheme. He entered into a comparison of the force and cost of a frigate, and his boats manned and armed; and, estimating the frigate equal in the number of her crew to fifty boats, demonstrated to his own complete satisfaction that the torpedo boats must prevail in a contest between them and the ship, while the cost would (1,},.-1__ / X —---—, tL, i~~...... _ —_........ ( T < 2 0 /4z1 1_ _,, ~Y - 2 L - -- A __ ct.~ ~~~~ ) ~-~ ~~~a' n~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~ D V,_I NO ~D )u_ i\. I, Ad X \~~~~~~I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ ~ ~~~~_ _ _ _ __ 3 (2)~~~l; IY~~~~~I ~- ( i.V~Q( __ _ _ _ _ _ D ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 3 -A 0.uV ~ifse "ARGUS" EXPERIMENTS. 41 be $24,000 for the boats, and $400,000 for the frigate. Fulton proposed himself to lead such an attack, if occasion offered, and the boats were provided. He estimated the number of boats, etc., necessary for the defence of the ports of the United States as follows: 650 boats, 1400 anchoring torpedoes, 1300 clock-work torpedoes, the total cost of which would be $531,000. " Here," said Fulton, " we have perfect security of our ports and harbors at a cost but little greater than a single frigate! "* The particulars above enumerated embody the plans laid by him before the commissioners. The plnnging-boat project was by this time entirely abandoned by him, and he substituted for it an arrangement much more practicable, which will be alluded to hereafter. For the purpose of fully testing these plans, the sloop-ofwar " Argus," then lying off the New York Navy Yard, under the command of the gallant Lawrence, was directed to be prepared to receive an attack from Fulton's machines, Commodore Rodgers assuming charge of the preparations. He had expressed great incredulity as to the value of the inventions, but made such arrangements to meet the attack as argued a greater belief in their power than he was willing to admit. He surround ed the " Argus" with nets to the ground, booms, swinging spars armed with scythes, to sweep off the heads of persons approaching in boats, and hung heavy weights to the yard-arms and rigging; in fact, he so encumbered his vessel with defensive preparations, that her efficiency as a man-of-war was materially interfered with. When all was ready, the commissioners met, and Fulton endeavored in vain to operate his machines. He finally abandoned the attempt, and acknowledged that the ingenuity of the Commodore in defending his vessel was greater than his in attacking it; but argued that 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. * The drawings which are here used are copies from Fulton's designs in his " Torpedo War." 4-2 FULTON S TORPEDO BLOCK-SHIP. Fulton tried his harpoon-gun at a target with but poor success, and showed his stationary torpedoes anchored in a tide-way; he also made a few experiments with a " cablecutter," which resulted in nothing. Commodore Rodgers was particularly active in his endeavors to defeat Fulton's plans, and met him at all points with objections and bluff ridicule of his inventions. Ile showed to the commissioners the effect of grape and canister upon boats, by firing carronades at one within range, and particularly ridiculed Fulton's boat attack and cable-cutter. He disliked the whole system, while his sensitiveness and pride in his profession seem to have been wounded by Fulton's pretensions to do away with navies with his cheap contrivances. During the course of the investigation, Fulton proposed a torpedo-boat, which particularly called forth the Commodore's animadversions. In his journal of the proceedings of the commissioners, he thus describes it: " 3r. Fulton exhibited a model of a vessel of three hundred tons, in the presence of Colonel Williams, Captain Chauncey, and myself, and some other gentlemen of similar curiosity, which he called a'torpedo block-ship,' the sides of which were calculated (he said) to be cannon-proof, and the decks proof against musket-shot, the former being, six feet thick and the latter six inches. " This vessel is intended to be armed with two torpedoes on each side, which are to be applied by means of a spar ninetysix feet long, projecting from the vessel's side, supported at the inner end by a double circular swivel, and at the outward end by guys leading from the mastheads. For the particulars of this singlar vessel (which to my mind deserves the name of'Nondescript'), I leave the reader to make his own conclusions from the figure annexed, and by which alone he will be enabled to judge whether such torpid, unwieldy, six-feet sided, six-inch decked, fifteen-sixteenths sunk water-dungeons are calculated to supersede the necessity of a navy, particularly when the men who manage them are, as is intended, confined to the limits of their holds, which will be under water, and in as perfect darkness as ff shut vp in the Black Hole of Calcutta!" COMMISSIONIERS' REPORTS. 43. 4 "RrEFERENCES: 1.'Bowsprit. 2. Hull of vessel. 3. Four long booms, with a torpedo on each. 4. Bumpkins, on which the booms are supported 5. A skull wheel, which is intended to propel this vessel against the tide." The gallant but apparently disgusted Commodore takes leave of the subject by stating: " His (Fulton's) torpedoes, so far from being of the importance which he had considered them, were, on a more thorough examination of their principles, assisted by all the practice of which he himself had supposed them susceptible, found, to say the least, comparatively of no importance at all; consequently they ought not to be relied on as a means of national defence." The commissioners were differently impressed by the few experiments made-Messrs. Livingston, Lewis, and Colden each making separate reports, the others uniting in a joint report. All agreed that the experiments were failures, and attributed the results to the active, determined opposition of Commodore Rodgers. Chancellor Livingston, in a long and interesting paper, thus concluded his remarks: "Upon the whole, I view this application of powder as one of the most important military discoveries which some centuries have produced. It appears to me to be capable of effecting the absolute security of your ports against naval aggression, provided that in connection with it the usual means necessary to occupy the attention of the enemy be not neglected." 44 FULTON'S FINAL REPORT. Mr. Lewis in his report says: " The submarine use of gunpowder will, at no distant day, be entitled to rank among the best and cheapest defences of ports and harbors. Torpedoes will certainly meet with opposition from adverse interests, deep-rooted prejudices, and perhaps foreign attachments. Their advocates will have to encounter the pertness of the witlings of the day. Still, I trust the system will not be deserted while even a distant prospect of its becoming useful shall remain." Mr. Colden thought Fulton's experiments failed for want of experience, and on account of the energy of the " nautical gentlemen;" but was confident that "this application of gunpowder might produce greater changes in the world than have been made by it since its introduction into Europe." The others expressed no decided opinions as to the value of Fulton's plans, but united in urging the necessity of a Government institution to which such subjects could be appropriately referred. These reports, forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy, had the effect of arresting all further investigation, the opinions of Commodore Rodgers, more than all others, operating to destroy what little confidence existed in the public mind in regard to the system. Fulton, wearied with his unsuccessful efforts, took leave of the subject of torpedoes for ever, in a characteristic letter to the Secretary of the Navy, from which the following extracts are taken. Having reviewed the reports of the commissioners, he says: "It is proved and admitted, first, that the water-proof locks will ignite gunpowder under water. Secondly, it is proved that seventy pounds of powder exploded under the bottom of a vessel of 200 tons will blow her up; hence it is admitted that if a sufficient quantity-and which I believe need not be more than 200lbs.-be ignited under the bottom of a first-rate man-of-war, it would instantly destroy her. * * * W~ith these immensely important principles proved and admitted, the question naturally occurs, whether there be within the genius or inventive faculties TORPEDOES IN 1812. 45 of man, the means of placing a torpedo under a ship in defiance of her powers of resistance. "He who says there is not, and that consequently torpedoes never can be rendered useful, must of course believe that he has penetrated to the limits of man's inventive powers, and that he has contemplated all the combinations and arrangements which present or future ingenuity can devise, to place a torpedo under a ship. " I will now do justice to the talents of Commodore Rodgers. The nets, booms, kentledge, and grapnels, which he arranged around the "Argus," made at first sight a formidable appearance against one torpedo-boat and eight bad oarsmen. I was taken unawares. I had explained to the navy officers my means of attack, they did not inform me of their measures of defence; the nets were put down to the ground, or I should have sent my torpedoes under them. I might be compared to what Bartholomew Schwartz, the inventor of gunpowder, would have appeared had he lived at the time of Julius Cesar, and presented himself before the gates of Rome with a four-pounder, and endeavored to convince the Roman legions that with such a machine he could batter down the walls and take the city: a few catapultas, casting arrows and stones, would have caused him to retreat; a shower of rain would destroy his ill-guarded powder, and the Roman centurions would therefore call his machine a useless invention, while the manufacturers of catapultas, bows, arrows, and shields, would be the most vehement against further experiments! "I had not one man instructed in the use of the machines, nor had I time to reflect on this mode of defending a vessel. I have now, however, had time, and I feel confident that I have discovered a means which will render nets to the ground, booms, kentlecl'e, oars with sword-blades through the port-holes, and all such operations, totally useless." However, despite Fulton's energy and enthusiasm, and his thorough belief in the system, other more important projects connected with steam navigation, forced him to abandon his schemes, and public interest in them ceased. The war of 1812 afforded many opportunities for testing practically the value of torpedoes as a means of attack upon 4 46 ATTEMPT UPON H. M. S. " RAMILIES." ships, and it is not, therefore, surprising that attempts should have been made by individuals, not authorized by Government, to blow up English ships which held control of many of our bays and harbors. These efforts were fruitless of results, and in the main contributed to produce a feeling of distrust in the efficacy of submarine warfare as a means of attack or defence, although it is curious to note the fear which this species of warfare produced in the minds of the English. The most noted of these attempts was made by a Mr. Mix, a citizen of Norfolk, who, with a torpedo constructed after Fulton's original designs, made repeated attempts to blow up H. M. S. " Plantagenet," lying in Lynn Haven bay, which created great alarm on board of the ships of the squadron then controlling those waters.* At New York an attempt was made by private parties to destroy the frigate " Ramilies," which, although it may not be classed as belonging to torpedo warfare, nevertheless grew out of Fulton's experiments with torpedoes. On the 15th of June, 1813, the schooner "Eagle " was prepared with a magazine of powder, over which boxes and barrels of merchan- For a long account of Mr. Mix's efforts against the "Plantagenet," see YT~iles' Register, vol. iv, p. 366. He made six different attempts to float his torpedoes upon the vessel. The last was successful. The torpedo exploded under the bow of the ship, blew off her fore channels, and destroyed a boat lying alongside. The following extract from an Alexandria paper, September 1, 1813, shows the nature of the discussion that arose from this attempt: " TonPEDoEs.-It appears to be acknowledged on board Admiral Cockburn's ship, that Mr. Mix's torpedo had marked near the cathead, although it had no ways injured the line-of-battle ship'Plantagenet;' and that in the whole fleet there is plentiful abuse of the American Government, although it was merely the effusion of an enterprising, active young man in the naval service. They unfairly condemn it as a villanous, invidious, improper, and cowardly means of warfare, never reflecting that their ruling administration had paid Mr. Fulton a very handsome stipend for his invention. They also forgot Lord Grey's recent statement in Parliament as to the commuted payment, as the then Lord of the Admiralty, which he made Mr. Fulton upon it (vide London A~orniny Cwron., May 15, 1813), nor reflecting either that the British ministry had induced the trial of torpedoes upon the French flotilla at Boulo,ne."-.~iles' Reg., vol. v., p. 6. ATTEMPT UPON H. M. S. " RAMLIES." 47 dise were placed, so connected by lines with gun-locks attached to the magazines, that any attempt to remove them would fire the charge. The schooner was sent off New London, where she was captured by barges of the " Ramilies," Commodore Hardy, the crew abandoning her as the enemy's boats approached. Having towed their prize near to the frigate, the captors commenced discharging her, when the magazine exploded, killing a number of men. The precise amount of destruction from this attempt was never ascertained. The journals of the day were filled with extravagant statements on both [sides-some averring that one hundred men lost their lives, while the English statements put the loss at less than ten. The one being apparently desirous to magnify the results in order to stimulate others, the other seeking to diminish the effect for opposite reasons.* The design of the originators was that the schooner should be placed alongside the frigate for discharge, as was customary, when it was hoped that the explosion would destroy her. The occurrence caused the English to be exceedingly suspicious of all craft seen near their ships, and brought out severe orders of retaliation from the British naval commanders, for what they termed "inhuman and savage proceedings."t * files' Register, vol. iv., pp. 293, 308. t The following is a copy of an indorsement upon the papers of the schooner' Sally ": "H. Al. SHIP' LA HOGUE,' AT SEA, 8 July, 1813. "I have warned the schooner' Sallie,' of Barnstable, to proceed to her own coast, in consequence of the depredations of the'Young Teazer,' but more particularly from the inhuman and savage proceedings of causing the American schooner'Eagle' to be blown up, after she had been taken possession of by H. AM. ship' Ramilies'-an act not to be justified on the most barbarous principle of warfare. I have directed H. B. AM. cruisers on the coast to destroy every description of American vessels they may fall in with, flags of truce only excepted. "Given under my hand, etc., L "THOS. P. CAPED, Captain." -Niles' Reg., vol. iv., p. 337. 48 TORPEDO BOATS IN 1812. Torpedoes were also stretched across the Narrows, " so as to blow up the most, if not all the vessels passing by Forts Richmond and Hudson."* Various notices also appear in the journals and records of the war, showing that torpedo boats of different kinds were devised, and attempts made to bring them. into service. None were under the sanction or authority of the Government, and although they excited great apprehension on the part of the English, and made them very wary of approaching our harbors, nothing was ever, accomplished by them. In Niles' Register there is an account of a submarine boat, and a description of a chase in which the vessel escaped her pursuers by diving "like a porpoise." From the description given, this vessel does not appear to differ much from Captain Bushnell's boat, although it is so general in its character that no accurate conclusions can be drawn from it. In Vol. VI., p. 318, of the same, appears the following notice of another torpedo boat: " TORPEDO BOAT.-A boat, of which the following is a description, was lately built at New York. It unfortunately happened that while proceeding to the expected scene of action, by some accident she went ashore near Southold, L. I. The enemy being at hand, immediately manned his barges to destroy her. The people collected, and for some time resisted them, and having removed the spiral wheel (by which the boat was moved), the rudder crank, etc., they blew her up. "Description.-She resembles a turtle floating just above the surface of the water, and sufficiently roomy to carry nine persons within, having on her back a coat of mail, consisting of three large bombs, which could be discharged by machinery, so as to bid defiance to any attacks by barges. She left this city one day last week to blow up some of the enemy's ships off New London. At one end of the boat projected a long pole under water, with a torpedo fastened to it, which, as she approached the enemy in the night, was to be poked under the bottom of a * Niles' Beg., vol. iv., p. 337. —The British sendus Congreve rockets to burn our towns and habitations; we, in return, despatch some of our torpedoes to rub the copper off their bottoms. —---- [-! — tween them filled with pitch. Upon the top of the exterior box rested a piece of board supported by four --- -/ legs of thin sheet iron (o). Upon any pressure upon the board the iron supports yielded, and it came into contact with a glass tube (n) containing sulphuric acid, breaking it and precipitating the acid upon chloride of potassa, causing instant combustion and explosion of the powder. Fig. 3. I- c:22 2:::_ —-2 2:_ —--— _ ——. —---—:T:: —--------' a/\ L L L Fig. 3 is another arrangement, found at Sebastopol, and was used for submarine mines as well as on land. The acid was contained within a glass tube (k). This was placed JACOBI'S FUZE. 59 within a tin or soft thin leaden tube (g h), which rested on the box at (a) and (b). The tube had a branch (c), opening downward into an apartment (D) in which was the chloride of potassa and the fuze (F). The manner of its operation is evident from the drawing. Barrels were often substituted for the box for submarine mines. General Delafield remarks, that the explosive mixtyre was not carefully analyzed, but there was no doubt of the certainty of Prof. Jacobi's arrangement to explode powder, and recommends the combination to our attention as certain in its effects, and as little liable to accidentalinfluences as any other.* Electric torpedoes were also used most extensively by the Russians. At Yenikale the allies found off the fort a hulk filled with a most complete series of galvanic apparatus, attached to vessels full of powder. Russel, the Times' correspondent who saw the arrangements, describes them as follows: "The submarine machines, with their strange caps and exploding apparatus, have been recognized by Mr. Deane as portions of the instruments he employs in submarine operations. They were all regularly numbered, and, as there is a break in the series, there is reason for believing that some of them are actually sunk, but the wires connecting them with the battery on board the ship were cut, and the vessel itself foundered subsequently. There were many miles of wire, and the number of cells indicated a very powerful battery." Admiral Napier, in the Baltic, had a very great respect for the torpedoes of the Russians, which rumor informed him were much depended on by his enemy. He was ridiculed and abused for his fear of their effects, and, as he never encountered any, they were declared myths created by his imagination. Admiral Dundas, who supplanted him in the * General Delafield omits from the mixture the proportion of white sugar, which aids combustion, and was undoubtedly employed by the Russians, as well as by the rebels at a later day. 60 GENEPAL DELAFIELD'S OPINION OF TORPEDOES. command of the Baltic fleet, not only proved their existence, by finding and raising great numbers, but also what might be expected from them in the event of attacking with his fleet the defences of Cronstadt. Two of his ships-the " 3Ierlin " and " Firefly "- while reconnoitering the fort, narrowly escaped destruction from the explosion of floating torpedoes. An officer on board the " 3Ierlin," in a letter to be found in " Nolan's Russian War," thus describes the occurrence: "The ship was steaming slowly along when a tremendous shock was felt; the portion of the crew below rushed wildly on deck, and for some moments great confusion prevailed. Bulkheads were thrown down, the ship's side was bulged in, girders and beams broken, crockery smashed, and the contents of the hold inextricably mixed together. The vessel was nearly dismasted, and escaped destruction as by a miracle. The effects upon the'Firefly' were similar." His consideration of the torpedo defences of the Russians induced General Delafield to conclude his remarks upon the system with the opinion that " it is a most powerful auxiliary to harbor defence;" and is undoubtedly the cause of tlh interest which he, almost alone of all our army engineers, has taken in the subject. Of a large number of officers of rank in the navy as well as in the army, who were invited by Secretary of War Conrad to give their views upon the sea-coast defences of the United States, General Delafield is the only one who in any way mentions submarine defences as available, although the request brought out long and learned treatises on harbor defence from each of the officers appealed to for an opinion. TORPEDOES IN THE AMERICAN REBELLION. 61 CH APTElR V. CAUSES OF THE FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE TORPEDO AS A LEGITIMATE ENGINE OF WAR.-THE SOUTH THE FIRST TO CREATE A REGULAR SYSTEM OF TORPEDO WARFARE. —FIRST APPEARANCE OF TORPEDOES. —THEIR FORM AND ARRANGEMENT.-ACTS OF THE REBEL CONGRESS AUTHORIZING A TORPEDO CORPS.-FRAME TORPEDOES.-FUZES.-BUOYANT TORPEDOES.-LOSS OF THE REBEL VESSELS " ETTIWAN, "'MARION," AND " SCHULTZ. - SINGER'S TORPEDO.-HIS PERCUSSION SYSTEM.-SPAR TORPEDO AND " DEVIL CIRCUMVENTOR. - SLOW5T MIATCH TORPEDO.-CURRENT TORPEDO. -HYDROGEN GAS TORPEDO. —OBSTRUCTION TORPEDO.-CLOCK-WORK TORPEDO.-COAL TORPEDO. —PLTINUM FUZE.-BATTERIES. Having traced the history of the torpedo from its first inception to its use in recent European wars, we shall now advance into a more interesting period of its history, when its employment was accompanied by results so unexpected and extraordinary that it seems to have sprung with one bound into the foremost rank of the novel and tremendous engines of war which have so completely changed the aspect of modern battle-fields and scenes of naval conflicts. This sudden and astonishing development of a previously derided and apparently insignificant theory, has been due, first to the naval superiority of one of two parties to a stupendous contest, which called for all the ingenuity and boldness of which the weaker side was capable, to counteract; and secondly, to the appearance upon the scenes of conflict of iron-clad ships impenetrable by ordinary artillery, and indestructible by the usual machinery of war. Whatever may be the result of the strife between the builder and the gunner-the one increasing the thickness and strength of his iron shield, as the other hurls heavier and swifter bolts to penetrate and destroy it-it is plain that so long as there is left a vulnerable part exposed to the arts of military science, so will that part become the target to which the aim of the naval engineer will be directed. 4 62 THE TORPEDO A NECESSITY. Achilles is represented to have been vulnerable only in the heel, and we are told that savages in their contests with the scaly, thick-coated monsters of African waters, plunge their knives into their soft and penetrable bellies, experience having taught them to seek thus their speedier destruction. So may it be said to be with ships-their vulnerable parts are submerged, but open to a species of attack which gains fresh importance with every additional layer of iron which coats them above. The general recognition of the torpedo as a legitimate engine of war, which has followed the results of its use during the Rebellion, may be said to be the natural result of the iron-clad system, although the other cause, as already stated, had much to do in securing its introduction into this, as in the Russian war. With a vast extent of coast peculiarly open to attack from sea; with a great territory traversed in every part by navigable streams, the rebels of the South had no navy to oppose to that of the Union-a condition which, from the very commencement of the struggle, stood in the way of their success, and neutralized their prodigious efforts on land. Their seaports were wrested from them, or blockaded; fleets of gunboats, mostly clad with iron, covered their bays and ascended their rivers, carrying dismay to their hearts, and success to the Union cause. The few feeble efforts they were enabled to make to dispute this naval supremacy, resulted almost without exception in utter discomfiture. Under such a pressure, the pressure of dire distress and great necessity, the rebels turned their attention to torpedoes as a means of defence against such terrible odds, hoping by their use to render such few harbors and streams as yet remained to them inaccessible, or in some degree dangerous to the victorious gunboats. Notwithstanding the previous history of the torpedo, the sentiment against it was so decided and prevalent that they sought an excuse for its use, and found it in their feebleness and necessity. Within a very short period after the inception of the design, a system was FIRST APPEARANCE OF REBEL TORPEDOES. 63 formed so far perfect and complete that our progress upon the water was materially checked. The channels of approach to the ports of Wilmington, Charleston, and Mobile, which then remained to them, were lined with sunken torpedoes of many different forms, and capable of ignition by a variety of agencies and clever devices. Rivers and bays, through which our vessels had passed freely and with impunity, now became dangerous ground, to be navigated with caution. Carrying out the original design of Fulton, which, as we have seen, so excited the derision of Commodore Rodgers, they armed the bows of their hitherto insignificant craft with these cheap and diminutive contrivances, converting, them at once into tremendous engines of destruction, against which, when boldly handled, no amount of armor could prevail. Casting aside all high-flown sentiment, forgetting or ignoring the execrations with which its introduction was at first saluted, our Government adopted the system thus forced upon it, and the torpedo became with us, as it has since become with other nations, an acknowledged instrument of war. At the naval actions at Hatteras, Port Royal, and New Orleans, and throughout all the movements afloat which resulted in our occupation of the entire sea-coast except Wilmington, Charleston, and Mobile, no torpedoes were found, nor was their presence suspected. Admiral Foote, in command of the Mississippi flotilla, appears to have heard rumors that the rebels proposed to use them, but reports to the department. Jan. 7th, 1862, that such rumors were unfounded in fact. On the 18th of February, 1862, our gunboats, endeavoring to force a passage into the Savannah river, above Fort Pulaski, to assist in the reduction of that post, encountered at the mouth of Mud River, an arrangement of torpedoes which virtually initiated this system of rebel defence. Although unproductive of results, save delay to our fleet, this incident is worthy of notice, as marking the first appearance of these machines in a practical form. 64 REBEL TORPEDOES. Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows their arrangement. 1 1 1 1 1, Torpedoes; 2 2 2 2 2, Anchors; 3 3 3 3, Spiral wires connecting the torpedoes, one end of which is fastened to the primer; a b, highwater mark; c d, low-water mark. Fig. 5. Fig. 5. Section of torpedo; a i a, a b c d, water-tight tin case; e e, air-chambers; P, powdere6 P e chamber containing 70 lbs. of H< h fpowder; F, ordinary cannon _~ fiiction primer, held at centre c of charge by strip of tin, i m; attached to it is the wire g f, passing through a box, h, filled with wax and tallow; m o, mooring line. Commodore John Rodgers, commanding the expedition, reports that these torpedoes were covered with water at all stages of the tide practicable for gunboats; but were visible at low water. The connecting spiral wire was intended to be drawn by the impact of a passing vessel, and the torpedoes being beneath her, the charge was ignited by the primer. Having discovered them, they were exploded and sunk, one being secured as a specimen. Similar devices were found in great numbers in most of the narrow streams of the Atlantic coast during that year. Commodore Rowan, in ascending the Neuse to attack the defences of Newbern, found thirty torpedoes, each containing 200 lbs. of powder, with a percussion arrangement and trigger lines connected with the piling, which obstructed the channel of the river. These efforts were apparently the desultory acts of individuals, at or near the localities in which the torpedoes were REBEL TORPEDO BUREAU. 65 found, rather than the result of any carefully organized systenm. In the month of October, 1862, however, the rebel Congress passed an act, authorizing the formation of a secret service corps, to be composed of persons not otherwise liable to military duty, who were to be considered as belonging to the provisional army of the Confederate States, and entitled, when captured, to all the privileges of prisoners of war.* Various other acts were soon after passed, having special reference to " engineering operations " upon the water, under which was formally organized what was termed " the Confederate States Submarine Battery Service."t A bureau was established in Richmond, called the " Torpedo Bureau," at the head of which was placed Mr. M. F. Mlaury, formerly of the U. S. navy. The men enlisted in this special service were sworn to secrecy as to their duties, and granted many privileges on account of the supposed hazardous nature of their employment. Prize-mloney was also allowed them for successful operations, as a reward for daring enterprise. Officers of the old navy, of high standing and ability, were appointed by special commissions to the duties of organizing and drilling the men and perfecting the system of operations. Inventions multiplied, experiments on a large scale were carried on, and emissaries were sent abroad to acquire in Europe necessary information, and to procure there the skilled labor and the material requisite to accomplish their designs. The effect of thus systematizing this mode of defence was soon apparent. The crude machines, uncertain in their action, and defective in principle, which up to this time had been found so harmless as to cause a feeling of contempt for their originators, and disregard of their possible effects, were thrown aside, and in their places were substituted torpedoes which were so certain and well devised that the most incredulous and daring began to respect and fear them. During the summer of 1863 the rebels were busily and systematically engaged in improving and adding to their torpedo * Secretary of Navy Rept., 1831, p. 567. t Id. pp. 26, 31. 66 FORMS OF REBEL TORPEDOES. defences. The "Department of Submarine Defences" in Charleston alone numbered from fifty to sixty officers and men, whose sole duty was to prepare, put down, examine, and keep in order the torpedoes of Charleston, while all the material requiring skilled labor was furnished by the Bureau at Richmond. At other points the same system prevailed. Three distinct forms of defensive torpedoes seem to have been adopted, and henceforward extensively used. First, Frame Torpedoes.-Second, Floating or Buoyant Torpedoes.-Third, Electric Torpedoes. These were each specially adapted to different localities, and were found necessary to the complete defence of a harbor and its approaches, and will be particularly described. First. Frame torpedoes (P1. IV., Fig. 1) were placed only in narrow and quite shallow channels, the entrances to rivers and creeks, and upon bars traversable by monitors and lightdraft gunboats. They performed the double function of obstruction and torpedo. Each frame or section consisted of four heavy timbers parallel to each other (a, a, a, a) and a few feet apart, tied together by cross timbers (b, b, b). At the head of each timber was bolted a cast-iron torpedo (c, c, c, c), of the shape shown in Fig. 3, containing about 27 lbs. of gunpowder, with a fuse so presented that it would come into contact with the bottom of any advancing vessel. The frame being securely anchored at one end, its specific gravity caused the other end bearing the torpedoes to rise towards the surface. It was kept inclined at the proper angle and depth by weights, anchors, and chains, and from sinking when water-soaked by supports (e, e). Each torpedo weighs 400 lbs., and will contain about 27 lbs. of powder. The four projections at the base are perforated for bolting the torpedo to the timber head. The sides of the torpedo are decreased internally to about X of an inch at nine inches from the apex, in order that the first effects of the explosion may break it at that point, and force the upper or fuzed part of the torpedo through the bottom of the vessel. Pl. IV. Flig. 1.,ig.. Q, Fig. 4. I_- - _- r _I ~ _~ _ _ _~_ ~ _ _ _._ __ _ __._;_ _ D T I b D VtAN NOS TLIANI), l'ubisher. TORPEDO FUZES AND PRIMERS. 67 P1. V., Fig. 5. The fuze is of composition metal, and is composed of an inner cylinder 1" diameter and 21// long, a thread cut on the outside; the upper end is solid for one inch and perforated by three holes to receive each a percussion primer. A bouching 2" long and 21" diameter, having a sextagonal projection for applying a wrench, and an external and internal thread. Thin, soft, and well-annealed copper is soldered to the upper end of the bouching to keep moisture from the primers, and is so thin that a slight blow will crush without breaking it, and explode the primer beneath. The external thread above the projection is intended for screwing on a metallic safety-cap, to prevent the explosion of the primers by an accidental blow. The contact of the primers with the covering copper cap is secured by screwing up the internal cylinder which holds them;until they touch the cap. A piece of shellac paper was usually glued or tied over the lower opening of the primer cylinder to still further protect the primers from moisture. Thus prepared, the torpedo being filled with powder, the whole is firmly screwed into the fuze hole of the torpedo, a little white lead being introduced into the thread of the screw, and a leather or gum washer or collar placed under the head to render the joint water-tight. The sensitive primer used in this exploding arrangement, as well as in all the later contact fuzes for offensive and stationary buoyant torpedoes, was invented by and was manufactured immediately under the eye of General Rains, Chief of the Torpedo Bureau at Richmond, who succeeded Mr. Miaury, and who carefully preserved from publicity all information concerning its manufacture. So sensitive was the detonating composition, that the pressure of seven pounds weight applied to the head of,one of the primers would explode it.* This primer was not, however, the original device for exploding oontact torpedoes, which was an ingenious adaptation * The writer is not aware of any chemical analysis ever having been made of this composition; but from inspection merely, the detonate is simply a combination of fulminate of mercury mixed with ground glass, to which the detonate probably owes its extreme sensitiveness. 68 IMfPROVEMENT UPON JACOBI'S FUZE. of Prof. Jacobi's preparation, already noticed in describing the Russian torpedoes, and is shown in Plate V., Fig. 2. It consisted of a small glass tube (a) of sulphuric acid contained in and resting against the head of a soft cap of thin lead (b). Surrounding the tube and holding it in position is a mixture of chlorate of potash and white sugar; a primer filled with mealed powder, or other quick burning preparation (c), is in contact with the charge of the torpedo. Upon striking any solid body the soft lead cap is crushed, breaking the glass tube of sulphuric acid, causing it to come into contact with the chlorate of potash and sugar, thus producing fire which is communicated to the charge by the primer. The action of this composition is as follows: When sulphuric acid, in its concentrated state, is allowed to fall upon chlorate of potash, a yellowish gas is evolved, which is very explosive, and becomes decomposed by a very moderate temperature when in contact with coinbustible matter. This action is instantaneous when a mixture of nearly equal parts of chlorate of potash and fine white sugar are finely pulverized, and a single drop of strong acid is allowed to fall upon it. The first contact of the acid develops the explosive gas, and at the same time sufficient heat is evolved to cause the sugar to take fire, and the combustion once started goes on with a rapidity equal to that of gunpowder. Plate IV., Figs. 2 and 4, represents another form of frame torpedo. The specimen from which the drawing is made was found, with a large number of others, attached to the obstructions in front of Fort McAllister, after its capture by Gen. Sherman's army. It consists of a heavy cast-iron shell (T) enclosed in an iron case (C), bolted to a timber (B). The heel of this timber is heavily weighted by a pointed castiron shoe (A). The weight of the shell is supported by a spring.(a a) and a set screw (b), which yield to pressure so as to permit the base of the torpedo shell, in which is fixed a sensitive fuze, to come into contact with a piece of metal in the bottom of the case, and thus produce the desired explosion. ei ~ ___ -'N~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~ /~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~: ~ ~~ -~ ~i:;: ~~.~~:. N 140~~~~~~~~~ FRAME AND BUOYANT TORPEDOES. 69 Fig. 2 shows the manner of connecting it with the piling by slinging it near the upper end with heavy chains passed over the pile head. The frame torpedoes were usually placed in double rows, with intervals between the sets, the second row being so distributed as to cover the interval between the sets of the first row. In Charleston harbor this form of torpedo was very extensively used, and formed a most formidable barrier to the advance of our light-draft vessels through the streams leading to the city, as well as over the bars in the harbor. After the fall and occupation of the city, the naval force was for many days engaged in removing them. Four sets were found at the entrance to Ashley river, mounting 15 torpedoes each; six sets were placed in the narrow pass of Hog Island channel, and as many more in the neck of the middle channel near Castle Pinckney. In attempting to remove them, although they had been two years under water, the U. S. gunboat "Jonquil" was nearly destroyed by the accidental explosion of one of the torpedoes. Our gunboats never, during the war, attempted to force a passage through a channel defended by this form of torpedo, and it would have been impossible to have passed either to Charleston, Mobile, or Wilmington, without encountering them. Second.-Floating or Buoyant Torpedoes.-Plate VI., Fig. 1. This torpedo was usually made of a strong small barrel or breaker; lager beer barrels were preferred and were everywhere seized by the rebel authorities for this purpose. Pitch was poured into it through the bung-hole, and the barrel rolled about until the interior was evenly covered. It was then thoroughly coated with pitch on the outside. Two cones of pine (c c) about seventeen inches long were securely fastened to each end of the barrel to prevent the current from tumbling it over, and to insure the fuze coming properly into contact when touched by the bottom of a vessel. Five and sometimes more sensitive fuzes (a a a), like 70 BARREL AND SINGER S TORPEDO. those already described, were screwed into the barrel, two on each side, and one on top of its bilge. These torpedoes contained from 70 to 120 lbs. of gunpowder. The barrel was strapped with rope, and to a span underneath were attached a weight (b) to keep it upright, a mooring line (e) to keep it the proper depth below the surface, and a line (f) to connect it with another torpedo. This kind of torpedo was the most convenient, cheap, and, in some respects, the most dangerous one employed during the war; unless very carefully and securely anchored they were apt to give trouble to the parties using them, the current sometimes causing them to shift their positions. From this cause two rebel steamers-the "SMarion" and "Ettiwan"-were " hoisted by their own petards" in Charleston harbor, the former being totally destroyed. A similar accident happened to the rebel flag-of-truce boat " Shultz" on the James river, when a number of exchanged rebel prisoners were killed as they were being carried to Richmond. The practice of the rebels was to keep large numbers of these torpedoes always on hand and ready for use. Whenever an attack was threatened, or an emergency arose, they were rapidly put down in places likely to be passed over by our gunboats. They were encountered everywhere, sometimes exploding with full effect, and, as we shall see, creating great havoc and destruction. Several hundred were found in and about Charleston, after its occupation by our troops, ready for immediate use. A small boat with two men could easily plant four of them in an hour. Sinyer's Torpedo.-Plate VI., Fig. 2, shows the form and arrangement for exploding this, perhaps the most successful torpedo used by the rebels during the war. It made its appearance simultaneously upon the Western waters and along the Eastern coast. The case is made of tin, and contains from 50 lbs. to 100 lbs. of powder, according to the size desired. It may be understood by the following description: A, air chamber; P, powder magazine; B, C, a heavy castiron cap, resting upon the top of the case, and prevented SINGER' S TORPEDO. 71 from falling off by a low rim of tin entering an aperture in the cap as shown at D; a wire connects the cap with a trigger at E, which holds a plunger ready to strike when liberated; directly beneath the plunger, and inside the magazine, there is a rod of iron, its end resting in a cup formed in the lug (a), where there is a screw by which the rod is forced gently against the interior surface of the bottom of the case. In this cup is placed a fulminating substance. When the cap is struck or pressed by a passing vessel, it is knocked off, and its weight in falling pulls out the trigger, and the plunger, forced by the spiral spring, is driven against the interior iron rod, which explodes the fulminate and the charge. The torpedo is lowered by a slip rope wove through the eye at D, which also prevents the cap from slipping off accidentally while planting it. A "safety-pin" (e) was also used to secure the plunger in case the trigger should be accidentally withdrawn. It was hauled out by a small line after the torpedo was in its place.t * In some specimens captured, three triggers connected by spans to the wire were used, as shown in the drawing; the object being to secure the explosion in the event of failure of one trigger to do its work, and to ignite the charge at its centre in three different places, and thus secure the entire combustion of the powder. By adding one more lug to the spindle, and connecting it by rods to the lower ones, the charge could be exploded at six different points, or, by placing fulminate at the lower end of the first set of rods, at nine points. t The following rebel document was captured by Admiral Porter, and forwarded for the information of the Navy DIpartment: Report of a Co nmission on Singer's Torpedo. "ENGINEER HEADQUARTERS, "DEPARTMENT NORTHERN VIRGINIA, July 14, 1863. "COLONEL, —In accordance with your order of the 13th, appointing the undersigned a commission to examine and report upon the merits of Mr. E. C. Singer's torpedo, we beg to state that we have carefully examined the same, and submit the following report: " First.' As to the plan for exploding the charge.' In this plan or lock, in our opinion, consists the great merit of the invention. The lock is simple, 72 SPAR TORPEDO. Plate VY., Fig. 3, shows another form of buoyant torpedo, designed with the special purpose of preventing its discovery or removal by dragging or sweeping. It consists of a copper chamber (A) attached to the extremity of a spar, the other end of which is secured by a universal joint to a mud anchor (B). Into the top of the chamber are screwed five or more fuzes, of the form known as the "Sensitive Fuze," or of that already described as the " Chemical Fuze." It is evident that the bight of a rope or chain, or a grapnel hook, would slip over without being arrested by this torpedo, and that even if its presence were discovered, its strong, and not liable at any time to be out of order; and as the caps which ignite the charge are placed within the powder magazine, they are not likely to be affected by moisture; while the percussion is upon the exterior of the magazine, actual contact with the rod which acts as a trigger is necessary, but by mechanical contrivances the contact may be obtained in various ways. "Second.' The certainty of action' depends, of course, upon contact, but by the peculiar and excellent airangement of the lock and plan of percussion mentioned above, the certainty of explosion is almost absolute. One great advantage this torpedo possesses over many others is, -that its explosion does not depend upon the action or judgment of any individual; that it is safe from premature ignition, and at the same time is cheap and portable, while its position in river or harbor cannot readily be ascertained by an enemy's vessels. " Third.' The efficiency of its explosion, if made in deep channels,' cannot well be ascertained without experiment, but would be the same as submarines fired by any other contrivance. We are of the opinion, however, from the best information accessible, that if the powder, say 100 pounds in quantity, is within the distance of fifteen feet from the keel of the vessel when exploded, its efficient action is not materially affected by the depth of channel. Of course the quantity of powder required would have to be determined by experiment. Rifle powder, from its more rapid combustion, would be preferable in deep water to cannon powder, while some of the detonating compounds would doubtless effect certain destruction to vessels passing over torpedoes at even much greater depth. "The peculiar arrangements for firing the batteries would have to be determined by the circumstances of position and draught of vessels and motion of currents, depth, and width of channels, and would require the exercise of great judgment on the part of those intrusted with the duty of placing them. "We are so well satisfied with the merits of Mr. Singer's torpedo that we recommend the engineer department to give it a thorough test, and, if prac D Fig.2 Fig. 3........... ) N T,. e. _t.VAN NOSTRAND, Pulbhisher. THE CC DEVIL CIRCUMVENTOR." 73 removal would be exceedingly difficult. To render such an attempt still more uncertain and hazardous, the extremity of the spar was frequently attached by a wire to another form of torpedo, as shown in Plate VII., Figs. 1 and 2. This was yclept "the devil circumventor." It is of boiler iron, and contains about 100 lbs. of powder. The wire from the torpedo spar, just described, enters the case through a water-tight joint (a), and is attached inside to a friction primer. The object of the arrangement is, that in the event of making fast to the spar torpedo, and raising or dragging it aside, the attached torpedo may be exploded underneath the boats engaged in the duty. The "circumventor " was placed about fifty yards from its companion. It ticable, to have some of them placed at an early day in some of the river approaches of Richmond. " General Remarks. —The mode of loading this torpedo dispenses with any connection through the case of the magazine, involving no packing of any kind. "' The risk of the lock fouling by sand or mud, if on the bottom of a stream, we think can be prevented by enclosing it in a metal case, which would be nearly water-tight. In narrow streams these could be placed in quincunx, so that a vessel attempting to pass would be sure to come in contact with some one. " We consider the employment of submarines as a legitimate mode of defence, and, as officers connected with the defence of Richmond, feel it our duty to recommend torpedoes as a powerful accessory to our limited means. The moral effect of an explosion upon an enemy would be incalculable, and would doubtless deter them from attempting to bring troops, by transport, to points accessible to the city, as White House or Brandon. " Respectfully submitted. "W. H. STEVENS, " Col. Engineers. "LI. A. WILLIAMS, " AIaj. Engineers. "W. G. TuviPIN, " Capt. Engineers. "To Col. J. T. GILMER, " Chief Engineer. " (Official copy.) "A. L. RIVEs, "Acting Chief Bureau." 74 CURRENT AND HYDROGEN GAS TORPEDOES. is not known that this combination was effective, but the torpedo first described was considered as one of the most dangerous used by the rebels. They were found in considerable numbers at Charleston, Richmond, and elsewhere. Fig. 2 shows the apparatus for exploding the "circumventor." Fig. 3 is another form of floating torpedo, sent down in the current of James river in great numbers. It is exploded by slow match, and is provided with a tin lantern, kept above the water by a board as a " float;" a tin tube protects the match while burning down to the charge. None of them were ever known to explode, although they were frequently found in the nets, and alongside our vessels, the slow match extinguished before reaching the charge. Plate VIEL, Fig. 4, shows a " current torpedo " used by the rebels, but never with success. This is intended to be carried by the current against a vessel;when arrested in its course, the propeller wheel is revolved by the tide, releasing a hammer, which, forced by the spiral spring, drops upon the percussion rod and cap, arranged as in the Singer torpedo, and thus explodes the charge. It is supported at the proper depth by a buoy. Plate VIII., Fig. 1, is a torpedo which, although never effectively employed, shows the ingenuity of rebel devices. It is exploded by throwing a jet of hydrogen gas upon a small mass of spongy platinum, which, becoming incandescent, sets fire to the charge. A number of atmospheres of gas are compressed into the globe (A); when the arm (B C,) is struck by a vessel, it turns a cock at D, which permits the gas to flow through the pipe to td, where it meets the platinum, surrounded by fulminate of mercury; this is exploded in the centre of the charge. The cords from the arm keep it from turning, unless struck by a blow sufficiently heavy to rupture them. Fig. 2 is a torpedo which caused our vessels, passing up and down the James, great annoyance. It consists of a tin case, containing about 70 lbs. of powder. A stiff wire (f b) ,I E lL ~ I I Secfio oii _._&N NOS'FILID, P /blisher. DiYAN. 3Nos lBANDL iubis'her. CLOCK-WORK TORPEDOES. 75 passes through a hole punctured through a strip of tin at f, and a box filled with beeswax at b; the end (f) is covered with fulminate, like an ordinary friction parlor match. A number of wires lead from b to pieces of drift-wood on the surface, and the case is supported at the right depth by a line attached to a section of log. The apparatus is set adrift at night, in the hope that the trigger lines will foul the propellers of passing steamers-an anticipation more thErn once realized, although the explosion which ensued usually took place astern of the vessel entangled. Fig. 3 is a form of torpedo used to remove obstructions by the United States authorities. Clock-work is contained in the tin case A, which at the desired moment permits a hammer to fall upon a percussion cap, which by its explosion ignites a quick match passing through a rubber tube into the case B, containing about 200 lbs. of powder. It is irE tended to be cast into the water when the tide sets in the direction of the obstruction. Fig. 4 is the form of a clock-work torpedo employed by the rebels to blow up storehouses, magazines and transports, and was used by them in two instances with appalling effect. It consists of a common wooden box containing clock-work and about 50 lbs. of powder. The reader will remember the tremendous explosion which occurred at City Point in 1864. The quartermaster's force was there engaged in unloading several ordnance boats of their cargoes of powder, shell, and prepared ammunition. A man was noticed to approach one of the vessels with a box upon his back. He was dressed like an ordinary laborer, passed the sentries without being questioned, and deposited his load upon the deck of a barge filled with powder, and disappeared. A few moments after, the explosion occurred, which destroyed the wharves, storehouses, and vessels near it; a number of men were killed and injured by the falling fragments. The wharf boat at Mound City, containing the reserve supplies of ammunition and stores for Admiral Porter's fleet, was also destroyed by a similar contrivance. 76 COAL TORPEDOES-" GRIEYHOUND."' Fig. 5 is a " coal torpedo " which may be truly designated an "infernal machine." It appears to be an innocent lump of coal, but is a block of cast-iron with a core containing about ten pounds of powder. The rebels had an organized body of men whose duty was to deposit these machines in coal-piles or barges, from which our vessels took their supplies-or even in the coal-bunkers of the vessels themselves.* Covered with a mixture of tar and coal-dust, it was impossible to detect their character. A great number of unaccounttable explosions of our vessels, principally transports, have been traced to these devices; the most notable of which was that of the " Greyhound" on the James river, a magnificent steamer employed by General Butler as his "headquarters boat. " She was totally destroyed, and the General and Admniral Porter, who happened to be on board at the time, escaped with difficulty from the burning vessel. The third and the most approved form of torpedo for * The following captured document explains itself: " RICHMO.ND,' VIRGINIA, January 19, 1864. " MY DEAR COLONEL, —I hope you have received all my letters. I wrote two to Mobile, one to Columbus, and two to Brandon; I now send this by a party who is going to Shreveport, and promised to learn your whereabouts, so as to forward it to you. " I have met with much delay and annoyance since you left. The castings have all been completed some time, and the coal is so perfect that the most critical eye could not detect it. The President thinks them perfect, but Mr. Seddon will do nothing without Congressional action, so I have been engaged for the past two weeks in getting up a bill that will cover my case. At last it has met his approval, and will to-day go to the Senate, thence to the House in secret session. It provides that the Secretary of War shall have the power to organize a'secret service corps;' commission, enlist, and detail parties who shall retain former rank and pay; also give such compensation as he may deem fit, not exceeding 50 per cent., for property partially and totally destroyed; also to advance, when necesary, out of the secret service fund, money to parties engaging to injure the enemy. " As soon as the bill becomes a law I have no doubt I shall get a suitable commission, and means to progress with, and that all the appointments you or I have made will be confirmed. * * * * * "Your friend, "T. E. COURTENNA.. "Colonel H. E. CLARK, "7th Mbissoturi Cavalry, Maj. -Gen. Price's Headquarters, Arkansas." Iz fal - - - - - - - - - - - ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~ tI't 1 Ii i,, | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~r C1'~ w';0: X: X —- - - --'~b ii/;7,~ I ~ ~ %~~, ELECTRIC TORPEDOES. 77 harbor defence is that exploded by an electric battery, and termed the "Electric Torpedo. " After the attack upon Charleston of the 7th of April, the rebels planted in that harbor a number of gigantic torpedoes of this character; they also constituted the most formidable part of the defences in the James river, at Fort Fisher, and Mobile, where they were raised by our forces in great numbers, after the fortifications in which the electrical batteries or machines were placed came into our possession. Several were used with appalling effect upon our ships. They rarely contained less than a ton of powder, and were usually placed in the narrow and deep channels to which passing vessels were necessarily confined. Boilers of useless steamers were at first used to contain the charges, but the rebels soon commenced the fabrication of cases expressly designed for the purpose, the work upon them being done in a skilful and thorough manner; each case being submitted to the test of a powerful water pressure before being submerged. Plate IX. Fig. 1 represents the form of the electric torpedo established by the Bureau at Richmond, as affording the best protection to the wires, and to bring the charge as near the object to be destroyed as possible. The case is made of 4-inch boiler iron closely riveted. Heavy composition castings are bolted to the ends A and B, the former to cover and protect the circuit wires. Two wires were usually employed, each connected with the poles of the electric battery. The conductor was the ordinary gutta-percha-covered No. 16 copper wire used in telegraphy, the submerged parts being additionally protected by a covering of tarred hemp, and weighted with chain. The torpedo was anchored by heavy masses of kentledge, attached by chain cable to a span shackled to bolts (C, D). Fig. 2. represents the stuffing-box for the conductors and the fuze employed with the voltaic batteries. The box consists of three pieces: 1. A screw-cap (E), open on its face. 2. A cylindrical disc (F), in which are two round holes, with brass tubes soldered into them to receive the conducting, 6 78 ELECTRIC TORPEDOES. wires; 3. A metal stock (H), which screws into the bouching at the opening of the torpedo case. The fuze consists of a slip of pine, grooved at the sides for the wires, which, bared of the insulating material and scraped, are turned back at the end (a). A small section of goose quill is filled with fulminate of mercury, and secured by thread to the end of the stick; through this fulminate is passed the fine platina wire, which acts as a secondary conductor between the terminals of the conductors. The wires are then passed through the metal stock, and the end of the stick is wedged into the bore of the stock. The disc is then slipped on over the wires. The hollow space in the stock (K) is packed with tallow and cotton waste and the disc is pressed down upon the packing, the screw-cap is then screwed firmly upon the disc, and the whole is then screwed into the torpedo case, as shown in Fig. 1. The case is filled from the opposite end. The batteries employed were, until the last year of the war, ordinary voltaic piles of Grove or Bunsen. They were, however, found to be uncertain in their action, cumbersome, and difficult to keep in effective condition. A beautiful instrument, called "Wheatstone's Magnetic Exploder," was subsequently imported from England, where it was made for the special use of the rebels. This battery, and "Abel's Fuze," used in connection with it, are described on pp. 169 and 171. A sketch of the fuze is shown in Fig. 3. Range stakes were established in front of the batteries, for the purpose of determining the position of the vessel in regard to the torpedo, and thus enable the operator to fire it at the proper time. P1. IX. Fig. 2. RYAN S ~~~~~ ~~ - ~~Sec.lum o0n, A. i s I IC 5