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The Lay Torpedo for Blowing Up Ships

he went to England in 1804, and in 1805 fleet, the southern ports and rivers were was authorized to make an attempt to much exposed to attack, and this method. destroy the French fleet at Boulogne, of defence was largely used. The first which proved unsuccessful. In the same Torpedoes in position were discovered in year he blew up the brig Dorothea, Mud River, near Fort Pulaski, in Februassigned to him for experimental trial, in ary, 1862; they belonged to the simple the harbor of Deal. This was accomplished contact class and occasioned no damage. by two Drifting Torpedoes, which, con- In October, 1862, the service was formally nected by a rope, fouled the hawser; and legalized by the confederate congress, and one of them, charged with 170 pounds of a Torpedo bureau was soon established powder, exploding by clock-work under at Richmond. A special corps of officers her bottom, utterly destroyed her. Not- and men was raised and trained for sub ( marine warfare; inventions multiplied, curred in the last two years of the war. and agents were sent to Europe to pro- The Torpedo system includes submarine vide material and get the latest ideas. boats and mines, automatic Drifting Tor- The southern waters soon became so pedoes, offensive Spar Torpedoes, etc. The dangerous as to interfere seriously with highest form is perhaps the Fish Torpedo, naval operations. The first vessel actu- to which Lieut. Ballard, of England, 1870, ally blown up by the new machines was and Col. Foster, of the United States, an ironclad, the Cairo, which was totally 1872, and Messrs. Luppis, Whitehead, destroyed on Yazoo River, in December, Ericsson, Lay and Smith have devoted 1862. During the remainder of the war considerable study and great ingenuity. seven United States ironclads, eleven This device is, in fact, a floating, autowooden war vessels, and six army trans- matic machine, containing powerful exports were destroyed by Torpedoes, and plosives, carrying a motor, by which it is many others were temporarily disabled. propelled and controlled in every respect The confederates lost a fine ironclad, the stopped, started, steered to right or left, Albemarle, two steamers in Charleston made to move on the surface or belowharbor, and a flag-of-truce boat on James at the will of an operator on shore by the River, in the same manner, the last power of electricity. Against such an three accidentally by their own Torpe- engine as this, iron-clads and powerful does. The great destruction chiefly oc- guns are little protection.