DISCHARGING A TORPEDO

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2256, 16 September 1914, Page 6

DISCHARGING A TORPEDO

HOT CORNER OF BATTLESHIP. The submerged torpedo flat is one of the most, interesting places.on board a warship.. As a rule, there are two of these flats^ono'w : ell forward, the. other aft,-' '•".'-■. ;■'•';■ 1 In times of peace, these ••' compartments are interesting to visit. 'They are: situated, well below the waterline, and.this.necessitates the negotiation of a. series of step-ladders. . The fact that the whole of the ship's torpedoes are' stored there,' Iraiige'd m-..tiers' of racks,, accounts for the,compartments being lofty. The bulkheads,'ship's sides, and lorpedp-tubos are invariably painted white; The torpedoes themselves are of highly-polished steel,- their section ends', when the war heads are disconnected, being of a'bright vermillion, making of the compartments show spots of the ship. Adjoining the tube flats proper are ,the, air-compressing chamcontaining- the machinery for charging the torpedoes with their propulsion power." Under active°,service conditions, howover, these harmless-looking show spots display their'tedlh in a more demonstrative fashion even than the guns; they become veritable demon: chambers of destruction—and they look > every bit of A-;;'.:";;,.■;;";';• ••■■'.'■" '-'.-.,' v ' The] torpedo tube's' crews, all specially trained men,, stripped to the waist— for it is hot wdrk down there—barefooted, and.trousers rolled up to the knees —for when the rube bar is run out a considerable quantity of water,finds its way in the flat—strive like demons in' clouds, of steam, the splash of water, the deafening rattle of endless chains, and the hiss of escaping air. The torpedoes are cumbersome projectiles to handle, necessitating much ingenuity in manoeuvring from the racks to the tubes in a confined space. The actual: discharging of the torpedo is conducted,'.from the conning tower. Everything being ready, the torpedo officer reports. Directly the object 'of attack comes into line, a .firing key is pressed; a deep, rumbling sound is beard coming from, the bowels of the ship; a grating of opening valves, a perceptible shuddering or the /tube, giving then sensation as of a submarine upheaval, and although it cannot be seen, it is known that the ship has vomited an uncanny, complicated infernal machine directed towards an enemy's vitals below water, with enough Run-cotton in its snout to sink a Dreadnought at the first impact. The same air charge which discharges the torpedo rids the tube of the bulk of its'water, but a considerable quantity remains, and rushes into the flat, when tho tube is again opened for a second torpedo to be inserted. By that time matters have warmed up considerably; the flat lias lost its,form-'-er spickness; the torpedo surfaces are dulled by the steam, and the half-naked, perspiring crews splash about ankledeep in water. Theirs is all groping in the dark as it were; they must charge their tubes unmindful of the destination of their projectile. There is something uncanny about the whole business, not less so when tho splash and bustle and hiss and rattle has ceased for a moment, and the men stand about the'tube in a calm, grim anxiety, making final adjustments. An inquiry as to this and that, in language intelligible only to their secret selves, satisfies the young officer in seaboots, and white sweater that all is again ready, as he dashes up the steep, slippery, steel hatchway to report, .''Submented tubas readv. «irl '•