A TORPEDO AFTER A MAN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 985, 4 March 1881, Page 3

A TORPEDO AFTER A MAN.

The inventor has c instructed a self-propelling torpedo which possesses the peculiarity of heirg able to lie used on land as well as in water—a icsult which was ob'aine I by fitting it with wheels. He und-n-took to exhibit this .♦•■l'peilo to a committee of naval officers at. Lyme, last August. A canal bo it to be blown up had been •anchored some distance from the shore, a-d it was understood that the torpedo wou'd start from the leach, proceed to the canal boat,, blow it to pieces, and return to the shore, where a .subsequent experiment would deni mstrate its efficiency on land. Whether the inventor had been guilty of ill-trealin.- the torpedo, oc whether it was a peculiarly vicious one, we have no means of kin-wing. We do know, howevtr. that, after it had gone a few roods in the direction of the canal boat, it turned round and came rapidly and with undue for .city towards the group on the beach. The naval officers hastily retreated, but the torpedo paid no attention to them. On,landing it made for the inventor, who fl d wiih every symptom of extreme terror. In vain did he seek to outstrip his pursuer. The torpedo followed him across the coimtry, jumping ditches, climbing fences, and steadily gailing on him. Happily he recollected that the torpedo could not turn quickly, and so when he was nearly overtaken he suddenly doubled on his pursuer and van towards the vi lage. The torpedo turned and followed him, gaining so long as tie inventor k< pt straight on, but.losing a little at every turn. He w s many exhausted when he finally reached his own workshop, the door of winch stood open, lie d ished in, slim, tile do r, and daS.ied out again through a rear window, just as the ferocious and b,.filed torpedo flung used against the door, a d, exp.odi.ig, blew the wmkshop into sluad pieces. No account of this incident has hitherto been published, for the obvious reason that itie inventor was interested in keeping it secret. It is, however, every tnt as true . s many of the stones wmch have been tom of the wonuerlul feats accomplished by '■tiler and tamer torpedoes, and it gues us a glimpse of tne te.riole eonscqaeiicca wnien may lullu-v if our torpeuors slmuid oeconio reoeJlious and devastate our cities and towns, instead of a,.uiiuiating tne ships of the enemy. Aow Yoik Tiuks,