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Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 995, 4 October 1871, Page 3

The German papers do not report favorably on the employment of torpedoes as a means of naval defence.- These formidable weapons have indeed proved destructive enough, but more so to friends than to foes. Torpedoes for defensive purposes were used in the irar all along the German coast, both to ignite by contact with hostile vessels and by electric batteries on the shore. The former were sunk 3ft under the level of the water, and loaded with 751 bof powder each. The latter was sunk Bft under water, and loaded with 3cwt of dualino, which is supposed to correspond in blasting power to lOcwt of gunpowder. A special corps of marine artillerymen and engineers was told off to lay and serve the torpedo batteries, but their labors were eventually limited to laying them only, for the electric torpedoes were not put into use, no French vessel approaching near enough. Many of the contact torpedoes went off while being sunk, killing and wounding many of the men. The torpedoes for offensive purposes proved entirely inoffensive, They were used only in one instance — viz., by the Grille in the encounter off Eugen. They measured 2f fc 2in in length, and Ift 2in in diameter ; a great number seemed to have been employed, but none would" explode. On the whole, the German press considers the torpedoes a failure.