What a Torpedo Can Do.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1453, 12 September 1885, Page 4

What a Torpedo Can Do.

U\ connection with the New South Wales volunteer encampment at Easter, we learn from the. Sydney Morning Herald that the interesting operation ot filing the large torpedo was sncce.s.'fu ly performed by Captain Walker and Bt\ff. Ev. ry portion of the torpedo and of the firing appli i nee? was closely examined and tested, nnil 'the morning- was spent m preparing for the gre:«.t. event* A large red vrooden diao marked the spot selected for the purpose off Cobbler's Reach, near t»ho camp m a 1 out 15ft of water. The torpedo, which was enclosed m a large wsviertisjhfc iron case, was carried cross the sand by eight men and towed put by a boat. Tt was sunk to depth of about 13 ft.., while above it floated a Urge pine spar nearly 20 IV. m length, and about 15 m. m diameter. Over the spar floated a red danger-flag 1 , whiuh Hie stoanaVis and boat* very carefully kept clear of. Captain Walker h>td charge of the firingboard, which was posted on the hi Ji ground to the left <tf the beich ; while Colonel Roberts took up his post, with the staff officers, on the right.. The snrroiindinij; ooks whih lined with volunteers, but the number of civilian spectators w,is very 'l Unite I. Lieute lant Hammond, who had charge of the menh ainVal. | details; having reported that everything was m readiness, those people wh ■> had approached rather near re-, treated somewhat, and, for a moment, j-'nvßryone waited with bated breath. Then Captain Walker cWed the circuit, and the torpedo wa< fired. There was no defect on this 6ec,i«ion. Sad-' denlv a huge col -I'll nof w.dor leaped out of the placid bed of the sea to a height of about 4001 V, accompanied by a dull muffled roar, tlia*"- rohoed and re-echoed away through the S'irmnriding hills. With a cia-h ihe -column of water sank back .to rest again, but a thin spi'.ty hung for a tew moments over the spot, giving a •vague misty outline of the recent .watory eruption. Then it drifted slowly away, and ir radii lly -disappeared fro «! view. The 'water around the site of ihe explosion -was ohuiripd into fo-im and dis-oloured by .^aiul, and a gi'ad'iaj.ly .wiilening. rin r of waves rttxhed away towsirds 'the different beaches. But where. . was the heavy pine spar which had floitqd above the torpedo ? Far up m the clear air there wero visible what aj>peared to be iwo small objoc'te,- each about a foot m lcngfh. Higher and higher they were driven, as though by support of the winds, until they reached 'the height of at least 1000 ft. Then they began to descend, growing larger and larger each moment, and one fell with a mighty crash about 300 yards out to sea, while the other 'disappeared over the headland to .the 'right. A. boat at once secured the Lone which had falJen m from, and what looked only a few inches m length m the air proved to he a piece of the spar between 5 ft. and 6i't. long. A nearly cheer n i nt the air when the explosion had become an accomplisled fact.