THE NEW ENEMY TO NAVAL POWER.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 31, 4 May 1878, Page 2

THE NEW ENEMY TO NAVAL POWER.

"It is at Fiume, on the Adriatic," states the Times, "that Mr, Whitehead, the well-known inventor of the fish to: - pedo, has his principle factory. Scores of skilled labourers work there night and day at the manufacture of these terrible engines of destruction, and under his immediate supervision and continual experimenting this deadly weapon (whioh in the opinion of many scientific men will in time totally supersede naval artillery) is daily undergoing modifications and improvements, which render it as nearly life-like in its attributes as it is in appearance when seen in motion under water. So much does the fish torpedo resemblo a porpoise or dolphin when selfpropelled through the water at a littla depth below the surface, that on one occasion, whan Mr. \v nitenead tirst oegan experimenting with them at Fiume, a native sportsman who happened to be on the beach, probably on the lookout for wild fowl, tired at one which was being triod at long range, but in a direction parallel with the Bhore. At another time Mr. Whitehead lost a torpedo, which after a lapse of more than a year he recovered, through some accidental cast of fishermen's nets, and which proved a valuable haul to them eventually, when they took it to ite original owner, although they were at first disappointed to find that the fish was a metal one. Somo of the onlookers who hed seen the haul at a distance reported the capture of an enormous monster to the town folk. The price of one of these fish torpedoes as supplied to the British Government, is about £.-)09. Her Majesty's store-ship Wye was very recently at Fiume, taking in an instalment of a quantity for the supplying of whioh Mr. Whitehead is under contract with the Government. When first the invontor experimented with his fish torpedo the maximum speed attained by it was nine knots; the present one goes through tho water for a given distance at the rate of sixteen to eighteen, and somo aro now in course of construction by order of and for the use of the Russian Government, which will travel at the hitherto unequalled speed of twenty-four knots. These latter will be of large dimensions; but the given distanoe at a maximum rate of speed will also be greater, and tho explosive matter containod in increased quantity. Each torpedo is tested before delivery—of course, only as regards its propelling capacities, its accuracy of adjustment, &c, and not its exploding capabilities, which are naturally taken for granted. The Fiume torpedo factory provided both Turkey and Russia with these dangerous weapons. The Turks received theirs from tho sea, and the Russians overland."