Navies of the world : $b giving concise descriptions of the plans, armament and armor of the naval vessels of twenty of the principal nations.Very, Edward W. (Edward Wilson)
History
Navies of the world : $b giving concise descriptions of the plans, armament and armor of the naval vessels of twenty of the principal nations.
Towing-torpedoes were used on several occasions by the Russians against
the Turks, but never successfully.
_Spar-Torpedoes._
Attack by a steam-launch armed with a spar-torpedo on the Confederate
iron-clad Albemarle, October 27th, 1864. The Albemarle in this instance
was secured to a wharf and surrounded by a boom of logs at a distance
of about thirty feet. The Federal steam-launch approached within one
hundred yards of the boom without being discovered. Fire then being
opened on her, she started ahead full speed, _passed_ the ram, and made
a complete turn in order to get speed and direction for striking the
boom a fair blow. Hitting the boom, the launch breasted it in several
feet and mounted it, evidently coming to a stand-still. At this moment,
and whilst under a close fire, the torpedo-spar was pushed under the
ram and the torpedo was exploded fairly, thus sinking her. In this
case success was due entirely to a cool and deliberate execution of a
thoroughly developed plan.
Attack by Russian launches armed with spar-torpedoes on the Turkish
monitor Duba Saife, on the Danube, May 26th, 1877. In this attack the
launches passed the guard-boats without being seen. The monitor was
not protected by booms, and two launches, making a dash at her from
opposite sides, planted their torpedoes fairly, exploded them, sank the
monitor and escaped.
Attack by Russian spar-torpedo boats on the Turkish fleet at Sulina,
June 10th, 1877. There were six torpedo-boats arranged in two divisions
in this attack, the two fastest boats leading. These leaders reached to
within thirty yards of the Turks before being discovered.
Fire was then opened on them. The first boat, coming down on the bow of
one of the monitors, fouled her cable and swung alongside; her torpedo
was exploded, but not being put in proper position no damage was done.
The boat succeeded in getting clear, but was sunk by the Turks and the
crew captured. The other boat succeeded in exploding her torpedo, but
also failed to get it in position. The other division of boats did not
follow up the attack.
Attack on a Turkish monitor off Rustchuk by a Russian Thornycroft
boat. In this attack the Russians approached very closely before being
discovered. Fire was opened on the boat and the circuit-wires of the
torpedo were cut, rendering it harmless; the boat escaped.
Attack on Turkish monitors at Soukum Kaleh, August 24th, 1877. Four
torpedo-boats, taking advantage of an eclipse of the moon, dashed into
the Turkish fleet. They were discovered at a distance and a heavy fire
was opened on them, driving them off. One boat exploded her torpedo,
but it was not properly placed and did no harm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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