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A Torpedo Triumph

A Torpedo Triumph image
Parent Issue
Day
29
Month
June
Year
1877
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Tlie destruction of a Tnrkish monitor the other night by torpedoes seems to havo been a most brilliant nnd daring exploit. Two stenm Iaiinahes, with a hnmlfnl of men, Bteamed boldly into the midst of tne Turkish flotilla, placed two torpedoes nmler one of the monitors, and succeedod in blowing it up and completely destroying it. Tliis feat, accompíished witli impnnity, without the loss of a single man, isa very remarkable one, and if it eau be shown that it can be repeated with success, moivtors and gunhoats on inland rivera will be rendered completely nseless, nnd eren the modem monster ironolad, built at snek expense, ill likewise be rendercd practically of no avail for any kind of service near nu enemy's coast. Au ironclad will not even be safe at sen, for any kind of kip, even a wooden oue, can eend out huif n dozen steum huinches in the night, snrround an ironclad, and destroy it with impunity. Tlic little expedition which sncceedei in blowing up the Turk'sh monitor wa eompoBed oí four small steam lannchet two of which were to make the attac! and the two others to hold themselve in readiuoss to render assistance in case as was possiblc, of au accident to eithero the attaeking ones. The two launche which were to makc the attack wer commanded ly Lieuts. Dubasoff anc Shestnkoft', and mnnned, oneby i'ourteen and the other by nue men. The crew were protected by an iron screen o awning, which covered the boa conipletely over from stem to stern, and which was sufftciently thic to stop a bullet. This ïcreen, as well a the boat, was painted black, so as to b scarcely distinguishable at uight, ant the crew were tlms protected against th lire oL sinall arms, except the man at Ui wheel, who directed the niovements o the boat, and who was necessarily ex posed. The crews embarked in th boats a little after 12 o'clock on Friday night, at a d'stance of about seven mile from where the Turk:sh monitors wer lying. The nigh Iwas dark and raiuy and the qlouds completely obscured th moon, which nevertheless prevented th night from beiug one of complete pitclr darkuess. There was just euough ligli to enable them to distinguish the dar masses of the Turkish guuboats withou themselves beirg easily seen. After ai hour's steaming they came within th immediate neighborhood of the enemy' flotilla. The eng'nes of the launche were so construoted as to make vcry 111 tle noise, and when they were slowec down all the souud they made was a low dull kind of tlirobbing noise that was il most clrowned by the continual croak'n of the frogs, which are very large anc very numerous along the marshes of th Danube. Nevertheless, the quick ea of a Turkish sentinel caught theuimsua sotind and criod out, " AV ho goes there ? iu Turkish. Tbe boats advanced with out rcplying. The sentinel again callef out and again remained without an an swer. He ealled out the third time and, asit was becoming evident that th ship would be alarmed, Lieut. Dubaso: replied iu Turkish, " friends !" and con tinued to advance. The seutinel, how ever, was by no mcans sabsfieil aud, after calling out again „two o three times, he flnally fired. Thei the Kussians, who were by that time yery uear the doomed monitor, heard a nois in the sbip. There was a scnflling o: feet, the rushing about of sailors, crie and shouts, nnd the voice of an office commanding them to prepare the gun for :i et i mi. They heard the order given for the gun in the bow to be fired. The; heard it given three times, and thre times they heard the click of the hammer, showing that an attempt had been made to fire, and that the gun had refused to go off. Finally, the third time the order was given, a globe of llame leaped over the side of the gnnboat, aud a shell went whistling over their heads. They wero evidently Been by the Turks. One of the boats, that of Shestakoff, now drew off, while that of Dubasoff continued to advance. Each boat was armed with two torpedoes, attached to tlie end of a long spar that projectcd from tlie bow. These spars were arranged to move on pivots, aud could be swnng round so as to describe a half-circle. The torpedoes wero so placed that they could be detached from the spars at any moment, and, in adi'ition to this, long, light chains were attached to them, by which they were to be tied on to any projection of the attacked ship, and they were connected with the boat by a lino, flexible wire about 100 yards long. The offieer in command carried a small electric battery fastened round his chest. A lively fusilado had now been opened upon the boat by the Turks, but, in spito of this, the lauuch of Dubasoff shot undor the bow of the monitor, the chaiu which was fastened to the torpedo was fluug rouud a chain or rope that was hanging froin the bow of the ship, the torpedo was dropped from the spar, and the current of the river oarried it against the bottom of the ship. The launch then shot away again nntil the f uil lengt-h of the electric wire had been reached. The oflicor applied it to the battcry round his chest, and at the same instant a huge volume of water rose up mto the ar, which half-iillei and nearly swamped DubasolFs lauuch, and a'fearful explosión was henrd, which compíetely drowncd the shouts and orles nnd firing of the Turks. Iu the moantime the other monitors beeame alurmed, oud, witlioiit knowing the cause, fired at raudom, and a fcarful scène of 1 error and confusión ensued. ïhey not only fired on tlie ftuseian lauuches, that still kept dodging itbont like moKquitoes, but iu their panie :uic concusión fired into eaeh other. The bullets rattled over the iron awnings of the launclies, but did thein no barra. They were not once struck, although the bow of one was pierced and sunk by a piece of shell that exploded nenr it. The two In nuches were now on oppoHit sides of the doomed shij). Dubnsoll' perceived that the monitor was sinking down before, but Yei-y slowly ; while the Turks contiuued to lire away blindly, but incessantly, both with Binall arma and cannon. Dubasoft" oried out to Sliestakoü to try and place another turpedo in order to mako sure ot' tlie ship, and tin? latter slipped in uiuler the stern and put down anotlier torpedo in the sanie mannrr ns the previous one. He theu shot off until he was at a safe distiince, applied the electrie battery in the Siime marnier, and a still more terrible explosión fóllowed. Pnrts of the ship were blown iuto the air, as they vory soon perceived by a large alank whnh a few seconds later fiiim1 lown endways, driving its way through ;he iron screen into the boat betweeu ;wo of the sailors who were baok to back close to each other, without injuring either of thrin. Then thé monitor s-wk rapidly, and after n few moments iug bilt lier innHto was visible above water. Tlie crew had all eitlier been drowned 01 had escapea by swimining. I);iy now begüii to break, and the jiokítion of Éhe Éwb little Iüiinches witliin tlie jio;ir range of twoothor Tnrkish monitors became veiy critical. To iuld to tlie danger of the ituatiou, the screw of one of tliom got fowled, aud the boat beoame uumaiiagoablo; while thcy perceived a Turki.sli liuinch from oue of the other monitors bcnring down on them. They opened i lili' oí small arm on tlie Turksh Luincli, wliih vioumI off and showcd 10 dÍ8potitioti to come fuijcloser. One f the Baikcra got out into the water, and, rterseyeral uimutes' ezertíon, snoceeded 11 clearing I lic wn'w, ii ml tlietwolntmclies, laving aeconiplished their niiBüion of detruction, darted off, paasod uudcr the fire of the two other TnrkiRh gunboato, oseaped unharmcd, mul, rejoining their two consorte, returned in triumpli to their plnocR of storting. The Onnut Duke received the nows within two orthrce honra nftir and the rojoieing anaong the Russians was very grent. Tlie two officers and the crewB of the two boats have all received the cross of St. George.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus