SIR: I have the honor to report that the Torpedo Board will assemble at this station to-morrow, the 21st instant.

(1) The naval appropriation bill, approved July 26, 1836, under "Increase of the Navy," section 10, provides as follows:

That towards the construction and completion of the vessels hereinbefore mentioned, including the vessels and guns mentioned in section 9, the sum of $2,500,000 is hereby appropriated, of which not more than $75,000 may be expended in manufacturing, purchasing, and experimenting with torpedoes of domestic manufacture

(2) The Torpedo Board will be guided by the provisions of the above section (so far as they relate to torpedoes) and by these instructions. (3) In pursuance of the foregoing provision of the law, the Bureau published the following advertisement:

"To whom it may concern:

“Bureau of Ordnance, NAVY DEPARTMENT,
"Washington, September 8, 1887.

"The Navy Department has appointed a board before which persons interested in the development of torpedoes, for naval use, can exhibit their torpedoes, models, and designs, and perform such practical experiments as may appear advisable.

"Those who wish to avail themselves of this opportunity should communicate with the undersigned, who will give such further information as may be necessary in the premises.

"MONTGOMERY SICARD,
"Chief of Bureau."

(4) For the particular inquiry to be undertaken by the Board, it will be assumed that a torpedo for naval purposes is a weapon for the attack of a vessel at or below the water-line, seeking by means of the effect of an explosive charge to admit water into the hull, and adapted to use from a vessel either of the usual kind or of special design.

(5) The objects to be examined under the above definition are as follows: Finished torpedoes, working models and designs (drawings or plans).

(6) The Board will not report an opinion on any object that is not complete in its way, i. e.,

(7) The finished torpedoes must be of service size and construction, with proper appliances for launching them from a vessel.

(8) Working models must be made to a convenient scale, and must represent, as nearly as practicable (in miniature), the proposed finished service weapon and its launching apparatus.

(9) Designs (drawings) must be made to a convenient scale, in full detail, and must represent exactly and clearly the manner in which all the operations of the proposed torpedo are to be performed.

(10) The person who presents the torpedo, model, or design to the Board, and who makes the explanations, guarantees, etc., is for convenience called the owner.

FINISHED TORPEDOES.

(11) When an owner submits a torpedo to the Board he will be required to describe and explain everything about the torpedo and its appendages, and it will be examined by the Board. If the Board so requires, the owner will furnish a written description of the mechanism and its action. In any event he must inform the Board in writing exactly what he claims his weapon can perform, and must also define the scope of its usefulness; that is, whether it will act efficiently under the general conditions pre

vailing at sea or whether it is intended for use in smooth water or in special circumstances only.

(12) After full investigation the Board will decide, by vote, whether the torpedo shall be tried (or experimented with). In its conclusion on this point it will be gov erned by the possible adaptability of the weapon to naval use, having in view the qualities herein before referred to and such others as they may think to be of impor tance, considering duly the cost of the trial to the Government as compared with the probable value of the torpedo to the Navy. If a majority of the Board shall vote against a trial it will not take place.

(13) Trials will be held at such times and places as the board may designate. In this matter owners will be accommodated as much as a proper regard for the interests of the Government will allow.

(14) The Government will provide such a vessel and crew as it considers suitable, from which the trials will be made. It will also furnish the labor for installing and working the torpedoes and their appendages, provided the cost is not excessive in the opinion of the Board. Torpedoes, etc., must be delivered alongside, and must also finally be removed at the expense of the owner.

(15) The vessel will furnish steam at normal pressures, if such is required for working the torpedo. If any other power is required it must be furnished by the owner. (16) Torpedoes (or models) and all their fittings and appendages, while being tried or experimented with, should be at all times operated by the owner.

(17) If, however, the owner desires the Board, or any members thereof, or any person or persons in the employ of the Government, to make the experiments or trials for him, be will so request in writing. Such request must clearly and definitely release the Government and the persons whose services are desired from all responsibility for loss or injury to the torpedo or its appendages.

(18) The Government will not, under any circumstances, be in any way responsible for the loss or injury to any torpedo or its appendages.

(19) If the owner does not desire to make or continue the trials on any particular day, his wishes in the matter will be regarded. But he must, if so requested, present satisfactory reasons therefor in writing to the Board.

(20) If the Board considers that other or further experiments or trials than those herein laid down would be of use in determining the value of the torpedo or model, they will be undertaken if the Bureau consents after receiving from the Board a recommendation to that effect, with reasons therefor, and an estimate of the probable

cost.

(21) Among the qualities that should be possessed by a torpedo adapted to naval warfare, the following appear to be the most essential, and each must be reported

upon:

(22) Accuracy.

(23) Certainty of operation; (a) certainty of launching and starting on the course, (b) certainty of explosive action on contact with the target.

(24) Velocity.

(25) Range.

(26) Ability to break through or avoid hostile defensive obstructions.

(27) Destructiveness.

(28) Safety in handling.

(29) Ability to keep in readiness for immediate action.

(30) Facility of manipulation.

(31) Simplicity.

(32) Ability to be operated with safety from an enemy's fire.

(33) Simplicity and efficiency of the launching apparatus.

(34) Noiselessness.

(35) The Bureau attaches very considerable importance to the qualities in paragraphs 32 and 33; for, if there are no practical means by which the torpedo can be efficiently. safely, and conveniently launched in the more important directions desirable in active service, this fact would detract very greatly from its usefulness; and if it could not be held conveniently in the launching position under the circumstances in which it is supposed to be used, or be readily pointed, or be sheltered properly from the fire of an enemy (great guns and machine guns) until the vessel that carries it should arrive within working range, it would fall far short of being an effective weapon.

(36) In connection with the qualities enumerated, the Board will note and report on the following points, and any others that may appear pertinent:

(37) Is the torpedo very difficult of manufacture, and is great accuracy of manufacture necessary in order to obtain uniform results?

(38) Is great structural strength necessary?

(39) What effect has the motion of the vessel at sea on the preparation of the torpedo, and on the torpedo itself when in position for firing, and what effect has the motion of the vessel on facility of pointing?

(40) Is the preparation of the torpedo for action an elaborate process, and while it is being handled and when in position for service are the vessel and her crew reasonably safe from injury?

(41) Is much care necessary in order to keep the torpedo in a proper state for speedy use?

(42) Is the actuating apparatus or material reasonably safe and harmless, both when loaded and when in store, and does it probably deteriorate or dangerously change with time or with the changes of temperature and other conditions incident to service? (43) Can the torpedo be made innocuous (automatically) at the end of the flight? (44) Is the torpedo adapted for "exercise" practice? Is the motive power readily supplied in sufficient quantity to allow frequent exercise? Is exercise expensive, and can the torpedo be recovered and practice with it be resumed speedily?

(45) Can the torpedo be conveniently and safely packed for transportation? (46) What is the probable cost to manufacture the torpedo, with launching apparatus and other appendages complete?

(47) Although, owing to the diverse characteristics of the torpedoes that may be offered to the inspection of the Board, it is not possible for the Bureau to lay down any rigid rules for the conduct of the trial, the following programme is given as an example of what would seem to be a systematic investigation into the behavior of torpedoes on such a trial as it is the intention of the Bureau to hold, and the Board is expected to conduct its investigation in as nearly similar a manner as the circumstances of each case will warrant, the object being to bring out clearly the advantages and disadvantages of each system that is admitted to trial.

(48) After an examination of the mechanical details of the torpedoes, and the methods of carrying, loading and launching, the Board should proceed to the actual trial of those that they decide are possibly adapted to use in naval warfare, as before defined.

(49) In order that a correct idea may be formed of the character of the flight of each torpedo, and also of the distance at which practice should take place in the sea trials, some preliminary runs should be had in smooth water (against a target), either from the vessel (held in a fixed position) or from a wharf, float, or other convenient place. In this way the readiess with which each torpedo starts, its most effective range, and the time of flight to that and to shorter range, can be ascertained.

(50) A target should be employed at the longest range, and also at some of the shorter ones, and boats and range-stakes at right angles to the line of flight would be useful in marking the intervals of time on the trajectory.

(51) Having thus obtained the absolute and comparative ranges, velocity, accuracy, etc., under perfectly favorable conditions, it would appear best next to ascertain (in smooth water and without current) what deviations from the line of sight may be expected when the torpedoes are launched from a ship moving at a speed past a fixed target at a range which has been decided upon as the most effective for each torpedo. (52) Discharges should thus be made at the target when bearing abeam, four points on the bow, four points on the quarter, and also when directly ahead and astern. It is considered that these runs are stated above in the order of their importance and of the difficulty of successful operation. (See sketch 1.)

Farget.

Sketch 1.

(53) This experiment will probably bring the deviations and errors of flight peculiar to each torpedo, unaffected by any other condition than the speed of the vessel. It is probable that information enough would thus be accumulated to enable the Board

to proceed in an economical and efficient manner with the regular trials at sea, and these trials are the ones which are to finally determine the merits of the torpedoes. (54) The next point that it appears necessary to investigate is the effect of the sea upon the flight of the torpedoes, and for this purpose positions should be selected from which runs toward a target could be made, having the sea directly ahead, four points on the bow, abeam, four points on the quarter, and directly astern of the torpedo while running, the vessel and target to be both in a state of rest.

(55) Sketch 2 shows five positions that seem suitable for this experiment. They are in the order of their apparent importance, and are so numbered.

Targets.

Sea

Sketch 2.

(56) The effect of the sea alone on the flight being thus recorded, it remains to ascertain the deviation due to launching the torpedoes in a seaway from the vessel at speed against a target at rest, the object of this part of the trial being to get such a direction of sea as regards the keel and the line of flight as will most clearly exhibit the directive force of the torpedo and operate most to throw it from the intended line of flight.

(57) Perhaps the position that would best accord with the above design would be when running a ship with the sea four points on the bow, the torpedo being launched directly abeam and on the side from which the sea comes.

(58) Thus circumstanced, it appears probable that the deflective force of the sea running along the ship's side and the movements of the vessel herself, in rolling and pitching, would be about as unfavorable to accuracy as could well be obtained, unless running the ship directly head to sea and launching abeam should be found more unfavorable.

(59) After a sufficient number of runs have been made as above, the torpedo might be launched four points on the bow and then four points on the quarter of the ship, the angle of the ship's keel with the sea remaining about four points.

(60) Sketch 3 shows the several positions above described, which are numbered in the order of their apparent importance; also two others, 5 and 6, which are less difficult.

(61) There are, no doubt, other positions from which valuable data could be obtained, and if any torpedo possesses any particularly distinguishing qualities (such as range or speed), this fact should be made to appear (by experiment) for what it is worth.

(62) It is probable that a set of trials as nearly like the foregoing as the varying natures of the torpedoes will permit would show what value there may be in the several weapons as naval torpedoes, and, in connection with such other experiments as the Board may find it advisable to make, would afford data from which a conclusive report could be drawn.

(63) It is very important to have a convenient target, and the following is suggested as likely to answer the purpose:

A line of suitable size, with wooden or cork floats at intervals, to which should be attached a muslin or net screen (the lower edge loaded with leaden weights) hanging down some twelve feet below the surface. This could be kept stretched out in the sea trials by a boat or drag at one end. The length of the target should be about 70 feet. This need only be used for the subaqueous torpedoes. Those that run on the surface might be run at the space between two barrels made fast to a line with the same interval.

(64) Those surface (or other) torpedoes that have detachable (or falling) magazines must be specially tested, in order to ascertain whether such magazines work certainly and properly.

(65) It is of great importance to obtain the velocity and energy of the torpedoes at different points of the flight; and the striking energy at the working range is of essential importance, as it is a measure of the ability of the torpedo to break through defense nets, etc. This point must, if practicable, be determined by actual experiment, which may be made in smooth water if thought best. (It might be combined with the first trials.)

(66) When the runs are made from the vessel at speed, it will be necessary to observe carefully the direction of the flight, as that duty will then offer more difficulty than in the other experiments. This may perhaps be partly effected from aloft, or an