TORPEDOES. 



in every case except in a stern chase after a 

 fleeter vessel. The Alarm has excellent sail- 

 ing qualities, riding buoyantly in the heaviest 

 seas. All the peculiar and novel mechanical 

 arrangements are ripely contrived and con- 

 veniently disposed. She seems impregnable to 

 the heaviest artillery, all her works and vital 

 parts being under water, and only vulnerable 

 through the steel-sheathed deck; several of 

 the hermetically closed compartments might 

 be penetrated without sinking or disabling the 

 boat : the only danger probable is lest she be 

 dragged down by the wreck of some gigantic 

 iron-clad which sh had destroyed. A remark- 

 able feature in Admiral Porter's torpedo-boat 

 is the precaution against the netting, mentioned 

 below among torpedo defenses, which would 

 render that kind of protection futile. If the 

 torpedo strikes against one of these guards, its 

 presence is indicated by a mechanical contri- 

 vance ; and when the netting is pushed back, 

 or broken through, and actual impact on the 

 vessel's hull is accomplished, that event is me- 

 chanically indicated, and then first does the 

 operator set off the torpedo. 



The most promising schemes yet suggested 

 for the special defense of ships against the at- 

 tack of torpedoes are to hang a crinoline of 

 wire-netting under the bilge and around the 

 sides of a man-of-war, or to surround it with 

 a convoy of torpedo-boats and towing-torpe- 

 does, which must be numerous enough to 

 watch for and intercept any attacking-torpedo. 

 The latter method would greatly complicate a 

 naval engagement. The British Thunderer has 

 been provided with a crinoline of chain-net- 

 ting. Various kinds and forms of netting de- 

 fenses have been designed with the purpose 

 of presenting the strongest protection against 

 the torpedo consistent with the least resistance 

 to the water. At best, such a defense would 

 be a serious hinderance in sailing and mano3u- 

 vring the vessel. In experiments with improved 

 Whitehead torpedoes, a chain-net has been 

 easily perforated, although the wire was T <^ of 

 an inch thick. The best form of net has been 

 found to be wire grummet-matting, with strands 

 about half an inch thick, rove into open meshes. 

 Its advantage over the other kinds of netting 

 is its great flexibility ; the force of the torpedo 

 is gradually arrested, the mat giving and then 

 throwing off the torpedo on its recoil. The 

 plan of providing a ship with defensive satel- 

 lites, which shall patrol beside and before her 

 when there is danger of torpedo attacks, is 

 perhaps more practicable. She could be pro- 

 tested against attack from behind by a number 

 of Harvey torpedoes or Whitehead torpedoes 

 towed in the same way, which could be dis- 

 charged against an attacking launch when 

 sighted. It might be possible to protect the 

 beams and bow also with torpedoes towed 

 alongside. This plan of defense, if practicable 

 against torpedo-launches, would still be a very 

 imperfect protection against Whitehead and 

 other submarine types of torpedo. Artillerists 

 VOL. xvn. 46 A 



TRANSVAAL REPUBLIC. 721 



have not yet despaired of defending vessels 

 against torpedo-boats with light guns, which 

 can quickly be brought to bear, and rapidly re- 

 loaded, or perhaps with some modified form 

 of the Gatling gun, the principal object being 

 to discharge as many shots as possible at the 

 diminutive craft during the three minutes or 

 so while she is within range. 



TRANSVAAL REPUBLIC. This free state 

 of Southern Africa ceased to exist as a sepa- 

 rate nation in 1877, the territory of the repub- 

 lic being annexed by a British special com- 

 missioner to the British Empire on April 12th. 

 After the occupation of Natal by the British 

 in 1842, the Dutch Boers, or farmers, who 

 formed a large part of the population, moved 

 beyond the Orange and still later beyond the 

 Vaal River, and here formed the two repub- 

 lics of Orange River and Transvaal. The lat- 

 ter was recognized by the British Government 

 in 1852, and the Orange River Free State two 

 years later. The Boers had constantly to 

 struggle for superiority with the natives, who 

 outnumbered them almost ten to one, and in 

 1876 this struggle threatened the very existence 

 of the Transvaal Republic. (See ANNUAL CY- 

 CLOPAEDIA, 1876.) In January, a British com- 

 missioner, Sir Theophilus Shepstone, arrived 

 at Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal, ac- 

 companied by only a small body of Natal 

 mounted police, besides his staff. As early as 

 October 15, 1876, he had received his royal 

 commission of appointment, by which he was 

 authorized, in certain circumstances, to annex 

 so much of the territory adjacent to the Brit- 

 ish colonies as to him, after due consideration, 

 should seem fit. Immediately upon his arrival, 

 Sir Theophilus Shepstone placed before the 

 president, Mr. Burgers, the views and inten- 

 tions of the British Government as regarded 

 the necessity of an entire change in the adminis- 

 tration of the country. The Volk&raad or local 

 parliament was summoned to consider the com- 

 missioner's proposals, and during the animated 

 discussions which then ensued the president 

 endeavored to bring the members and the peo- 

 ple to a sense of the condition of the republic 

 by the most full exposure of its weakness and 

 extremity, and of the unpatriotic apathy of its 

 people. He urged the Legislature to accept the 

 terms proposed by Lord Carnarvon for a con- 

 federation with the British colonies. To this 

 the extreme independents were bitterly op- 

 posed. He then warned them that without a 

 proper conception of their obligations as a 

 civilized government, their independence could 

 not be maintained, and therefore proposed an 

 alteration in the constitution which would give 

 more power to the executive, and this was ac- 

 cepted as a means of escape from impending 

 dissolution. Ministers of finance, of public 

 works, of war, of justice, and other function- 

 aries with high-sounding titles, wore nonunatcc 

 to office ; but in the mean while the financia 

 condition of the country, bordering upon a sfj 

 of bankruptcy, remained unimproved. Und< 



