952 REPORT—1 890. 
By the adoption of this rotary principle the usual speed of a composing- 
machine has been enormously accelerated. It has been found possible to com- 
pose with accuracy over 12,000 types per hour—the usual speed at which 
manual composition is done being about 1,000. The distributing is, of course, 
done at the same rate of 12,000 per hour; indeed, the rate is practically un- 
limited. The distributing is done with greater accuracy than in the ordinary way 
‘by hand, as no type can get into a wrong cylinder. From the extraordinary 
results obtained during the last few months, it may be expected that in future the 
rotary principle will supersede all present appliances which depend upon a guide 
plate, with its channels and switches so easily deranged, and working at such 
a comparatively low speed, just as in printing machinery the cylinder has 
superseded the platen of the press. 
8. The Victoria and other Torpedoes. By G. Reap Mourpny. 
The torpedo, by which term is meant a mass of explosives used for any destruc- 
‘tive purpose, has been known and used since explosives were discovered and their 
power realised. 
The first successful torpedo that is recorded was used by Zambelli, an Italian 
engineer, in 1585, at Antwerp. He completely destroyed a bridge with the aid of 
avery primitive boat-torpedo. Since then, up to within comparatively recent 
periods, torpedoes have been used, though with very poor results. In fact, with 
the exception of one case, where it is claimed that a Whitehead torpedo sank a 
vessel in the Russo-Turkish war, the spar torpedo has been the only torpedo that 
has damaged or destroyed a vessel. 
' ” The torpedoes now in use are the Whitehead torpedo—with which is included 
the Schwartzkoff torpedo, which is simply a Whitehead torpedo made of phosphor 
bronze ; the Brennan torpedo, which has established a reputation in England; the 
Simms-Edison, and the Patrick torpedoes, which have established reputations in 
America; and the Howel torpedo, which has received the favourable notice of 
experts of many nations; and, lastly, the Victoria torpedo. 
The Whitehead torpedo, which is in reality the father of modern torpedoes, was 
originated by the Luppis surface torpedo-boat. In 1864 Mr. Luppis and Mr. 
Robert Whitehead, then managers of small ironworks at Fumay, entered into an 
‘agreement to develop this torpedo. The results of their experiments and labours 
thave been that they now have a torpedo 20 feet long by 18 inches in diameter, 
which is stated to have attained a speed of 33 knots per hour for a distance of 
1,100 yards, running under water at a given depth. These torpedoes—or rather 
torpedoes of which the present is a very great improvement—have been used in 
many wars, notwithstanding which they have, with the one exception above 
named, failed to do any damage. That they have thus failed is attributable to the 
fact that the users made the mistake of pointing them at the object they were to 
hit. It will be thus seen that uncontrolled torpedoes, except for very short dis- 
tances, are very unreliable weapons; and though for short distances the Whitehead 
torpedo, or modifications of it, may never be excelled, still, for general purposes, it 
ig an admitted fact that only a controlled torpedo will be effective. With this fact 
in view, Mr. Brennan, of Melbourne, conceived the very ingenious idea of making a 
torpedo to go in a similar manner to a cotton-reel if you put it on the floor and 
pull the cotton. This torpedo claims to have a range of 3,000 yards from a given 
position. Even supposing it to have this range, as the given position will be known 
to every Power of importance it will never be a very formidable weapon. 
The Simms-Kdison is a torpedo worked by electricity generated at the sending 
station, and thus has the same disadvantage that the Brennan torpedo has—viz., 
that it can be only worked from a fixed point that will be known by all Powers of 
importance. They, both of them, are in fact torpedoes tied by the tail to a 
‘stationary position. 
The Patrick torpedo isa torpedo whose motive power is carbonic acid gas; this 
torpedo can be used from any station, and it has been under the notice of experts 
for a great number of years, but has failed to earn their approval. 
