Pond. — Notes on the firing of Torpedoes hj Electricity. 165 



fire of the fuse and sndden explosion -wliile drilling out or luitting in an 

 adjacent shot, through the smouldering fuse suddenly completing the work 

 for -which it was intended. One difficulty would be experienced at first in 

 insulating the copper wire with a material that would withstand the heavy 

 blows generally administered in tamping, but when charges of lithofracteur, 

 dynamite, or nitro-glycerine are used in the same places, this difficulty 

 would be obviated by the use of water, mud, or soft material for tamping ; 

 and especially in those instances where simultaneous firing is required, the 

 moment of explosion and the number of charges to be dealt with is so 

 completely under control, that I am surprised so little has been done as 

 yet in the more frequent use of electricity for this purpose. 



But passing to a more serious consideration of this subject — the firing of 

 torpedoes — I trust I may be excused if I bring before the members of this 

 Institute the extreme and increasing interest taken in this weax^on at home 

 and the enormous strides which are being taken, first to bring this arm into 

 use for the defence of ports and the attack upon ships, and secondly to 

 guard, as far as possible, against the disastrous consequences of a successful 

 attack with this weapon. And when we think of the fearful effects caused 

 by the explosion of a well-charged torpedo when placed in its most favourable 

 j)osition for damaging a vessel, and take cognizance of the wonderful powers 

 and varied character of the respective torpedoes, each fraught with the same 

 object, it should do more than interest us, and cause us to enquire in what 

 way these weapons may be of service in the defence of our ports, and 

 whether we have to deal with the Whitehead torpedo, with its complicated 

 and secret machinery, with its evolutions so wonderful that Lord Salisbury 

 lately remarked at a public meeting " that it could do almost anything but 

 talk," — the Harvey torpedo, which may be towed parallel to the towmg 

 vessel and at a long distance from her, and thus be brought to bear in a 

 speedy manner upon the enemy — or the still more deadly, because hidden, 

 torpedo, moored in the track of ships and ready to be fired by the electric 

 wire, it behoves us to examine and, as far as possible, decide in what way 

 we could be guarded from the attack of armed cruisers, who having levelled 

 black mail upon us, would probably return again at another convenient 

 season. With this object I have brought before you the points which I 

 consider should be guarded and the means of so doing, and I may add that 

 when we see the neighbouring colonies taking this matter in hand with the 

 same object, I think we should be up and doing while there is time and not 

 be in the sorrowful position when too late of knowing that 

 " Of all the sad thoughts of tongue or pen 

 The saddest are those, it might have been." 



Owing to the many entrances to our spacious harbour, it becomes a 



