366 
OUR SUBMARINE DEFENCES. 
By Captain C. ORDE BROWNE, R.A. [Retired]. 
[PLATE CXXVII.] 
I N the spring of 1873 our equipments of torpedo warfare were 
fully reviewed,* including both the fixed explosive engines, 
known as submarine mines, and those of a locomotive character 
to which the word “ torpedo ” has been more peculiarly applied. 
During the two years that have since elapsed, some progress 
has been made in the development of the latter class of de- 
structive engines. Whitehead’s fish torpedoes have been manu- 
factured in considerable numbers, and their powers have been 
increased, especially in the most important matter, that of 
speed in their “ running.” In short, both Whitehead’s and 
Harvey’s torpedoes have received much attention, and they 
have been brought to greater perfection. Nevertheless, no 
change has taken place in either of them of such a character as 
to call for special notice. This is not the case with the first 
class of engine mentioned, namely, submarine mines. With 
these a remarkable series of experiments has been carried out, 
known as the Oberon experiments, the result of which has been 
to prove that our whole system of submarine mines must be 
changed. In fact, at this moment we may look upon ourselves 
as in a state of transition from one system to another, although 
the substance of the Committee report is not yet made known. 
The Oberon experiments were instituted to ascertain, as 
exactly as possible, the effect of a submarine mine exploding at 
various distances from a vessel of the modern type. For this 
purpose the Oberon was fitted with a bottom and sides resem- 
bling those of H.M.S. Hercules , and was “tested to destruc- 
tion,” as the phrase is ; that is to say, she was exposed to the 
action of the class of mine proposed to be adopted generally for 
our lines of defence, at first at a considerable distance, but gra- 
dually brought nearer to the vessel until she should be com- 
pletely disabled from further action. The experiments were 
* Vide “ Torpedoes/ by A. Hilliard Atteridge. 11 Popular Science 
Review,” April 1873. 
