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182
THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT
the beam of the ship so as to discharge off cither bow. The
gyroscopes are first started to spin in a direction in the
plane of the target and the torpedoes fired. The directive
force of the gyroscope acting on the steering rudders brings
the course of the torpedo back into the direction of the
target after a short run. It will easily be seen that by this
system of angular firing, torpedoes fired simultaneously off
each bow will cover a considerable front of the enemy
and will therefore afford better chances of making a hit.
Another device of some importance which has lately
been fitted causes a valve to open after the torpedo has
run a certain distance, flooding the after compartment and
causing the torpedo to sink. This is done so that if a
loaded torpedo has been fired and failed to hit its mark and
explode it will not be left floating, a menace to friend as
well as to foe.
All the latest torpedoes are equipped with means of
heating the compressed air stored in the flask before it
reaches the engine. The heater is situated in the air
passage between the reservoir and the engine and is auto-
matically lighted as the torpedo is discharged. The heat-
ing of the air greatly increases the efficiency of the torpedo
as anyone who is familiar with compressed air phenomena
will understand. By its means both the effective range
and the speed of the torpedo have been materially aug-
mented.
The new 21" hot air torpedo manufactured by the Bliss-
Leavitt Company in Brooklyn has an effective range of
10,000 yards and a maximum speed of 43 knots per hour,
and will carry about 500 pounds of high explosive. So we
see that from a machine of a doubtful 800 yard range and
a speed of 8 or 10 knots the torpedo has become a weapon