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Show About Torpedo 11 Gr-- The next most important thing to speed in a torpedo boat is tho quick turning, and for this pnrpose the larger Nonnand, Schican and Yarrow boats have two rudders, one iu the usual place, at tho stern and one under tho bow. Mr. Thomycroft has another device. Ila puts two curved rudders near the 6tern and the propeller is between them, 80 that when the rudders aro turned together, to-gether, the water which the propeller is driving astern is turned a little to one side aud helps to push around the boat. The latest idea in torjiedo boats is to have their launching tubes mounted on turn tables on deck instead of being fixed in the bow. With this improvement improve-ment a boat will not have to steam straight at her enemy, stop, launch its torjiodo and then turn to run away; but it cun train its tube on the big ship as if the tube were a gun, and launch the torpedo tor-pedo while rushing past at full speed. This would lio less dangerous for the torpedo boat, for it would not afford the men on the ship a good aim at her. John M. Ellicott, U. S. N., iu St. Nicholas. |