12

10

The water through which a torpedo moves at the depth to which it is set should ordinarily be quiet and currentless. If in a tideway, or other current, both projectile and target will be equally affected, and no error ensue.

To such sources of error as do obtain, however, the torpedo opposes a comparatively low momentum, due to its low speed, and the same slowness exposes it longer to the action of deflecting causes.

Another element affecting certainty or inflicting injury is found in the facility of taking up a position from which you can fire at all or with advantage.

To take up such a position, there is needed not only range of projectile which, by enlarging the area of action, increases the facility of choosing a position; there is also needed such disposition of the weapons in the ship as enables them to be discharged without undue reference to the way she heads. This comes under the head of Installation.

With the gun we have now secured "all around" fire and that for a respectable proportion of the entire battery. The torpedo as [y] yet is less fortunate; both beam and stern fire for it are encompassed with difficulties not yet wholly overcome, and there is for them under all circumstances of installation considerable dead angle.

The inferiority of the ram to the gun in this respect is evi-