The Whitehead torpedo, used in the Russo-Turkish War, was developed in the 1860s. Austrian engineer Robert Whitehead in 1864 began to improve the apparatus for coastal defense, developed by retired Austrian captain Giovanni Lapis. The device had a cigar-like shape and was filled with explosives. It was descended into the water, and for its movement the clockwork was used.
The work took two years. During this time, the Russian engineer-inventor Ivan Alexandrovsky created his torpedo pattern, where he used a pneumatic engine and hydrostat.
In 1866, Whitehead tested his invention, but they failed because of the torpedo's instability in course and depth.
Two years later, Whitehead presented a new torpedo pattern, equipping it with coaxial propellers. From the jumps of the torpedo, Whitehead got rid of by means of a special pendulum, which helped to straighten the course.
The new model was adopted by the Austro-Hungarian fleet. A few years later, information about the success of Whitehead went around the world. Orders for the manufacture of torpedoes came from Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Germany, Belgium, Greece and many other countries. Russia adopted torpedoes for the armament of its navy in 1874.
Captain Stepan Makarov has managed to put hands on four torpedoes, although the leadership of the Black Sea Fleet at first refused him because of their high cost. Later they were installed on the best cutters - "Chesme" and "Sinope". Aiming was carried out by turning the hull of the cutter. The passenger steamer "Grand Duke Constantine" was converted into a carrier of cutter launches.
The first torpedo attack of Russia on Turkish ships took place at the end of December 1877 near Batumi (now Batumi), but was unsuccessful.
In the night the team took the masts of three battleships for a three-masted vessel and released two torpedoes. They passed between two ships, one jumped ashore, the second hit the anchor chain, its charging compartment broke off and exploded from impact to the ground, without causing Turkish ships any harm. Deprived of the warhead, another torpedo also jumped ashore.
Repeated attack, this time successful, took place on the night of January 26, 1878.
"Captain 2nd rank Makarov, having learned that there is a Turkish squadron in Batum, decided that the night attack would be very useful for the common cause ..." Admiral Nikolai Arkas wrote in the report. - Makarov lowered cutters: "Chesma", under the command of Lieutenant Ismail Zatsarenny and "Sinop", under the command of Lieutenant Shcheshinsky ... The boats were released from the side at 11.20 am and, despite the strong fog, extreme difficulty to find the bay, in half of the second hour, when the moon rose, they approached the Batumi raid, where, having looked around, they saw seven warships parked to the shore ... "
To attack, it was decided to guard the two-masted steamer Intibah, which was closest to the boats. Two torpedoes were fired by the cutter, each carrying 27 kg of explosives.
"The boats approached, not being noticed, thirty or forty sazhens, simultaneously launched their self-propelled mines. Zazarenny's torpedo struck at the mainmast, and Shishinsky's mine - slightly to the right. Both exploded simultaneously. A strong explosion was heard ... The steamer lay down on the right side and quickly went to the bottom with most of its crew ... "- described in the report the incident Makarov.
"From the explosion of mines to the moment when the masts of the deceased ship disappeared, no more than two minutes passed," Arkas noted in the report.
Of the 35 sailors on board, the explosion killed 23. Zazarenny wanted to save the surviving crew members, but because of the wreckage floating around he did not dare to approach. At 3:15 am the boats returned to the ship "Grand Duke Constantine". The steamer went to Sevastopol.
This was the first successful use of torpedoes in a combat situation.
The Russian-Turkish war ended in 1878 with the victory of the Russian Empire. In 1879, the further improvement of the Aleksandrovsky torpedo was discontinued - it was decided to abandon them in favor of purchases, and then licensed production, that proved to be effective in the Whitehead mine.
Befre that, the Ironside ships would ram the wooden ships.
Hunley.....................
Interestingly the term Torpedo changed over time as originally a Torpedo was considered a mine in the water. Thus the famous line: “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” - Adm. Farragut, Battle of Mobile Bay during the Civil War.
The term was applied to these self-propelled mines as well and eventually took over the term completely.