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More Naval BlundersBy Paul HooperI have recounted the story of how HMS Trinidad torpedoed herself during the last war, in these pages before. But now I think I have come up with a story even more bizarre! In 1879 the Chilean ironclad Huascar tried to torpedo the Brazilian Corvette Abtao, she closed to within 200 yards and fired the torpedo, for the first 100 yards it travelled straight and true but then it suddenly turned to port into a wide semi-circle and headed back towards Huascar. Aware of the danger to his ship Lieutenant Diaz Canseco dived from the deck of Huascar and grappled with the torpedo with his bare hands forcing it away from his ship. The commander of the Chilean task force Admiral Grau was so disgusted with the new weapon - it was the first time he had used it - that he took his remaining supply of torpedoes and buried them in the cemetery of the local church! |