Since the American Civil War, torpedoes have been an essential part of American naval capabilities, enabling the US Navy to defend and protect American interests at sea. The torpedo, then as now, is the ultimate close-range weapon for sinking ships; a mission that remains essential today. This book, published in 1890 by the United States Naval Torpedo Station (Newport, R.I.), was a comprehensive guide on how to connect, prime, and test spar torpedoes; fill them with gun-cotton; connect the wires using circuit-closers, and more. Spar torpedoes were attached to a spar on the bow of the ship and meant to detonate on contact with an enemy. Needless to say, the nature of the weapon presupposed that it would be deployed. By bold and skillful seamen. In this manual readers will discover a detailed overview of torpedo technology as well as helpful instructions for every stage of handling these powerful weapons. The step-by-step approach makes it easy to understand even complex topics like wiring diagrams and primers that may be too confusing otherwise. The US Naval Torpedo Station experts provided their expertise on topics that range from basic torpedo assembly checkout procedures all the way up to intricate explosion mechanisms. This document reflects well on the technical capabilities of the US Navy at the end of the 19th Century. But it also sheds light on the requirements for naval success at the beginning of the 21st Century. As war machines become more advanced, the knowledge of how to reliably destroy them at close range has retained its importance. Includes 18 color plates; a Foreword by Jellicoe [AI], Contributing Editor for Naval Affairs and History; a variety of abstracts including scientific style, tldr, tldr one word, Explain It to Me Like I'm Five Years Old, Action Items, MAGA Perspectives, and Red Team Critique; a recursive summary with synopsis; and interior mood art by artist herb.loc['ai']