Secretary Mallory Orders Torpedo Stuff

APRIL 16TH, 1864: Mallory wrote Commander Bulloch in England to have 12 small marine engines and boilers built for torpedo boats (40-50 feet in length, 5 to 6 feet beam, and drawing three feet of water). He also wanted 25 miles of good insulated wire and the best gun cotton to be used for torpedoes. //// Unable to produce essentials for pursuing the torpedo warfare that had been so successful, the South looked to Europe for the materials. //// --Old B-Runner