Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-10
Experiments with New Kiae Missiles.

On Thursday, the 10th. some experiments
took place near the field-works of the Royal
Engineers, at Chatham, for the purpose of
testing some new descriptions of missll,s
which have been invented by Captain j. Nor
ton. an officer who had already made some
valuable inventions in connection with the
rifle. The afternoon was exceedingly wet
and unfa vOrable for carrying on the opera
tons, but notwithstanding this drawback
number of officers of the ROYAL Engineers
were present. The experiments first made
were with a new description of rife shell.
called by Captain Norton, the liquid-tire rifle
shell. The object of this new missile is to set
on fire the sail. rigging, and even the hull of
any vessel against which the she'll is thrown.
and certainly the results of the experiments
proved that the shell in question Is one OF the
most extraordinary prc,jectiles ever intro
duced into the art of warfare. The shade is
about three or four times the size of an ordi-
nary cOnical rife bullet. but is hollow, the
interior being filled with a glass, in which is
contained the liquid fire." This chemical
substance is prepared from secret in the pos
session of Captain Norton. but the chief in
gradients are phosphoru dissolved in bi-sul-
phite of carbon, and Theoretically sealed
Immediately on this she'll striking any ignita-
ole matter the glass is broken. and so power
full is the liquid that il almost instantaneOusly
sets the object in blaze.
During the experiments number OF large
sacks were suspended on poles, to represent
the sails of a ship. and these were soon soaked
through with rain, so as tn become complete
ly saturated. Captain Norton then took "A
heavy three grooved rifle, which he loaded
with one of his shells. and fired at the canvas
Notwithstanding that the sacking was very
wet. the effect was surprising, the liquid
spreading through the canvass, which began
to shoulder. and shortly burst forth int"
flames, entirely consuming the whole. Had
the sacking been dry, the effect would hav,
been instantaneous. Captain Norton can IN
dertake, with the same description of shells,
but of larger size, to set fire 10 any line-ot-
battle ship in the navy. The next expert
ments undertaken were with new descrlp-
ton of ribe shot, which has been named the
"Spinster." This bullet which can be fired
by Captain Norton at a distance of no less
than 1.800 yards, is intended for blowing up
ammunition wagons bags of gunpOwder or
setting fire to the camp OF an enemy. The
bullet. which in shape aud size resembles the
Enfield e-ball, has chemical substance
attached TO its base, which becomes ignited
the instant it is fired, remaining burning long
enough to do the execution for which it is i1-
tended.
A bag containing about two pounds weight
of gun-powder, mix with a great quantity
of saw-dust, was placed upon the ground,
the powder being soon wettcd through by the
rain One of the " spInster " shots was fired
at the mass by means of Captain Norton's
gossamer seamless cartridge. but owing to
the powder being so wet no immediate result
followed, as the gunpowder was so mixed up
with the sawdust. After a short time, how
ever, the powder was ignited and blown up.
Captain Norton afterwards exhibited some of
his :. fractional igniters, which are kind of
hand grenade, and can be made to explode
when thrown from Il glacis in the face of AS
salants. The engineer officers present ex-
pressed themselves in satisfactory terms at
the result of the experiments made with
Captain Norton's Observation-Disclosures Tunes.