Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-02-21

ExpssieseRta Perfect .SRccess.
sss Corfeupondenee q tho Missouri Democrat
CArRo, February 9.--In respect to the
efficiency Of the mortar boats constructed
at ST. Louis at the suggestion Of General
Fremont, therc have been many doubts in
the minds Of well meaning persons, inolud-
ing aumber Of army and navy officors.--i
They havo been thong clumsy, insufficient
in their bulwarks, incapable Of bearing the
heavy mortats designed for them, and be.
You'd al question incapable Of resisting the
terrible coucussion which would attend the
firing Of thirteen-iDch she'll.
All these opinions and representations
have been oyerthrown to-day by the exper-
imenu made under tho superintendauce
Of Captain Constable, and before com
mittee Of three composed of himself, Cap
tain Kitty, Of thegu boat Mound City, and
Captain Dove, Of the gunboat Louisville.
One Of the mortar boats, No. 35, was Ia
ken in tow this morning by three steam
tugs and conveyed to point few hun
dred yards below Fort Holt, on the Ken
tueky shore. The hugo mortar had pre-
viously been placed on board, and fred up
on one Of Rodmau's mortar carriages OF
beds. Ten or twelve Of tho thirteen iAch
shells were prepared, filled, however, with
wet sand instead Of powder, the object Of
the experiment simply being to ascertain
tho range Of the mortar and the effect of
the firing upon tho various parts of the boat
The boat was fastened to the shore and the
mortar directed down the river, which from
that point stretches away in broad and
straight sheet Of water five or six miles, to-
ward Columbus.
Everything having been got in readiness
Captain Constable fired small charge Of
four pounds of powder for the purpose of
Sealing" tho morter. The first expert
ment with she'll then followed with a
charge Of eleven pounds Of powder. When
all was ready the boat was cleared of the
company, most of us retiring to tho shore,
Capt. Constable alone remaining to dis
charge tho gun. Ready firel A deafen-
ing concession, and in an instant the huge
shell was seen mounting in tho air with
magnificent curve, and its terrible roar grad |
ually diminishing as its distance from us
rapidly increased. 1t may have risen to
to tho hight of half mile and was almost
lost to view before it began to make its de-
scending curve.
On its disappearance our eyes were Gag
erly directed to the rivers level to mark its
fall. 1t was wonderful to wait so long, the
seconds lengtheniug out as it seemed to
minutes The suspense was relieved by
the sudden shooting up from the waters
line of white column of spray far down
the Mississippi, and, as it was estimated,
two miles aud half away from us. The
mortar boat was scarcely moved by the ex-
plosion, and the mortar carriage recoiled
but two or three inches. This was very en-
couragiug.
The second experiment was made with
twenty pounds Of powder, Captain Consta-
bic again discharging the gun. The con
cussion was terrific Some distance in the
rear of the boat, where l was standing, it
was not painful; but those who remained
alongside and in the boat were cousidera-
bly, shocked. The shell rose beautifully,
mounting much higher in tho air; and at
the expiration of 29A twenty -nine and one
half) seconds, struck the water at an esti-
mated distance of three miles. This con-
cussion showed itself very palpably upon
the boat. The hatchway coverings in the
front part were lifted of, and, in some
cases, broken and split, while tho boat it.
self recoiled some two or three feet, and
penetrated the soft bank ofthe river
Experiment number three wss made
with the full charge Of twenty-three pounds
of powder. The time of the fight of the
ball was thirty-one seconds, and the distane
three and ons-half miles. The recoil of the
gun carriage was about two feet and the
effect of the concussion upon the loose wood
on work Of the boat was the same as the
previous shot.
Experiment number four gave results
similar TO number three, Capt. Paulding Of
the gun boat st. Louis discharging the gun,
ia the place Of Capt. Constable. Capt
Paulding describes the conclusion as very
stunning and painful, and thinks it could
not be endured within the bulwarks Of the
mortar boat by any man for more than
eight or ten consecutive shots.
Number five was with but fifteen pounds
ofpowder, the mortar in this case being
elevated to moro than forty-fye degrees
The she'll was twenty y-eight seconds in the
air, and seemed to fall as far away as any
of the preceding ones, which led TO the
opinions 10 the minds of the committee,
that lighter charge of powder was quite
as efficient as full twenty-threo pound
charge.
The mortar boats are about sixty feet
long, and twenty-five feet wide, surrounded
on all sides by irouplate bulwarks, six or
seven feet high. The mortar itself weighs
1920 pounds, has bore easily admitting
a lS-inch shell, and from the edge of the
bore TO the outer rim measures II inches.
The mortar bed weighs about $500 pounds,
and from the experiment of to-day, is pro-
nounced by Capt. Constable to, be tho
most admirable mortar carriage yet invent
cd, Tho shell illed with wet sand weighed
ESQ pounds, an enormous missile to be
hurled through the air distance farther
than from the leyee to Grand avenue, in
your city. Filled with powder these shells
will weigh 2l5 pounds, and can be thrown
at least half mile farther than were
those filed with the sand.
Say, twenty of these mortar boats drop
down 70 within easy reach of Columbus,
and al the same time be out Of the reach
OF the best riAed cannon the rebels may
bring to bear--so small, indeed, at a dis
tanea III fhfaa and n half a, fou- ,.,sia. ~.