, 1862-02-13
THE CAIRO MORTAR FLEET.
Experiments with 13-Inch Shell.


lAHlEU EQI tJtu} Ek+ A4AAA9-0(AASIA0tl
Che of the mortar boats, No, s., WIS taken
in tow this morning by three steam tugs, and
conveyed to ptsint few hundred yards be-
low Fort Holt on the Kentucky shore. The
huge mortar had previously been placed on
beard, and fixed upon one Of Rodman's NOR
tar carriages or beds. Ten or twelve OF the
13-incl shells were prepared, filled, however,
with wet sand instead Of powder, the object
Of the experiment simply being TO ascertain
the range Of the mortar and the effect of the
firing upon the 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 wuter FIVE Or SIX miles, towards Columbus.
Every thing having been got in readiness,
Captain Constable fired small charge Of four
pounds of powder for the purpose Of 'sscaI-
ine' the mortar. The first experiment with q
shell then followed, with q charge Of eleven
pounds Of powder. When all was ready the
boat WIS cleared Of the company, most Of us
retiring to the shore, Capt. Constable alone
remaining to discharge the gun. Ready! Fire!
a deafening concussion, and in an instant the
huge shell was seen mounting in the air with
L magnificent curve, aud its terrible roar grad
ually diminishing as its distance from rs rap
idly increased. 1t may have risen to the height
Of half mile, and was almost lost to view
before it began to make its descending curve.
On its disappearance. our eyes we're eagerly
directed 10 the rivers level to mark its fall.
It was wonderful to wait 10 long, the seconds
Frightening out Is it seemed to minutes.
Ihe suspense was relieved By the sudden
shooting up from the waters line Of a white
column Of spray far down the Mississippi,
and, it was estimated, two miles and = half
away from Us. The mortar boat was scraccly
moved By the explosion, and the mortar car
riage recoi1ed hut two OF three inches. This
was very encouraging.
The second experiment was made with 20
pounds Of powder, Capt. Constable again dis
charging the gun. The conclusion was ter
rife. Some distance in the rear Of the boat,
Where was Standing, it was not painful, but
those who remained alongside and in the
boat, were eon,ziderably shocked. The shell
air, and at the expiration Of a913 {twent y-n;ne
and one-ha1f) seconds, struck the water Mt az
| estimated distance Of three miles. This con-
eussion showed itself very palpab1y upon the
boat. The hatchway coverings in the front
part were lifted OF, and in some cases broken
and split, willie the boat itself recoilcd some
| 1--WE or three feet, and penetrated the soft
| bank Of the river.
Experiment number three WIS made with
tic full charge Of fce'ty-tAztc pounds Of pou
| thirty-one seconds, and the distance thrsc aud
q hd;J anit*. The rccoi1 Of the Gun carriage
Was about two feet, and the effect Of tile con-
| cussion upon the loose wooden work Of the
boat was the same as in the previous shot.
Experiment number four gave similar re-
I
| gunboat st. Louis, dischargirs the guu in
place of Capt Constable, Capt. Panldins de-
| scribcs the c0ncussion as very stunning and
painful, and thinks it con1d 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 Of
| powder, the mortar III this case being elevated
to more than tosty-tiye degrees. The shell
was twenty-eight seconds in the air, aud SEEM
Cd to f:lll as far away as any Of the preceding
ores, which led to tue opinion in the minds Of
the Committee, that 4 Lighter charge Of pow
der was quite n. efficient us full twent y-three
pound charge.
The mortar beats are about sixty feet long,
aud twenty-five feet wide, surrounded OH iii
I sides by iron-I plate bDlwarEs, six or seven feet
high. Tile mortar itself weighs 17.210 lbs. !,
has bore easily admitting 15-ineh shell, aud
| from the edge Of the bore to the outer rim is
II inches. The mortar bed weighs 4,50o
pounds, and from the experiment Of to-day,
is pronounced by Captain Constable to be tie
most admirable mortar carriage yet invented.
The shell filed with wet sand weighed ..sO
pounds, an enormous missile to be hurled
through the airs distance farther than from
the levee to Grand avenue, in your city Filled
with powder these shells weigh 215 pounds.
and can be thrown at least half q mile farther
than were those filed with the sand.
Say twenty of these mortar boats drop
down to within easy reach Of Columbus, and
ut the same time le ont Of reach Of the best
ritled eannons the rebels may bringt to bear-so
small, ,lndccd, at distance OF three and half or
four miles rs to he scarcely disccrnab1e on the
surface Of the water. Say further, that each Of
these boats will fire, at 4 very low estimate
four shells an hour. Then twenty Of theu
would discharge eighty shells All hour, with
perfect impunity, and at this rate for one night
Of ten hours, eight hand'ed offhesc terrific mis-.
s1s7Auy be Mrouas into tie rebI camp aud for
| t;feations- Can they endure it, Pandeino-
MUM would be Paradise to the place it would
make Of Columbus.