The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-08-06
Explosion Of the Naugatuck's Ono
Hundred Founder Rifle.
Lieutenant Waldron and Five Of tho
Grew Injured.
THE DAMAGE TO THE VESSEL.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE AFFAIR,
&C., h., -.

A serious accident occurred yesterday about noon
board OF revenue marine genboat Naugatuck, Laeu1.
Commanding J. W. Wilson, BY the bursting or her gun
which has injured several persons seriously faay
We have obtained the particulars Of the accident from
several parties who conversant with the facts.
appears that the vessel got underwegh for the
pose Of giving the guns some exercise in target
practice upon reaching the spot designated the gun
was loaded and shotted with the ordinary charge oe
powder the solid shot which usually fred from thai
gun The nrst discharge made aad although the gun
was examined az IL always symptom Of weakness
showed itself.
II was again loaded and the instant Of firing w.
rife explosion took place. prostratg nearly ono
on board and blowing ono man overheard, and making
sad havoc about decks AS as the smoke ciearea
and the people began themselves from
the terrific shot Il found that tho entire brooch e
tho gun had been blown out and this heavy mass q
iron had been forced through the pilot house. emoke
pipe deck house and cabin and then going distance
astern buried itself in the Of Long Island sound
How so manyi escaped seems q miracle. Az Il is oeiy
Eve persons are injured to any extent.
This the second time the gun OF this vessel has
ploded. The first q hundred pounder ride which
blew into several pieces whie the vessel cngagoA
with the rebel Fort Darling the James river. At that
time her commander Lieutenant Constable and tho oas
tain OF the gum the only persons injured and both
suffering from the injuries he received at that time.
The gun In as the time Of the ccdentsyesterday
old fashioned navy forty-two FOUNDER, which bad
been rined and very heavy brass reinforce shrunk
II made the gun quite formidable looking.
and supposed that II could Withstand very heavy
charge powder In this the charge and the shot
well 'shome. the gun very clean, and the ele
walton excessive and believed that the
cdeut purely attributable to unforeseen oauses which
were beyond the control OF any OF her officers.
Captain Wilson. who commands her, Ia Of the most
careful men in the marine service. and every
who knows him feels assured that he and his officers
wise chargeable with any neglect which wosaA
by any means cause such . disaster.
The Naugatuck has been stationed for time past
Fort Schuyler 70 protect interests In that quar-
ter. Formerly she was stationed at the Narrcws.
She was built exemplfy tho principle Of Commodore
Stevens submerging battery, which has for % many
years laid In stdu quo at Hoboksn. She was built Of
small propeller, hundred feet in length, twenty-five
feet beam and nine feet deep, and about seventy
tons burden. She propelled by two ATTY horse
power engines with two Sorrows. Her appearance was
quite novel any time. In action she sunk 70 hsr
upper deck and her cabins and houses Ill taken
down; 90 that nothing remained above walsr but hse
pilot house, smoke stack and the gun.
The following Is a list Of her olcers-
Lieutenant Csmmandine-J: Wall Wilson:
Lieutenant and Executive OD5cer-M. Wal0ro0.
Acting Ltestendxt-Mr. Buring
Chif En0iner-F. H. Pulcfer.
Asssstdnt-W. Garrison.
Lieutenant wadron was injured considerably BY ~
terrific explosion, but none Of the other officers were
injured excepting shock Five or the
injured two Of them seriously and hreo Of them slightly
and, remarked before all hands Frustrated
Tho vessel will probably down 10 tho city today
for repairs and gun. Everybody seems 10 think
that II wonderful that the entire vessel should mot
been entirely destroyed by the explosion. Had II nss
been Tor tho heavy reinforce the gun there telling
what the damage might have been.