The New York herald., 1866-09-24

FORTRESS MONROE, Sept a. 1895
A very pleasing interruption Of the placid duness Of
the Fort has been the opening OF experiments to-day by
the Board OF Army Engneors ordered here to the
adversely penstraiye and rcsistve qualities CT heavy
ordnance and iron plates The parapet directly Uis
TO the Of the experiments covered with ladies'
who looked upon the proceedings through their opera
glasses with very grea, interest. until passing OF
rain them covering and eouchant to their case.
mates with that coniraucty OF human nature that
often will show itself in ths stronger ser,
tho horde OF mascaline spectators took 20
tho water batteries to keep dry. Although not
positively uphill work. the work Of firing progressed
very slowly All the activity OF tho Members ~ tho
Board and rapid industry the heads Of Ordnance
Department and swift movements ~ runners and nng
men and fast ambulance team and hand car propelled
by three stout negroes tht0Sn IN, could accompi Oh
Than one shoi m hour at the target.
As described in previous letter tho target u AN I'm
mense affair segment IN tact Of tho stIonees, Kind Of
fort. With part covering of iron plate four inche.
thick. This iron plate. raihsr two iron plates
ioned of eighteen feet IN sng % tweivs
feet IN width. Behind this and strongly knit by IRON
girdcrs and bolts Is a granite cemened wall feet
inches in thickness and four feet additional
thickness AZ either end Tho distance fired $50 yaris
For to-hay's experiments nfiscnfnch smooth bore
Rodman and q fwelyeinrh rifrd Rodman gun were
.eIected Tie nrst shot was nred by the dtccn lnch
Rodman gun elevation Of forty minutes; cbaIge.
pounds of posdcr weight u ball, rouna sho,
az pousas Its effect indentatlon ~ the upper
deer A. the Of the tarppt two granite n rgs
broken aud forced outward and tho seams afenei IN
their immediate vicinity. The pressure oa thc sun
III 600 pounds and the initial velocity of tho sot Is5
The second sho, was ared from the gun with
s les elevation the charge ~ powder and weight ~
the bail being the Tue initial ycloc ~ or thc ball
100 feet pr second and struck the lower pats
foot from the ground The indona,Ion reached vs aud
half inches deep and eighteen inches Ia diameter the
plate this having backing Of III netes % -and
while The upper one rested drrcy against the face of
Ina 1No tO mas vi
found 70 be considerably Iess Three of tho bocka al
the back % the target we're meresy started from their
The third shot was nrr-i by tho iwclvench Rodman
gun Dyers spherical prol~cte, weighing s1o pounf-
beng used with charge ~ fyhve po1nss " powder
and haf degree eevstlon gwen TO the piece The
initial velocity OF This rife shot less hau ,h~ nsen
neh .no. beng ony ~ sssond t,ss rne uppss pa,s
diameter and ioIr and three quarters deep Two blocks
of granite vs- broken IN the bk Of ths args and the
seam. bet other blocks wcrs opened
The fourth shot was hred by Inc gar ehsrge ~
powder proec,le and elevation. The initial veccsy II
be sho, 1oIe feet second, ptodocins so isdenis
on thirteen inches diameter and Ave and Inresqa.r-
deep The masonry IN tn tsfk o. the target vas
considerably damaged; aud ,he bl"Ss, erglen oy ne
The 9TH shot fred ~ the Easne grn sni charge
~ powder &C the elevation q the mnzzle ossng con
sidsrabiy e The Ifotece with initial velocity of
los iess struck the tower plate about thrre fcc' fr
the groand rhhs shot cooeeded - bs the mo~
Damaging OF tbe ave and rlayei .sd havoc amidst the
grant, 10 the An ip1sntA,on ~ss prodre~t foaf
te.n inches In and nches deep splitting
,hs lron plato irto lnnumershs crcvces ssa near'y
peDetfsfins to the SPA
the esecs ~ - shot Bred toe iarxe,, which
IL ar fee, ,hlrk, oi soa mssonrT, csrefaiy ~,
toxehsr with rUa So~.is ard toxries ard lad with
-four n, hea rolled plases wss 'rencndofs sod eeltsd
the sbneas sid simirsson of AZ tb@ ofe@rs COO
l carung the srpefirnents
rhe OPINION str~ngshensd sishcngt generally Al
variance wh the sutnrisnsf b~fosebsnd thst tn-
az iuehss q ssaa saoIssd = eaesos ier ees q in'
ton and that the rfsse~s remstsnrs ws cFefsi sh4r
sbs plate ga plsesd ssrs % ne tses q -. sr.ae
vrFed orDf@aas1ssix "a q AGsult 70 eH shas r~S2sx