The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-22
ARTILLERY EXPERIMENTS At FORTRESS MONROE.

Accurate FIring-ImprOvcments in Gunuery-
Tremendous Effects of the Twelve and Fif-
teen Inch Guns-Granife Walls and Iron
Plates No Protection.
FORTRESS MONROE Va, Nov. 10, 1868.
The experimental firing under the direction OF the
United States Engineer Department was inaugurated
to-day, large number Of army officers being pre-
phreys, Barnard, Cullum, Benham. Simpson, Tower,
Wright Dmick, Newton Thorn, Stewart, Gilmore,
Casey, Reese; General Hagen and Colonel King, OF
the Ordnance Department and Generals Barry,
Brewerton and Roberts, OF this post The firing
was conducted by Colonel T. g. Baylor, assisted by
Major w. s. Beebe and Captain Poland.
There three different kinds OF targets here, all
OF the latest and most improved patterns The En-
gineers' Department have been engaged upon them
for some months past and they were models Of neat
ness and strength. The largest one was OF granite
and had sma IL embrasure about four feet from the
ground, and is said TO have been erected on the
same plan as the Grip Rapsu or more properly Fort
Wool. 1t is Of strong stone work, and supported on
each side with heavy abutments. The second one IL
composed OF heavy wrought iron embrasure coR-
posed OF two heavy plates Of wrought iron, over
foot in thickness, and firmly riveted together, the
back supported by heavy masonry. The parapet on
crete. while the other was common earthworS. The
third target Is composed OF brick stone and heavy
wrought iron plates, and made to represent the case
OF the three.
The firing was commenced on the target frst de-
scrbed with a thirteen-nch smooth bore gun, the
shot being Of steel and Weighing about $40 pounds.
The object was TO strike the target at the embrasure
or near 1t, thus dismountlng or disabling any piece
that might have been planted behind It, The rst shot
was well aimed and just grazed the side OF the tar
get going through II and landing safely In the sand
The second was little higher, striking above the
upper right hand corner OF the embrasure and doing
considerable damage. The third shot struck to the
right and near the embrasure, and did an immense
amount OF damage, sending large pieces OF granite,
which would weigh from two TO three hundred
pounds some thirty or forty feet to the rear. The
fourth and last shot fired at this target was from
nfteen-inch gnn and struck the target between the
embrasUre and the ground tearing an immense
hole In II. They made these experiments rom
distance OF 1000 yards. ,.
They next tried the embrasure OF plate wrought
iron, one proposed by General Barnard. Tue nrse
shot from thirteen-inch smooth bore gun sfuck
the iron plate fairly In the centre, nearly Duryin9
ITSELF smashing the bolts and completely demolish-
ing thai side OF the work A second shot from the
tweve-inch rife, which arrived here a few days
since was fired at the opposite side or THIS WORK,
striking IL fairly and knocking II 70 pieces Inc
shot weighed over 600 pounds, and was 1red from
distance OF 500 yards. This concludeu tne uays
firing and was highly satisfactory TO all present.
The experiments will continue for some Gays, ana
IL IL expected that General Grant anu ne secretary
OF war viii arrive tomorrow to witness them.
Generals Humphrey, Deaneld, Gilmore Comstock
and Benham Colonies Casey and Houston and Ma
jors King and Mayer here witnessing the expert.
Iments with heavy artillery. they win leave to-
night for the north.