The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-06-30
THE NAMELESS FORCE.
Prof WIngard Blows uP N Schooner at a
Distance OF. .One and Three
Finhs Miles,
New 0flesrs Republican.

| FInhs Miles,
New Orleans Republican.
A J,roces uerbaI has been made out aud
signed by Prof. G.. G. Forshey, j.. +
Maddox and NJ F. BigDey, in which
these gentlemen state that they yester-
day witnessed the domonst ratiCn of Prof
Vineyards "namelegs force" at Lake
PUnchartrain; that at 2:35 O'Clock in the
afternoon the professor discharged his
apparatus, and nihety seconds after the
schooner at which the test was applied,
moOred at one ard three-fifth miles
distance, blew up by the stern and sunk
TO the waters edge. The memorandum OF
the committe goes on to state that after
f7rof Ningard came ashore they went to
visit with him the vessel in Il small boat.
They found her completely wrecked.
Even the small timbers aft the main
mast were broken all to pieces. The
mast was still standing, but all else was
wrecked so that it would not stand being
toSed ashore; The flag was torn to
pieces and fell 10 halfmast, where it was
still flying.
Prof. Vineyards hand vas severely
burned by the fash, the silk glove with
which he held glass tube not proving
q sufficient nOn-conductor.
From an interview with Mr.. Bigney,
one of the committee, the following adj
ditional particulars were obtained:
Mr.. Bigney states that at the time
mentioned in the brief Pr0ces rerbdt,
heretofore alluded to, he discovered
slight volume of smoke arising from the
skif in which Mr.. Wingard had taken
his position, and Immediately after saw
what appeared to be the trail of some
substance or body passing out from the
skiff toward the doomed schooner Au-
gusta. Supposing electricity TO be the
agttt employed, and that the effect
would be ai1iJst Jstinstantaneous, he turned
his eyes toward the schooner. But there
she lay with her flag still floating defiant
". He then arrived at the conclusion
that there had been another failure, and
that his friend Wingsrd was a self-de-
luded mortal, led away by such stuff as
dreams are made of \ little more than
minute ELAPSED when some one re-
marked, "There she goes"
He then sa~ smoke above the schoOn-
er, heard the report Of an explosion, and
in less than five minutes the doomed YES
sci had settled down to the waters
edge.
Mr.. Wingard came ashore and after
his hand had been dressed, which was
badly burned, the committee accompa-
MED him, proceeded to the wreck, which,
being entirely of wood, still hoated ut
anchor OH the lake, with the flag, partly
freed from the broker halyards, settled
at halfmast, as if indicative Of vessel
in distress.
II the force be all that Mr.. Wingard
elaiDsit to be, says Mr.. Bigney, one
that can be successfully and economically
employed at a distance Of frgm FIVE to
seven miles, and wholly beyond the rahgs
of the best guns hitherto made, it will
completely revolutionize maritime war
fare, and leave the cannon of to-day with
the clumsy enginery of ancient times.
In conclusion Mr.. Bigney aaid Mr..
Wingard, though much laughed at OF
late, is neither fool nor a mailman. flc
has already yindicated his claim as sue
cessfttl and scientific inventor, and the
hitherto "nameless force "-henceforth
the d" Wingard force will yet be heard
of as a factor controlling the destihies OF
nations.