The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-08-09

BULLETS rHxTBURsTssssss=sst
The Inventors Efforts and Failures In !
Russia and Brazfh
NJ. Pertuiset is the inventor of the ex-
plosive bullet which bears his name, and /
of which a good deal was heard at the !
time of the last international exhibition !
at Paris. In the year following he was
invited to Russia by Gen. Miiutine, the
Cars minister of war, and remained
five months in the country. One day he
was experimenting with his powder III
the pfeseree sf Gen. Barantzoff (Adju-
tant to the. Grand Master of Artillery,
when the latter said to him, Don't you
think that if shells were to be charged
with this powder we might obtain some
great results against the plates of armor-
ed ships9" am sure of it" said NJ.
Pertufset, "but having no cannon at my
disposal, | have been unable TO make the
trial" "There. need be no difficulty
about the cannon" replied the General,
I" but with a charge of thirty pounds of
powder wouldn't the shock make your
proiectile BURST" I" I don't think so; but
| could not accept the responsibility"
dwell, / will give orders for the delivery
to you of two eight inch krupp shells;
you will charge them according to your
system, and this evening | will ask the
Emperor for authorization to risk a.
gun" The Emperor gave his consent in
these words: eff the gun busts it Will
bust" On the morrow the experiment
was made; the shells were fired and the
gun remained intact though the target
flew to pieces. 1t consisted of an iron
plate six inches in thickness, strengthened
with forty inches of WOOD. NJ. Per
| tuiset's remarks deserve to be given YER
batim. After that, the members of the
Russian military commission seemed to
be astonished at the result, he adds:
The trials, which have since renewed,
led me to make an important discovery
that of retarding at will, the explosion of
proiectile without a fuse. This inven-
ton, joined to the extraordinary potency
of my powder, will, / am convinced,
bring about the speedy end of iron-clad
! fleets. To prove my assertion | only ask
nation willing TO place at my disposal
the guns and projectiles required"
During his residence at ST. Petersburg
VI. L
with the Emperor and the hereditary
Grand Duke. The first bear was killed
by the Czarowitch, after which bril-
liant collation., of which partook, was
served us on an immense carpet of snow.
After lunch the Emperor suddenly
turned to NJ. Pertuiset, and pointing to
fir. about -four hundred metres GAO
yard1 of, ~ want you" said his Males
ty, "to aim at that tree and not to miss
it, to try the effect of your explosive
bullets at that distance" The judicious
reader has already guessed that Nj.
Pertuiset fired, and that the upper part
Of the fir went the way of the iron tar
get. 1t flew to pieces. Every one APP
plauded, and the Emperor, smiling, COM
plimented the marksman on his discOv-
cry. By and by second bear was killed
(by the Czar), and the party returned to
St. Petersburg. A few days later his
Majesty sent NJ. Pertuiset magnificent
emerald ring. He is careful to explain
that this success with tir-tree was not
50 much due to his own natural skill as
to the confidence with which the predic
ton of " a lucid subject" had inspired
him. On the day proceeding the hunt
s he had told him to 60 by all means, for
that things would turn out well for him.
Her prophesy flashed across his mind just
as he was taking aim, and helped to
steady eye and arm. 1t was a fortnight
after this incident that Prince Gortscha-
kof addressed his well-known circular to
the Powers, inviting them to send dele
gates to a conference to be held at St.
Petersburg for the purpose of interdict-
ing the use of explosive bullets in war
fare. The Russian proposal was assented
to by the nations of Europe, while those
of America declined to send representa-
tives to the congress. The Russian Gov
eminent, however, by way of making
some compensation to NJ. Pertuiset for
the loss thus occasioned him, bought the
secret of fabricating his explosive bullets
for a considerable sum, and on the eve
of his departure presented him with Sl0,
900 besides as a free gift. This generous
proceeding "touched him deeply"
nevertheless the decision of congress
ruined all hishopes," and he resolved to
sail for America. At Rio Janeiro he had
an audience. of the Emperor of Brazil,
who, like his brother of Russia, was
anxious to test NJ Pertuisct's powder
w 1tH tillS emu III view, he oTutIeu HlHi
to fire at a given mark. M. Pertuiset
shot WELL "That is good shot at two
hundred metres" said his majesty 81
beg your pardon, sire, at four hundred"
he answered. 'Ohl that is not possible"
replied the emperor. Sire, I am GER
tain what | say is true" The distance
was measured. 1t proved to be four
hundred and twenty metres. 81 was
wrong, l think" adds NJ Pertuiset, "not
to have shown myself perfect courtier
In spite of the success of my experiments
| did no business in that quarter; all |
gained was the cost of my Journey, and
the chance of catching the yellow fever"
THE other day telegram was received
in Bucharest from the hospital surgeon
at Giurgevo, announcing the flight of all
the inhabitants, and asking what he was
to do. The reply was that he was to re-
main at his post as long as there was a
single patient under his care A few
hours afterward the surgeon put in his
appearance at Bucharest "What do
you mean by leaving your -post?" asked
his chief. Excuse me- was the reply;
"my patients have all run away Var
Correspondent. p" 7.a
Prompt Work.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel of August Sd, 1877.
Early last Monday morning JOseDh G.