The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-13
WAR AND LIFE ROCKETS.
INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS BEFORE THE ORD
NANCE BOARD AT SANDY HooK-CARRYING

INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS BEFORE THE ORD
NANCE BOARD AT SANDY HooK-CARRYING
THE LIFE LINE.
A serious of very Interesting experiments under
the auspices OF the United States Ordinance Board,
with tho Hale war rocket and the Singcton.Hoopcr
Life saving rocket, took place yesterday at Sandy
Hook. A large party Of invited guests OF Captain +.
h. Atkinson, agent OF the War aud Lilo Saving
Rocket Company, OF London. boarded tho steamer
william Fletcher, ut tho Battery, at ten
O'Clock. Among those present were Commo-
dore Nicholson, Captain Gore-Joncs. British naval
attache at Washington Lieutenant Commander Juan J.
Monojo, naval attachG 10 the Spanish Legation; Lieu
tcjant Colonel Bcrmudcz, military attachc to the Same
legation Flag Lieutenant BIrwcll captain Mcrram OF
the Lite Saving Service; Police Commissioner Smith,
and General W. + Prince, United States Army. The
steamer lett the government slip al the Battery at
quarter past ten A. NJ ana alter stopping al the Pav
ion landing at Staten Island to pick up a couple Of
guests reached tho old government dock at tho Hook
at n quarter past twelve.
AT SANDY HOOK.
On tho dock Colonel s. Crispin, Ordnance Agent
at New York; Colonel T. j. Treadwcil, Colonel 7. G.
Baylor and Captain +. H. Phpp. Recorder forming tho
Ordnance Board, and Lieutenant Starin, OF tho Ord
nrncc Department, IN charge Of the post. Discmbark-
ing the party walked 10 the telegraph station,
near which the buits Arrived here the rockets
and stands inspected and their construction and
the various other particulars explained By Captain
Atkinson The party then retired the piazza of the
telegraph house. from which tho rockets rcd by
electricity and which sixty yards from the
firing platform. The rockets were nrst tried.
There we're Two stands tho platform, one a field
stand single rockets and The other mltrallicusc
stand Tor seven rockets.
The war rockets hollow iron cylinders, with a
Hanged tlil pleco and have shell head which
he filed with any explosive material and exploded
with percussion nipple a time fuse. Tho rocket
conbusbc Is packed ~ spiral layers having open
cylindrical bore down which the pass escape
through tho vent holes at the end OF
holes inpinging the langes, Causes the
proccti!o to rcvolvc with great velocity, giving 1t
stcadipess OF course. The six and twelve FOUNDER
rockets have three blades TO the tail piece ana tho
twcnty-four FOUNDER four. They are fired from steel
troughs, supported Oh wheels ard Timber, as a field
piece.
The firing in charge Of Lieutenant starin, who
assisted by Master Mechanic Sinclair aul several
WAX ROCKETS
AT one O'Clock, all being ready, tho connection was
made with twelve-pound kct, tho trough being
elevation OF ten degrees, ana directed to the south
ward over the bcacn and out TO The word WAS
given, the key on the piazza touched, the pro-
jclIllc sprang from the trough and went wiizzing
tS.0ut IA the air on its course. From the vent holes
INT escaping gases acting on the Hanged guide rushed
forth. showing bright red name and leaving long
smoke trail behind. The wind was from the south.
ward and caused the rocket on lis trajectory work
slightly TO tho windward before u fell into
tho water. -Four twelve FOUNDERS we're fired.
and then tho shell at tho head OF the
sta nuccesjina were CHARGED with s!x ounces OF
powder w bcrssins charge, which we're exploded BY