The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-12
WAR AND LIFE ROCKETS.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARTS OF KILLING AMI
SAVING MEN--pEsrRUcTIvE IN WAR AND Pre-.
SENTATIVE IN PEACE.
Experiments an extensive scale with war and life
saving rockets shortly to DO made ut Sandy Hook
the auspices OF the Ordnance Dcpar tho
United states Army and tho Lilo Saving Service. The
projccllcs whose efficiency is to DO tested hacs
war rocket, already well known both here and abroad
aud Ito saving rocket lately invented by r. Sin.
eleon Hooper, Of tue British Navy. The rocket Is
an prescribed for use IN our army but which has
yet been used to any extent In active service
here. During the Abyssinian they much
used by the British forces, and 1t sx-pouDdcrs Of
this patent which. served by the naval brigade, ro
Magdaa They also praised Tor the service done by
them during tho Ashantce expedition The agent for
America Of the War and Lilo Saving Rocket Company
Captain F. +. Atkinson, late OF the British Army.
this country for the purpose Of Introducing
these procctes.
A large number Of prominent officers and gentlemen
have accepted the invitation oil Captain Atkinson
company tho party 10 Sandy Hook on tho steamer
Henry Smith for The purpose OF witnessing the trials
Among these are Generals Newton and Abbott OF The
engineers; Comm dorc Nicholson ana Captain Far.
rasut, OF the navy; Mayor Ely, Comptroller Kelly,
Chamberlain Iappan, Mcssrs Belmont Scheli, Peter
Cooper JonD Tay Tor Johnston, tue agents OF tho
various steamship companies, prominent ship owners,
delegation OF the Chamber OF Commerce and many
here composed OF Colonel Crlspin, Ordnance Agent
New YORK; Colonel Trcadwei, Colonel Boylan aud
Major Mckay. Will make report on behalf oil the gov
crnmcnt OF the result obtained at the trial OF the war
rocket. Captain Merriam, IN charge OF the life saving
service oil This DIVISION viii attend the trials with spe.
cal reference IL tho lie saving rocket
HISTORY OF WAX ROCKETS.
Rockets before 1904 were only used for signal and
inccndiary purposes In this year Sir William Con-
grevc made radical improvements III tocm. using
sheet iron instead OF paper cases, aud placing The
guide sticks which he much shortened at he con no
q,
custom These improved war rockets were effectively
used siege OF Bouiognc aud the battle OF Leip-
sig IN tho latter case being served by special corps
LATEST IMPROVEMENTS.
The Halo war rocket is u shc.headed cylindrical
case OF sheet iron, liz which Is spirally packed CON-
position OF like ingredients with gunpowder, but
mixed with the view OF giving slower rate OF COM
buston In the shell powder nitro. gyccrinc or any
other explosive al can DC placed tho hring of
tins being determined by time fuses or porcuss on
button which expodes the shell IN striking object.
they eau, II desired. be headed with solid shot Tncy
made as SIX. twelve and twenty Jour Founders,
and trcd from steel trough placed wheels,
with is elevated as desired by a screw arrange.
ment Two forms OF carriage are used-one for single
shots and the other rocket mitra;llcuse with seven
troughs.
The projcctio Is guided by Hanged screw tail picco.
on the blades OF which the escaping gases play, caus-
The rocket to revolvc with velocity while
It's course. 1t Is propelled by the gases generated
the charge chamber escaping under great pressure
through tho vent holes q, tho end. The propellng
combustibe after peins packed IN borci out through
out Its cugth to large surface U. inllmna
ton The bore Is made slightly conical and has co m.
mon centre with The outside easing 1t 10 said that
twenty-iour pouuder has as high range as $500
yards. and that IN target practice al 1900 yards cxce
lent results have been had Tho life rocket Is con.
strucicd aud Manipulated In manner similar TO tho
war rocket aud Is SAID to hsve force II pr0pul
sion, carrying the line IN very direct The
ventor cxhiDting the rocket before OF the Eng
lish coastgu4rd corps. served rockets. These
carried the lines $50 yards over vessel the rocko,s
falling close together Any Two boards placed trough
fashion serve stand from winch 10 lre the rockets.
The Russians nave been lately experimenting at
night with Illuminating rockets, which, thrown into
the vicinity Oi desired aim point, III The
ing objects that good aim couii be md.
sion OF the rockets fired at regular intervals KEEP up
tolcrabIy steady illumination. The artillery practice
was very good under this arrangement, aud the IN.
ianry better than could be expected from the nature
OF the conditions Tho life rockets eau similarly 10
provided with Illuminating shells which would show
the position OF ship distress, thus allowing moro
accurate aiming OF the succeeding rocket. These
rockets SAID 10 be much cheaper than the present
style, important point being that the rocket be
used over again, needing only new tail piece and re-
loaiiug Finally, II Is claimed Tor these rockets, both
war aud lie. That they have great precision, long
range and arc comparatively inexpensive IL has bee
suggested that Ms the mounted troops OF civilized
especially terrified and become
IN face OF the war rockets, tbey could be used with
advantage IN our Indian warfare Though the day nus
not been fixed the experiments are expected TO taKo
place toward the middle or latter part OF tho month