Smyrna times., 1883-07-11
Internal Machines.

demagOgues, COmmunistic and Nihilis-
tic, have rolled the lugubrious term
like a sweet mOrsel upon their wagging
tongues, but the public has been kept
in utter ignorance as to the exact
nature of these explosive compounds,
which are beginning to play such an
important part in the everyday politi-
cal history of Great Britain and the
Continent. The nefarious business has
developed, to an unsuspected extent,
but its growth has been silent. 1t was
not until within the last twelvemonth,
when this country was made the princi-
pal basis of operations, that the English |
| detectives. able to see from afar those |
things which had flourished unobserv-
ed under their very noses, grasped the
full importance of the movement and
published it to the world. Even all
the blatant utterances of O'DonOvan
Rosa, mild-mannered man that he
is, pregnant with prophecies of huge
and terrible machines of destruction,
have not, queerly enough, directed the
attention of the public to a proper ap-
probation of the secret work of which
he is the open apostle. In New York
City to-day, and in Philadelphia, infer
nal machines of every conceivable pat
tern are being manufactured, in many
instances within Il stone's-throw of the
headquarters of the law. Every day
there go out from the ports of these
two cities not less than two dozen of
= these machines, any one Ofthem of the
power of that which caused the recent
explosion in the Government buildings
t in London. Once in while a machine
is discovered on board ship about to
sail. The officers seize it, but the other
eleven machines on the same ship they
fail to find for good and sufficient
reasons. The one machine was so
placed that the Custom House officials
could not reasonably overlook it. 1t
was carelessly packed, thereby giving
the impression that all ofsuch machines
are carelessly packed, or that they can
be easily discovered. In this way the
law is thrown off the scent. How easy
is such an undertaking will most clear.
ly appear from a description of a few
of the machines, such as are in great
demand among the Fenians and Mill
lists of Russia. The most common
| e l.
as the "ticker." To all intents anC
E. purposes it is an ordinary tin can, yer,
| much like that in which astral oil i
sold. The can for such it is, is made O
heavy galvanized iron, one-sixteenth o
see an inch in thickness. 1t is one foo
,sy high aud four inches square. Thi
sSHy machine, as we'll as all of those nov
IT'S made in this country, are filled with
new powder, invented by George Hol
- gate, of Philadelphia. 1t has the fOrr
n of ordinary gunpowder, is of dark
j, brown color, only explodes in connet
ton with the simultaneous applicatio
of fire and power, and is estimated
81 be 200 times as powerful as giant gul
ass powder. The can holds, therefore, th
equivalent of 900 pounds of powde
Upon one side and near the top of IL
can is attached, by means of bra
screws, an ordinary clock-spring NOV
> ment. Above this movement, and co.
blic nected with it, is a small round bra
wheel, about an inch in diameter, ha
ing upon one portion of the circumfe
ence slot, or notch. A spring press
upon the edge of the wheel, which I
Is wolves. When the slot is reached
,u- the circuit, the spring falls into it wi
a snap, which in turn releases anoth
Ives spring falling upon nipple upon viii
Ork, is a gun cap. The nipple is of ir
n to and extends down into the powd
and the explosion of the cap Instant
Re- neously sets off the compound in t
he bottom of the can. The machine C
be set anywhere between one mint
and thirty-six hours. When all
ready, the operator closes the
'"' fastens it with an iron locker, a
rye deposits it where he may desire
.H cause the explosion. 1t can be kick
rolled around or hammered, but III
the spring falls into the slot and
plodes the cap there is no danger in
III handling. By putting the ear close
" the lid the melancholy tick.tick of
clock cain Be heard, but this is
noticeable at a distance Of six f,
-. The machine is air tight, and water
any like fluid has no effect on the
plosiVe compound, even were it
Ids, Theoretically sealed. It can be seeu
ly packed in barrel of lard, a baI
of petroleum, box of tobacco,
of -four, or with any of those article
r. export which are not likely to attn
attention. The power of such a
chine depends, of course, upon
nature of the confined space in WI
it is placed
The most poH erfpl Internal macl
D2tly made Is what is known as an "eil
rY. day machine" Like the "ticker
=. can, however, be set from one min
w upwards. A machine of this desc
IN ton recently made by Holgate
Philadelphia, was fourteen inches h
six inches square, and contaIRed
nS. equivalent Of 5000 pounds Of gum
.7S der. It can, however, have eth
square or spherical shape. 1t is n
,sca%ss stshss Of galvanized iron or stout tin.
. have clock movement is so arranged tbs
md the can be taken out and away nom
Il machine and sqppsetea again
'sS momept's notice. Yhe operator, !
yS'R Il desires to divert suspicion, carries
Street empty can in his hand and the {
'ss ~" movement in his coat-tail pocket.
explosion is caused by defamation
e. sliding bar of brass, drawn by 5
I -. H.. :