The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-30
THE NEW DYNAMITE GUN.

THE NEW DYNAMITE GUN.
rb. INSTRUMENT That May Revolutioniss
Warfare.
The Secretary of War has detailed
Lieutenant E. L. Zalinsky, of the Fifth
Artillery. to superintend the expert
ments that are daily being made at Fort
Hamilton with the new dynamite gun,a
larger and more perfect one than the
small "trial" gun hitherto used. Lieu,
tenant Zalinsky for three weeks past
has made daily experiments with the
small gun. To a reporter who visited
Fort Hamilton, the Lieutenant spoke OF
the gun as follows: IT nm than
pleased with it. I came here thinking
that it was merely another
crank invention, but expert
ence has taught me that it is destined TO
revolutionize modern warfare. 1t VIII
really do all that is claimed for 1t:
It will throw a dynamite cartridge OF
from 100 to 1875 pounds accurately and
without exploding it from q mile to a
mile and a half with sufficient force to
penetrate an iron armor four inches
thick, and, moreover, all the remaining
work that is stored in the proiectile at
| the time it strikes the enemy's vessel IS
equivalent to so much %tampering, thus
insuring a blow of great force against
the hull OF the vessel.
"Of how great a force? 2" asked the re-
porter.
Great enough" replied the lieuten-
ant, in my opinion to blow up the lar
gest and heaviest vessel that is now
aloat. 1t has been proved that lou
pounds of dynamite exploded three
feet under the water will destroy u
frst-class man-of-war lying seventeen
feet off. 1t has also been proved re-
peatedly that dynamite has downward
tendency when it explodes-that is, I'M
like gunpowder, it skaters all beneath
it as we'll as everything above it, and !!
therefore claim that when one hundred
pounds of dynamite are thrown say on
the Thunderer, the dynamite will either
blow the vessel to pieces or so badly
shatter it that it will keep out OF our
way for some time to come"
dHow does this gum" inquired the
reporter, Compare with the ordinary
torpedo"
aIthink it considerably more effec-
tive. A torpedo may be stopped in its
course and rendered useless by the
enemy,s Blooms or MEETINGS, whereas
nothing can prevent this proiectile from
flying through the air. Moreover, a
torpedo is useless after being used,
whereas this gun can be reloaded and
retired in one minute. Then, again,
think Of the great difference in cost be-
tween the two. A torpedo costs $3.50,
and, as l have said, can be used only
once, while a prolectile cast from this
gun, which Ibelieve will be more dead,
y in it's effects, will certainly not cost
over $40. And, lastly, a great merit l
and consequent easiness of locomotion.
An eight-inch powder rifle weighs, for
instance, ten tons, while this gun weighs
scarcely two and a half. Altogether, II
think it one of the greatest Of modern
inventions"
This new gun is a rather imposing
looking structure as it stands IN the
highest and most conspicuous elevation
in Fort Hamilton. 1t is made OF brass,
is forty feet long, four inches in dame
-
ter, and one-quarter of an inch thick.
1t is placed on a carriage of light and
angle iron, which weighs about fifteen
hundred pounds and is about seven feet
high. The reservoir that holds the
compressed air which drives out the
cartridge is placed Immediately behind
the gun, is 25 inches in diameter, Z feet
long and contains IA charges of air.
The proiectile that holds the dynamite
is a brass tube 2 feet long, 81 inches in
diameter, and is attached to q wooden
plug, tamping from the brass tube tc
the full size Of the bore of the gun, and
the shot is fred by gradual pressure Of
air from the reservoir, which is worked
automatically.
The experiment made yesterday con
sisted in firing blank cartridges from
Fort Hamilton at a target placed on
Fort Wadsworth, a distance of about
2,214 feet. Five shots were fired, and
they all landed within five feet of the
target, which was pronounced by the
officers as very successful firing for 8
first experiment.