Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-03-05
Dynamite in War.

A long brass luDe, Wltn tWO-lncn
bore, lay upon the western parapet of
Fort Hamilton recently. Colonel
Hamilton, commander of the fort, an
umbrella, and reporter stood near by.
The long brass tube was gun, al
though an ordinary observer might
take it to be a portion of warer-pipe
used for draining the parapet.
This gun,"' continued Colonel
Hamilton, rs twenty-eight feet long
with a twO-inch bore. 1t was invent
ed by Mr.. Milford, an American, and
is the property of Mr.. Windsor, the
torpedo builder. We were asked to ex-
pertinent with it here, which we are do
ing, under the direction of Lieutenant
Zallinski, an expert in projectiles and
harbor defense weapons. We have
been trying it at half-mile range with
good results. notwithstanding that it is
incomplete as to its manufacture and
mountings, and has by no means real
lied its possibilities.
1.-The motor is compressed air, with
which it is proposed to experiment at
600 to $50 pounds pressure. The missile
has been proved to have good power of
penetration and is formidable as a di-
rect weapon. But that is not the main
object. The weapons are made long
like an arrow and headed with brass
cases intended to be charged with dyn-
amite, the explosion of which is to pro-
duce the intended effect. As yet we
have not experimental with dynamite,
but have loaded the cases with sand IN
order to give them weight. The mis-
siles are of light pine wood, made to
fit the bore, are "a, 40, and 4S inches in
length. The brass cases, which
are fitted at the head, are IA and "a
inches long. their diameter being II,
II and II inches. These cases, when
charged give WEIGHT and steady the
flight of the missile or arrow. The
openings at the head of the cases are
closed with wooden plug, through
which a needle penetrates connecting
with cap. When the projectile strikes
the object the dynamite is at once ex-
ploded.
LAS yet very little is known about
condensed gases as motor for project
lies, though it has been successfully
utilized as a motive power. The great
problem has been to throw dynamite
shells with safety. The conclusion of
gunpowder will Immediately explode
dynamite, and the result is the gun is
destroyed, as well as everything In the
neighborhoOd. With this gun, howeY-
er, think that dynamite can be thrown
with perfect safety to the gunner, and
with disastrous effect to the object it
strikes.''
The gun when in position is mounted
on tripod and has the appearance of a
slender telescope, Two small tubes
connect with receiver, which in turn
is connected with twenty-five horse
power steam-engine with a long hose.
The engine and boiler are located in
the fort.
Experiments have been made with
the gun at half-mile range. The mis-
sile penetrated a heavy wooden target,
backed with hard packed earth, twenty
six inches. During the passage it OBJ
tanned fall of twelve degrees. The
gun, however, is not intended to throw
projectile as direct weapon. but as
carrier for dynamite. So rapid is the
explosion of dynamite that its force is
always downward. Consequently a
dynamite shell exploding on the
side of vessel would not produce as
disastrous an effect as it would if it
struck on the deck.
This gun is constructed to meet all
the necessary requirements. The pro
jectlle, though resembling a base ball
bat, will, when shot from the gun by
an expert marksman, make a graceful
curve in the air, like an arrow and de-
scend head downwards upon the deck
of vessel. With heavier pressure
it can be 81 OF as direct weapon. The
pressure can be regulated at will.
When discharged there is no report, but
tie missile leaves the gun with shrill
whistle which produces as dlsagreeable
a sensation in one's-ears as a buZZ-Saw
when it strikes hard knot. The force
obtained by 200 pounds of pressure was
remarkable. AT the first discharge the
three quarter-inch iron bars which sup
port the gun were bent nearly double
by the reaction, while the projectile
shot from the bore like a ball from a
heavy gun and penetrated the target
twenty-six inches.
Il believe" said Colonel Hamilton,
''that the gun will prove to be an effect
i've weapon for harbor defense. Lieu
tenant Zallinski is very enthusiastic
over it and is confident of its success.
AS soon as we have favorable weather
We will make experiments on the
water