Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-08
ESOR NOUS EXHIBITS OF POWER.
Testing Dynamite Shells.
PROSPECTS OF A CHANGE IN NAVAL WARFARE
EXPERIMENTS AT SANDY HOOK.

TO i've persons might frequently have been seen
taking the boat to Governors Island or Sandy
Hook. Their movements were mysterious and
their conversation was carried on i'm guarded
tones. 1t times they were accompanied by per-
sons known to be members OF the United States
ordnance board. 1t is well known that various
trials of dynamite proectiles have taken place
az the ordnance proving grounds at Sandy
Hook. Compassionate guns and other inven-
tions have been tested. but have failed to give
full satisfaction. 1t is admitted by all military
authorities that if dynamite shells can be safely
discharged from ordinary cannon with powder
charges. it will create a revolution in naval and
land siege operations. The difficulty has been
that the conclusion from the explosion of the
gunpOwder eXplOdeS the dynamite before it
leaves the gun. Since Nobel discovered dyna-
mite the various European nations especially
Russia and Prussia. have spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars in unsuccessful attempts to
overcome this difficulty. 1t seems to have been
left for Yankee to succeed in it in the birth
place of the torpedo, which has been the bug
bear of England ever since Fulton blew ND the
Danish brig DOrothea in Deal HarbOr In 1911
The party alluded to was composed of F. II.
Snyder and assistants, who have perfected q
system of sabots and rubber buffers in connec-
ton with Proiectile by which dynamite shells
can be safely discharged from cannon by the use
OF gunpOwder and with a terrific effect upon
the object struck.
The recent operations at Sandy Hook have
been kept profound secret No reporters
have been allowed upon the grounds or have
heretofore been able to obtain any definite in
formation. Tribune reporter lately visited
Mr.. Snyder for the purpose of ascertaning the
results OF his experiments. Mr.. Snyder has
been for a number of years engaged in torpedo
aud ordnance experiments not only in this
country but abroad ard was associated with
Colonel John l.. Lay. NJ. A. Hardy and Martin
Hubble in developing the famous Lay torpedo
which is controlled in its movements by ciec-
trcitv. He also took an active Part in tie late
war between Chilli and Peru. holding c"mIl.~ -
sion under the Peruvian government. He ,fi
My preliminary experiments began about
three years ago with three quarter inch bore
shotgun. from which | fired shells CHARGED
with from one to one and a half ounces Of
dynamite. | perfected the system so tAat
safely liz d from the shoulder / then he.raa
increasing the size of my guns until nv present
experiments are made with cannon OF SIX inches
cailber. | consider that the system is so well
developed now that dynamite shells can be
fired from guns of the largest caliber, and that
as long range can be secured as with ordinary
prOiectlles. From the sx-inch guns OF the old
pattern, which are considered obsolete tor
modern warfare. have fred projectiles charged
with from eight to ten pounds OF the strongest
grade of dynamite. The system is applicable
to all kinds of guns and the shells can be fired
from breech. or muzzle-lOading, smooth-bore or
rifipd ordnance
How large CHARGES of dynamite could YOU
fire from cannon?'
THAT would depend upon the size OF the gun.
its calibre and length of bore. | think a shell
loaded with-at the lowest-1OO pounds OF
dynamite can be safely fired from fifteen-inch
gun"
How great charge of dynamite would YOU
think sufficient to sink modern irOnclad say of
the size of the Devastation or Intrepid of tine
English navy ~
Il think that twenty-five or thirty pounds.
striking the vessel broadside on, would COM
pletely disable her though it might not sink herat
once. The chances are, however that it would
The effect of dynamite shell exploding against
an ironclad would be similar to a blow given bv
a ram or shock from the heaviest artillery at
short range; while neither might pierce her
armor. the crushing effect would so disar-
range her interior that her engines would be
useless"
Are you familiar with the experiments
recently made at Annapolis by the naval bureau
OF ordnance to test the efficiency of dynamite
against iron targets?"
Il only know of them what have read in
the newspapers. have seen it stated that dy-
Mantle exploded against an iron target would
not do much damage, and that to be effective it
would have to enter the target before eyplod-
Ing. This do not believe. 1t NAV have been
LETT for the naval bureau of ordnance to discover
that dynamite is harmless, and that it can be
exploded against ronclads with IMMUNITY. vet |
will deter the European powers from continu-
ing to expend the millions of dollars they are
constantly approprating for the manufacture of
torpedoes. l do not believe it is possible to
penetrate hard substance like iron or stone
with dynamite SHE'LL. as the explosion of the
dynamite by the shells striking the target would
De as quick as the velocity of the shell itself
and even if it could penetrate before explosion.
90 not think that the effect would be more
destructive to heavily armOred vessel"
SnPQE hot RI
by torpedOes?"
Il should appeal from Webster In defining a
modern war torpedo, and say that the torpedo
OF the present day is an expert way of expod.
lng dynamite, or similar high explosives. with
out being there yourself whether in the heavens
above, the earth beneath or the waters under
the earth. There have been some experiments
at Fort Lafayette by Mr.. Windsor and Others
with an air gun I'm firing dynamite and also bv
MI keely, OF motor fame at Sandy Hook.
IL have no doubt that it is practicable to fire
dynamite shells from air guns. but it is utterly
Impossible to compress air sufficiently to secure
any velocity OF range that would bear any COM
parisOn with gunpOwder. Light proiecfiles at
snort range can be thrown by compressed air
This is no new thing. however for wind pnns
nave been used for years, and bear about the
same comparison to cannon that bow and ar
row In the hands of COmanche Indian would
to Sharps rifle in the hands of an expert sharn
shooter. Compressed air is considered By those
uudCduSiHtcu Will IL 10 DC a safer motor than
gunpowder; but at high pressure it is quite dan
gerOus. would rather stand within 100 wards
OF gun exploded by gunpowdcr than at the
same distance from a flask exploded by COM
pressed air. as it would throw the fragments
farther. The same is true of steam boiler. II
Is impracticable with any machinery now de-
ylsed to compress and hold air at above 2 600
pounds pressure to the square inch. Yet it is
We'll known by ordnance men that with gun
powder. for high velocties, pressure of 80 600
pounds per square inch is often attained. and il
Is seldom used below IL, 600 pounds This will
give some idea OF the relative merits of COM
pressed air and gunpowder.''
what was the nature of your experiments at
Sandy Hook before the United States ordnance
board!"
The experiments were made to put beyond
doubt the fact that dynamite can safely be fired
from any kind of ordnance. and i'm the yarious
trials have fired both land and water pro-
iectiles."
do you consider dynamite dangerous TO
handle in ordinary warfare?"
FROM my own experience it is no more dam
gerous to handle than gunpOwder, and in some
respects not as much so. For instance. a shark
of fire which would explode powder If dropped
into dynamite would be harmless All that ia
necessary is to guard against sudden shock or
blow. with this precauti0n it can be safely
handled. Since the invention of dynamite be-
lieye that II a record could be Obtained of the
accidents from its use and from the use of oun
powder, 1t would be shown that gunpowder
Eas the larger percentage of victims"
Nj. Snyder exhibited piece of iron weighing
tairty-fiye pounds, into which a uuantitv of