Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-22
PROSPECTIVE HISTORY.
How Ships are to be Blown Up in the Flu
ture.
Fronl the Modern Dndalus.

From the Modern Dada1us.
Our equipment was the same as before,
! except that half of us carried a single 10
I pound bomb instead of three 5-pound
ones. We followed the shore on the
/ southern side Of the bay as far as Oakley
4 Island, which borders it in that direction.
/ About a mile in the ofing were visible the
/ lights OF a large steamer, the first of the
/ line. We knew that the next one lay two
miles beyond her, but from that distance
we could not make out her lights. Ar
rived at a point almost directly above the
vessel, halted my little party and ex-
planned my plans, which were exceeding
ly simple. One Of the men, bearing a 10
/ pound bomb, was to descend cautiously
/ until he was near enough to drop his bur-
den into The funnel, after which heWas to
rise upward again as fast as possible. The
rest were to remain In readiness to repeat
the manUuvre if it should fail the first
/ time. The man selected at once began
1 the descent, and for a few moments We
strained our eyes through the gloom,
vainly trying to follow his movements.
/ Presently a slight rattle was heard; there
was "a bright flash and a stunning report.
The bomb had missed the funnel and eX-
pl0ded on the deck. For a few seconds
there was dead silence, then a confusion
/ of many voices; then shot was heard, a
/ rocket whizzed up past us and burst into
a thousand points OF dazzling brightness.
which lighed up with monday clearness
an area OF more than mile. In the un-
earthly glare we could plainly see our
cOmrade Fastening upward to rejOin us.
Before the intense brightness had gone
out there was a second report, another
rocket came hurting and screaming
rfr fRi
ing stars above. The effect was indie
scribably magnificent, but sadly discOnert-
ing to our plans. We were confused and
dazzled, and must have been plainly yisi-
BILE to those ON board. Scatter. men.
scatterw shouted as a third rocket came
almost IN the track of the second. 1t was
plainly impossible to remain where we
We're; but in spite of the flaming, sui
phurOus masses that were falling like
rain of fire around me, l balanced myself
for a moment while 1 found with my
plumb line a point exactly over the ship.
Then l lOOsed my 10-pOund shell from its
sling and dropped it. l heard the crash
| Of it fall upon the deck and deep muf-
fed explosion, which told it had broken
! through and burst below. | did not wait
TO see the end, but, striking of at my ut
most speed, / blew q shrill blast on my
whistle to rally my followers, and held my
course toward the next ship. 1t was not
/ easy now to make out her exact position.
/ Evidently aroused by the cOmmotiOn,
/ though probably not understanding its
+ cause, she was throwing out luminous
/ shells on the side nearest the land. Each
! Of these, bursting at lofty elevation at
| a distance of about half a mile from the
! ship, ditfused a bright light over the
/ water, BY which the distance Of a mile
/ might have been distinctly seen. The rat
tie of drum beating TO quarters came
/ across The water, and it was clear that
\ size at least would not be caught nap
! ping. But while within wide circle all
was bright as day the vessel herself lay
/ beyond the darkness, now denser than
! ever from the contrast. Her lights had
/ all been eXtinguisbed, and the only clues
/ to her position were the frequent flashes
of her mortar and tne dull reports as shell
after shell was sent up. This was the
very thing we wanted. The darkness in
| which sAe,Wass shr0uded was necessary 90
0llr success, while the intensity of vigil
anee witt Wiich her crew scanned the
/ surface az the water prevented any eye
being turned toward the sky. With low
v mstleA brought alimv men around me,
and, IN a few words, directed one who car
I rIed a large shell to descend low over the
I vessel and make quito sure that tdrOpped
into the funnel. lie was then to shoot
away to the dark side as quickly as posi-
. bic. Tie rest or us assembled to greater
height, keeping as directly over the
doomed ship as we could i'm the darkness.
/ For few minutes, which seemed an age,
we waited, looking down. No grauder or
more striking spectacle could be imagined
than met our gaze; the quick flashes Of
the mortar, the intense blaze Of the burst
ing shells, the quivering light reflected
from the Illuminated circle Of sea, and in
the distance therocbets which the other
vessels continued TO throw up. The third
ship was now burning lights, too, and so
brightly was the surface of the water dis
played that even so small an object as the
head of a swimmer must have been seen.
But we had not long time to admire this
brilliant display. We could not follow
our comrades movements In the darkness
which fortunately enshrouded him; but
after some minutes Of suspense "A deep
thunderous sound was heard, followed,
after few awful moments, by loud, con-
fused shouting. The firing ceased; the
light OF the last shell went out like a dy-
ing lamp; and through the darkness hOr-
rible, rushing, gurgling sound came up to
our ears.
THAT'S the last of her." said one of the
men, in awe-struck tones; Il guess that
shell has blown hole in her bottom. say,
Captain, shall we go and try the other
OneY We may as well make a complete
Job while We're abOutit."