Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-15

work the gun fore and aft, but it would
be- very efi-ctive. II this city were threat
ened by "a hostile fl ct. could IN very
short time put City of these guns on tugs
and even though one-balf OF them were
sunk, the remainder could destroy any
navy in the world"
SIS the execution done by the projectile
so great?7
Yes" was the reply. 'There are but
few pa Is of any ship that could not bt
penetrated by the projectlle which IS
exploded when il strikes. and 10y latt
appliance of electricity it eXplodes hrsl
from the rear. The motion being onward
the gases tend in that direction, and the
force thus produced either on the deck
side or below the water-line OF vessel
would be more than any ironclad could
stand. The gun is SO simple and the
sighting s0perfrct that one man can put
mis- proiectile anywhere he pleases. There
is no way OfprOtectiug "a man-ot-War from
this gun"
"Are Won improving it?'
1--WE have now in process Of cOnstruc-
tIou a gun Of larger dimensions. II Is TO
be so feet in length, with an s-inch bore.
and will throw "A prOjectle containing 10
pounds of explosive gelatine, which is
equivalent to $50 pounds Of dyn9mite NO.
j. and the force Of air pressure viii be
2,000 pounds to the square inch"
"Can this agency be applied TO interior
warMres'
Yes. The gun is made in sections and
is easily transported, and we are now
making one which Is to be put on wheels,
and VIII be "A valuable auxiliary in storm
ing forts, and may be successfully used
in field duty"
Capt. Ericsson was next seen IN his
office in Beach street. The inventor Of
the monitor told about his new vessel, the
Destroyer. "Hhe boat" said he, lis COM
pleted, and now lies in the Brooklyn navy
yard. She is 100 feet long, II feet beam,
II feet deep, draws ordinarily 9 feet Of
water, and carries one submarine gun, 30
icel long, which throws a projectlle %
eet in length rs inches in diameter,
weighing / 40 pounds, and containing
800 pounds Of explosive material.
The purpose of the vessel is for harbor
defense. It's capable of navigating the
coast in all kinds of weather. The boat
has been repeatedly tested, and in no in
stance has failed 10 produce the desired
effect The buOyancy Of the Destroyer
admits Of armor several feet in thickness,
which VIII resist the heaviest ordnance.
The explosive charge is sufficient to shat
ter the hull Of any iTon-clad ship af1oat,
thus rendering water-tght apartments
of no avail. The vessel is simple, cheap,
and quickly made, and no ship in the
world can withstand it,"
The captain would not talk Of the TumOr
OF the Russian negotiations for the craft
There was bill in the last Congress for
an appropriation to purchase this tor
pedO boat for the government, but it was
delayed to the end of the session and then
dropped.
A story has been going the rounds that
the Russians are trying TO purchase the
Fenian ram now living in New Haven.
Capt. O'Connor, the owner, however, de-
mics this.
The departure Of this ram from Jersey
City caused much comment two years
ago. Ii was afterwards found in McGir-
hams yard in PamrapO, where duplicate
was built, and while the two were being
tOwel to New Haven the new boat was
sunk. An old sea captain, speaking Of
the boat, said yesterday: IL took great
interest and looked very carefully into
the capabilities of the ram. and while it
was not perfect, / consider it a formidable
weapon Of naval warfare. She was a bout
80 feet long and provided with a pointed
ram. The motive power was petroleum,
which gave a speed of about eight miles
per hour. Compressed air was used,
which enabled the operators TO remain
under the water for 81 hours. l believe
she could sink any ironclad or man-of-
war;
''WhO was the inventory"
"A man named Holland, believe, but
he did not have the means to complete his
work, and he sold the patent"