Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-16
DYNAMITE SHELLS.
Another Successful Test on the Banks of
the Potomac

WASHINGTON, March 13.-The second
in the series of dynamite prOjectile trials
under the auspices of the Senate Military
Committee took place to-day on the banks
of the Potomac, about half way between
Georgetown and Chain Bridge. This
change of proving ground was due to the
refusal of the District authorities to per-
NIT any further trials within the corpora
ton limits on account of the destructive
conclusions which were among the re-
suits of the preliminary trial on Monday
at the navy yard. Four shots were fired
to-day with 6-inch, shells car
rying 11-pOund bursting charges
of nitrO-gelatine, which contains
about 50 per cent. of pure nitro
glycerine. The range was 1000 yards,
and the target was perpendicular ledge
of solid trap rock, ON the south bank of
the river. The first she'll struck near the
eastern margin of the ledge and exploded,
shattering the face of the rock for about
80 feet, and carrying away several tons
of debris, which was hurled hundreds of
yards up and down the stream. The Sec
ond shell struck nearly in the centre of
the ledge. 1t opened cavity in the face
OF the ledge about % feet IN diameter,
and eXcavated pit or crater about six
feet deep. Some of the fragments of rock
from this explosion were hurled half
mile, one piece, weighing nearly II
pounds, being thrown across the canal
and lodging near farm house adjoining
the Georgetown reservoir. The other shots
were similar in their effect.
Notwithstanding the drizzling rain
quite crowd of people assembled to
view the trial, among whom, in addition
to several officers of the army and navy,
were the military and naval attaches of
the German, French and Italian lega-
tlons, aud the Russian Minister in person.
The trial was regarded as a success in
every respect and as a conclusive proof
of the destructive power of the 6-inch
shells. The next test in the series will
be made in few days with S-inch shells,
carrying 35-pOund charges of nitro-gela-
tine. 1t is possible that, in view Of the
effects of the 6-inch shells, carrying only
li-pound charges. the local authorities
may refuse permission to fire 35.pOund
charges anywhere in the neighborhood.
In that event the next trial will have to
be made at Fortress Monroe or Sandy
Hook. The members of the foreign lega-
tions present manifested great inter
est In the trial, particularly the
Russian Minister and the German
military attache, who took notes of the
proceedings. Some idea Of the power of
the explosive used may be gathered from
the fact that, though the shells struck
squarely against the face of a solid ledge
of rock 100 feet wide and 60 feet high and
exploded by their own impact, tons of
rock were blasted ont at each discharge,
and not only removed. but broken into
small fragments and hurled in all direc-
tons for half mile. Some of the mill
tary and naval experts present expressed
the opinion that any one of the shells fired
to-day would have completely wrecked
any unarmOred ship atloat, and seriously
damaged the strongest ironclad. The
safety of the system of firing seems to be
assured by the two trials that have been
made, the shell leaving the gun in every
instance as safely as an ordinary powder
charged shell.