The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-12-12
Zalinski'S Air Gun.

feW YORK Sun, Nov. 20.
The steamboat John E. Moore car
RED TeWfik Pasha, Turkish minis
ser; the Chinese minister, several
Foreign consuls and many other per
sons down to Fort Lafayette yester-
day TO witness experiments With the
new pneumatic gun in throwing a
nigh explosive through the air. The
gun consists of wrought iron tube
lined with brass. 1t is 60 feet long
and has an s inch bore. Airat a pres
sure of 900 pounds to the square
inch is let into the tube behind the
pHjectie to force it from the tuhp.
The prnjectile consists of brass tube
45inches long filled with the eXplO
slre nitro gelatine. AT one end is
cap shaped like a rife bullet, and at
lie other a 6 foot wooden tail that
] ewes to keep the prQjectile end on,
tTsSe an arrow. The whUe weighed
2O9 pounds. The charge is exploded
by minute electric battery in the
front end, which becomes actiVe when
the prQjectile pIunges under the
water.
The spectators stood around the
charged projectiIes while Lieutenant
Zalinski explained their structure and
then went out on the south side of
the Old fort where the gun is. 1t was
supported at an elevation of about
800 by a frame work. Under the
frame work were eight long iron CYL
air. A projectile loaded with sand
was hOisted up and showed into the
breech of the tube, which was then
closed. Then everybody looked in
tently at the muzzle of the gun while
the lieutenant gave half turn to a
crank. With a shrek that could be
heard two miles away the arrOW.like
projectile climbed UP toward the
clouds, ard finally dropped with a
splash into the water . miles down
toward the old buildings at the Quar-
antine islands.
A second sand shell was sent off,
and then the company went on the
boat and were carried over to a place
near where the projeCtiles struck the
water, in order that they might the
better see the work of a nitro gelatine
shell. Two shells, containing 80
pounds each, were first fired, follow
ed by one containing 100 pounds.
The spectators could plainly trace
The flight of each. The first disap'
rpcared without leaving any Other
trace than was left by a blank pro-
ipciile. The second one went down
in like manner, and when everybody
was thinking that this one also bad
failed to explode the surface of the
water became covered with foam
The shell, it was explained, had eX'
| plOded in the mud about so feet be-
low. Then, after Il long wait, a put
of frozen vapOr from the mouth o
the gun indicated that the shell will
100 pounds of the explosive was OF
its way. 1t came along in wall
bling flight until il plunged into The
water only a few hundred yard
aStern of the little steamboat. Tht
water closed over it, but in an inStan
a column of spray rushed $50 fee
straight up into the air, while tht
waves danced for 80 feet around. A
dense cloud Of yellow smoke rose il
the midst Of the spray. A report Ilk'
that OF big cannon was heard, ant
then the water became quiet again
1t had been demonstrated that l0
pounds of the most powerful of ok
pIosves could safely be hurled tw,
miles through the air by the force o
compressed air and then fired nnde
water at the moment desired 10y tn
gunners. The shell that failed to eX
,,I,,In Xxi II hn rnpnNyArnI