Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-11
gress aalil 5asotaiau
zaLlNskl's AIR u
Ii Sends 0 Pound OF a Very High
Explosive Two Miles through the

Ii Sends 100 Pounds OF a Very High
Explosive Two Miles through the
Air.
New York Sun: The steamboat John
e.. Moore carried Tewiik Pasha, the
Turkish minister, the Chinese minister,
several foreign consuls, and many other
persons down to Fort Lafayette yester-
day to witness experiments with the new
pneumatic gun In throwing a high ex-
p!osive through the air. The gun con-
sIsts OF a wrought-iron tube lined with
brass. 1t Is Sky feet long and has an
eight inch bore. AIR at "a pressure OF
LOCO pounds to the square inch is let into
the tube behind the projectife, to force
1t from the tube. The projectile con-
sists of a brass tube, 45 teet long filed
with the explosive, nitro-gelatine. AT
one end is a esp shaped like a rifle
bullet aud at the other q six foot wooden
tail that serves to keep the projectiIe
end on, like an arrow. The whole weigh
ed 500 pounds. The charge is explo-
ded by a minute electric battery in the
front end, which becomes active when
the projectile plunges under the water.
h spectators stood around aud
charged proJectiles while Lieutenant
IalInski explained their structure and
then went out on the south side of the
old fort where the gun is. 1t was sup
ported at an elevation OF about 30 de-
grees by u frame work. Under the
frame work were eight long iron cy l.
lnders which contained compressed air.
A proJectile loaded with sand was hoIs-
ted up and showed into the breach of
the tube, which was her closed. Then
everybody looked intently at the muzzle
of the gun while the lieutenant gave
halt a turn to d crank. With q shrek
that could be heard two miles away, tie
arrow-llke projectile climbed up toward
the clouds, and finally dropped with a
splash into the water two and a quarter
miles down, towards the old buildings
at the Quarantine Islands.
A second sand shell was sent eff, 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 ti.:a wreck
OF a nitro-gelatine shell. t., shells,
containing fifty pounds each, were first
fired, followed by one containing 100
pounds. The spectators could plainly
trace the flight OF each. Tbs first dis.
apPcaic0 WltuouG leaving any OGler
trace than was left by a blank protective,
The second one went down in like man
ner, and when everybody was thinking
that this IN also had failed to explode
the surface Of the water became covered
with foam. The shell, it was explained
exploded IN the mud about 80 feet be-
low. Theu, after a long wait, the puff of
frozen vapor from the mouth of
the gun indicated that the shell
with 100 pounds of the explosive was on
it's way. 1t came along with q wabbling
flight until it plunged into the water
only a few hundred yards astern OF the
little steamboat. The water closed
over it, but in IN instant a column of
spray rushed $50 feet straight up into
the air, while the waves danced for fifty
feet around. A dense cloud of yellow
smoke rose in the midst of the spray.
A report like that of a big cannon was
heard, and then the water became quiet
again. 1t had been demonstrated that
100 pounds of the most powerful of ex
plosives could safely be hurled two
mills through the air by the force of
compressed air and then fred under
water Mt the moment desired by the
gunnere. The shell that failed to ex.
Iplode will be recovered.