New-York tribune., 1886-04-25
A FUSE THAT NEVER FAILS.
sHRApNEL EXPLODED WITH ACCURACY.

A MECHANICAL APPARATUS THAT ACTS ONLY AFTER
CERTAIN DISTANCE IS TRAvERsED.
Gunpowder has made the little fighting man
good the big 1t though tho perfec-
ton OF cheap mechanical firearms will soon render thu
little nation the equal Of the big nation In tho matter OF
defence at least II has generally been recognized
among military authorities that tho next great advance
In their must In tho artillery branch OF the
service Ths centralfre cartridges repeating rifles,
telescope and graduated sights have brought the small
neatly up to their highest point OF efficiency
With the artillery accuracy OF range for solid shot and
percussion shells, along with rapdity Of firing have
also been acquired These Of the greatest benefit to
an cking party who have TO batter down cities and
fort hcations bat they are Of little use In defence
against light rapidly moving batteries and masses OF
infantry Solid shot and percussion shell go hurtling
over the heads plough tho ground Only when
lucky shot dismOunts gun or explodes magazine
Is any real execution done.
sLrapnel is the me st effective missile for the desruc-
ton OF men, With shrapnel the great difficulty hereto
the naccuracy of the fuse. The ordinary
powder fuse s time fuse, and though the utmost
care taken in construction lack Of homogeneityn In
material dampness etc. will cause 1t to vary IN tlme OF
burning When to this added variations in the time OF
flight the rroectile due to variations in the quality
and amount powder used behind It, there is an accum-
ulaon Of variable conditions that renders the proha-
bility OF the shrapnels explosion anywhere within
mile of the desired point nconsderable. perfect fuse
must, then be mechanical one which VIII 90 accurate
in Its working and not affected by and moisture as
the chemical fuse 1t should also be distance-fuse
which will act at the expiration OF certain distance
instead OF certain time. Thus the disturbing effect OF
variations In the charge and the dangers of premature
explosion along with all the other OF naccuracy
removed.
For twelve years the Berdan range finder has been
in by all Governments It is an arrangement OF two
telescopes whioh the principle OF simple problem In
ianguation tells the distance Of object within six
miles, on graduated scale But the usefulness or the
has been restricted in where shrapne
be fired because OF the inaccuracy ot ne iuse.
There was little officers being able to tell tDat
battery wheeling into line in front OF his position was
fuses to explode his shrapnel within 1000 feet Of the
battery Is the result Of six or seven years work there
has been perfected within the lat few months a
mechanical distance fuse which is compact In form.
cheap and accurate TIE combination Of tn's Win tue
thing but happy one. This contact and simple niue
piece of mechanism swings IN little cavity III te m1se M U
tho ring Of the aud makes JUS so many turns ior
velocity is BY means OF little train of endless
working In wheel, which Is also u ehdess
reduced hons.nd times before reaches this last gear.
When the ird gear has been turned certain distance
and the shrarnel Is cxplodoi, scattering thousand
bullets about the neighborhooa A percussion E, fab
hit anything in its flight practice fuse is found
to work with great accuracy and tue second sh9. mas
minutes are senerny a9Ttd TOR b eaef IS s
get and fire three shots In practice ne
first shot has failed to sweep the spot where he
supposed battery that the other tw" were unneceS
sary. The Turks manufacturing these fuses Dy
the thousand, and many other Governments esI eeaiy
the smaller onee clamOring for theu IL is clainet
tnst the combiaaon VI these with the range nniers
defending party such an advantage tnat
nations will another alone, at least think twice
before they go forth conquerng and to conquer Tho
Russian Minister of War, when model OF the apparatus
shown, expressed his fears tnat it would he I'M
POSSIBLE recruit his II such deadly accuracy was
pOssihe. The old officers might stay, but mo young
men Duld seek sOme less certain path to death IAe
willy rmk promises TO snap his hngers IN the race OF
II years leisure introduce this Invention Is given.