New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-07-04
BIG GUNS AT SANDY HOOK.
FAMOUS PLACE THAT Is LITTLE KNOWN


length and breadth Of the United States affords Every
family that makes the "Trip to Europe remembers the
queer place which the last OF America when they
were going and the first spot of American soil that
greeted them their return. Innumerape dispatches
are dated from that place because the Western
Union Telegraph Company ha. there tall tower and
corps of watchers who report every incoming vessel
Perhaps 1t is Liverpool with prima donna
on board, eminent tragedian perhaps it is an
English cutter come to do battle with American soops
for tue silver emblem of the Americas victory In
1851 perhaps Norwegian bark come IN ballast for
petroleum But whatever may be. there men on
Sandy Hook who signal it. and telegraph the fact OF its
arrival to NewYork. This queer spot. therefore. has
brilliant official existence. and Is familiar as house
hold word to everybody. But few people know any,
thing of IT, beyond the fact that Ia The great marine
signal station Of the Western Union.
The people who live in Monmouth County. New
Jersey during the summer know something more
The steamboats, from PIER No. g. North River. connect
at Sandy Hook with the Southern Railroad OF New
Jersey and the good people rho pass the summer at
Monmouth Beach. Seahrght and Long Branch are at
the Hook more or less every day But all they see OF
i Ia the space from tue wharf to the siding. where
their train awaits them Then Is they dash along the
iron road, they obtain gmpses. the south side OF
wild forest in which trees of bright green foliage are
mingled with tall DARK cedars growing with unusual
vgor and apparently unaffected BY the satiness of the
atmosphere In many spot along the Jersey roast
the cedars are warped and twisted. aud bent inward
by the blgntng of the but not here At the Hook
they rise with actual grandeur into the blue air. aud
the sunlight gids the edges OF the uxuriant LEAKAGE
that enciroes their shiny red trunks Underneath the
boughs tangled underwood of dog wood and poison
Ivy. huckleberry bushes and wild briers and bsck-
berry bushes In the svamps there are great marsh
maiiows. pink baby feet. The autumn fingers
here long after it has given pace to winter in ether
places and there golden sods here. and TUFTS of
green grass when else where everything IA bare and
brown ado dead.
This des htul spot belongs to the United States of
America. The steamboat wharf and the ratiroad are
only there BY courtesy and have title to a foot Of
tho land. the authorities of the NewJersey
Central Railroad Who have leased this road. cut down
single OF the beautiful cedars. under any pretence
vhafevrr. The Federal powers Inherited this land
from the British Government Old George the Third
ministers took 1t to anceLt days and ouit here ex
lieut. stone lighthouse Ia 1857 aud this IA It'll main
tanned is called the Nam light. because there IA
another not lofty when Ii known - tue Beacon
Lignt. The main hght Is some distance from the
shore line upon wb 'ch the lighthouse stands.
There trees this part OF the hook. DIT there
Is wilderness OF poison IVY. and nnumerabe oushes
OF the vaccinia. he soil Is pure sand, aud H. Is 80
fatigung TO walk upon that the tender h arted Gov
snuent laid down path WAYS of paukIng between the
lighthouses and between the BEACON Light and the
village though both sadly IN want OF epalr
ne village consists Of frame houses occupied by the
employees Of the Government in tho ordnance proving
grOund. which In at the extreme end 0i the Hook.
his part OF this queer Isolated region rs inil oil IN
terest. The proving ground - not rucumbered with
any bushes and excellent psnking upon whlch
horses comfortably drag leavy guns. lhese are
brought the spot By steamers which lald them AZ
the Government wharf that juts out from the shore
cons pcuousy Here also are powerful cranes tor the
Loislug up Of these Ibe eye sees nothing save
guns and piles Of ammunition. here are monStrohs
guns every direction some mounted. some dls
mounted and some IN the cd-ements OF the unfinished
fort For every had ,gDIzed the deenceless
/ condition of Aew-Nork fort wac begun here, but
unfortunately the old plan o. -trone granite walls
/ II conceded that forts mist be OF eATth"OrA
ana that the heavy guns be defended by shields
be position chosen for TINS tort Was admirable ne
cause from Couey Island to Sa, dy Hook there u a
natural iOrttCatOu OF sea Oank-. through Nhlch are
narrnw channels three 10 number. the East Channel
] tie Nwasb Channel when u continuation OF South
/ 1 baunel and me VAN Channel which eau bee made
/ either from Gedney Channel the South Chanael
! Captain e. w Whippe. who l. IN charge OF the nandy
Hook ordnance operations. told ! tiHUNt reporter
when he west down there for information. that the
Main Channel Vas the only one that could be used by
such a vessel the DGIio. and that she al tempted
US pass tge would be tor hour under The IRE
OF the fort at Sandy Hook which Ought 10 De armed
with e.Hci,ut gins such A. afs handled by modern
nrti,lrrists his is because the Main Channel turns
almost at right angles
to CAPTAIN Whpples statement. Is the tact that tue
! Government Is not In position 10 Obtain Sroper
7 @ ll--., y except
countries At Sandy Hook IN this wilderness OF
artillery experiments there fragments OF mnnmer
sEle failures which may be briefly characterized "a
attempts to make bricks without elav. be 1 nited
States artillery authorities cling TO ca-t-lron sInoo
| bore muZzle-OaGing pieces OF neayy ORDNANCE not
because they were preludced III TIER iaVnr' noI
because did realize the superiority OF hrups
and Whitworths but because there was nor III tl.s
countr, any steel manufacturers who had the neces
plan tor turning out steel guns o. HlAYeen nu
/ twelve inch cal bre. When steel manufacturers we're
approached the beet thew demanded az e"ormouS
guarantee contract for many guns per year Tor 80
many years Otherwise. they could not halaid no
immense cautal required Tor the plant. VINE th-re
has been a iatsl INDIGESTION 20 the policy tn pursue
the indomiAble American inventor ha- come forward
and the proving ground OF SANDY hook Il htera-y
sfrewn with the consequences Most of these inVen-
tiOn- heavy muzzle-Oaders mo Orrr"h
leaders There was the ! ates simon conFe.'ou
br-.eb- loader At the very first trla tue piece ne"
into hundred, Of fraRu cuts and 81 eed the arllrr-
lists Then there was the Mann converted nreeeh-
loader This At the shot hred it new brrech I'm
great precision way while the proectIo Ne"' tue
| other here was the lO-iuch Woo bridge gun.
known the wire gun. when developed rr'harAa"'"
qualities is lying cut az l0to Sfcuoh7 c'oo
] to he Lynan-u HASKELL multiple chA, ge gu"
twenty fee; long aud Of Extraordinary aype',ce'
owing the four chambers connected Win lt inI-
sill nountod upon It's carriage. but th'ro -Ica'
crack In ITS nnzzle extending half nav down u.
/ length Then there II eleven iuch converted
rined piece which blew out its oreecn receiver anu
q for many more.
Be-Idrs these failures there some available guns
ell mounted and ready including II 4 incn muhzie-
loading ride 0-iuch smooth pore Al rS"' "I'no'
l5-iuch smooth mounted IN one 81 the casehaes
a / inch cast-iron mortar ban ed VITA Stee hoops
mounted aud ready l2-inch cAstron oreecn-i"ahlng
rife mounted a pneumatic carr age ana -c'erd >.
inch con vered breech loading rides which have STOOD
| the proof The reporter understood captain Nhppie
10 saw however that the 12nch cast-iron oreech oau
inc ride winch considered the most enecu'e PSoe
could not than limited amount oil powder
and therefore the cDnlc prOlectile would NOT uaVe
the penetrating force OF prolectne nur'sI So. aVoo
every New-Yorker in the face IL the power 10 zeal
with armvred ships of the hrst class ooe. not
apuear that at Sandy Hook there Is now single gun
that eonld with certainty pound the Duo INTO noth-
/ ingneA- Win proper guns mounted At Sandy book
nothing could enter the Main Chlnnrl ahu H'' ''I
,ro-.r o,rs haunted I'm earth works Barren leland
aud contiguous spot- Dnilio could attempt 10 smell
New York from the Coney Island Shore anG I'VE 70
brag of II. - "a. III
There is one other class of men TO whom sandy HOOK
IL thoroughly known These gentlrmen Infatuated