Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-07
THE DYNAMITE CRUISER.
What Is Required of the shipbuilders-An
Important Step.

What Is Required OF the Shipbuilders-An
Important Step.
NEW YORK, November 6.-The Herald
publishes the following from its Washing
ton correspondent: The Secretary of the
Navy has not offered the contract as yet to
any firm for building the dynamite gun
cruiser, reports to the contrary notwith-
standing. 1t was stated in these dispatches
recently that a Philadelphia firm was
making the plans of such cruiser, but
that it was entirely private matter on
their part. The agreement, if any exists,
it is said at the Navy Department, must
be between the shipbuilders and the Pneu-
matte Dynamite Gun Company
The Naval Board is now engaged in max
ing tests of the gun in New York harbor.
The law exacts that they shall first make
favorable report on the system before
the Secretary, if so disposed, shall make
the contract. That is the first condition.
1t is then optional with him if contract
shall be made. Ifthe conditions are favor
able the law still further requires that the
the construction shall be at the risk OF
the company; and bonds to
The amount of $3.50, 900 have got
to be given to protect the Government for
the money advanced on the work if all the
requirements are not complied with First,
the vessel is to be not less than 230 feet
long, 26 feet breadth of beam, y feet
draught, 5000 horse power and guaran-
teed to attain speed Of twenty knots al
hour. The second guarantee is more
novel than the first, for the three pneu-
matte guns with which it is to be equip
ped are to throw shells containing 200
pounds of dynamite or other high explo-
sives at least one mile, each gun to be
capable of being discharged once in two
minutes.
Before the vessel can be contracted for,
the Naval Board has first to favorably'
commend the system, now in its expert
mental stage, of throwing high explosive
in quantity by means of compressed air.
1t is said at the Navy Department that
such a report is hardly likely to be made,
for some time TO come. There is yet to be
tested the possibility of substituting
for common gun powder ipss shells OF
the same form and size, as now in use
high explosive which viii MOI. become dan
gerous until it has been preieeted from the
gun, and yet have all the power known to
this destructive maternal thOHt any risk
whatever to those hanafhig IT, If this can
be done it would not exppss aiTessel and
its crew to dangersffom areIess handling,
a fear which makes oven naval officers
timid when it is proposed to handle nitro
glycerine all ready for explosion.
But aside from the novelty of the new
use to which nitro-glycerine is to be
adapted the other feature OF guaranteeing
q speed of twenty knots an hour is re-
garded by naval officers as very impor'
tant step in naval architecture. If the
Naval Board heSitates to approve the
pneumatic gun system the opportunity
will be lost to test the ability of our ship
builders to construct vessel and engines
capable of making twenty knots an hour,
for the approval of the system is made
requisite before the vessel can be con-
tracted for. This is deeply regretted by
all the naval officers, who are anxious to
see the first step taken which will lead to
the building of the fastest cruisers atlOat.
If such a vessel made only eighteen knots an
hour as dispatch boat, it would be a
great gain to the navy and encourage bet
ter efforts to attain the speed desired. AS
experienced ordnance officers have said,
'!If the vessel to he built is capable of
carrying dynamite guns, it could just as
well carry steel guns, about the value of
which experiments are not needed to dem
onstrate their use"