The Red Cloud chief., 1888-06-15
A TERRIBLE WEAPON
The Zallnskl Dynamite Gun lntended 70
the italian Gs0vernment.

A TERRIBLE WEAPON
The Zallnski Dynamite Gun "a
tho italian Government.
Captain E. l. Zalinski, the invento
of that terrible engine of war. the pneu
matte dynamite torpedo gun. has beer
experimenting with the gun recently
completed for the Italian Governmcn,
which will cos: so. OOO.
This gun. in the language of Captain
Zalinski. is ~ serial torpedo projecting
machine. possessing many advantages
over the appliances for projecting the
torpedo through the water. 1t is o.
l5-inch caliDer. and its range will be
ut least n mile. The full caliber
shell will carry GO pounds of explosive
eclatinc, equivalent to $50 pounds 81
dynamite No. 1 or 94S pounds of gun
cotton. Shells o tanning smaller
charges can also be thrown. The gun
barrel is - light tube. having 4 smooth
bore. The loading is done ut the
breech. Air 1T 1.0oo pounds pressure
is admitted through \ balanced valve.
made so as to open and close by a
single move of the operator. The time
Of opening and closing can be- varied so
that the range a be changed without
altering either the elevation or pres
sure.
In order to maintain the pressure As
nearly uniform a, possible. wrought
iron reservoirs OF from twelve to six
teen inches in diameter and about
twenty feet long are used. the air be-
ing supplied to them by any type OF
high pressure compressor. The power
of this i~fteen-inch gun is great. 1t is
clear that the value of q weapon which
a project a huge mass of powerful
explosive equal to three-quarters Of the
entire bulk of the projectile to a dis
lance of one and a half miles with per-
feet accuracy. can not be disputed. In
Captain Zalinski's Office is one Of the
shells to be used in the big gun. 1t is
made Of brass tubings and castings. as
light as possible.
A tail tube with spiral vanes attached
IL annexed to the shell in order tn re-
tain it in its proper trajectory. Nom
metallic pins in the head keep it GEM
trial at this point and free from metallic
contact. while a leather gas-check and
vulcanized fiber projections keep it
central ut the tail. The charge thus
far used has been uncamphorized ex-
plosive gelatine. having a orc of dy-
Mantle. This core is for the purpose of
a complete detonation of the
less sensitive explosive gelatine. In
the cruiser Yorktown are three of the
new %fifteen-inch dynamite guns. placed
abreast and parallel to one another a.
fixed angle of sixteen degrees.
The training Of the gun is accom-
by steering the vessel. which is
done by steam. and the running of the
which drive the twin screws.
The range can be varied by mean of
The guns are required to be
twice per minute. The shells will
be handled by hydraulic machinery and
provision is to be made for the storage
Of thirty full-caliber shells. The gun
for Italy. now completed. is to be trained.
elevated and loaded by hydraulic ma
chinery. 1t is mounted on an iron base.
when in place win rest upon a
heavy masonry foundation. The York
when completed will cost $780,
900. This includes the guns. The
speed of this vessel will be at least
knots. The speed is exceeded
By the small and light torpedo-boats
built abroad. but the Yorktown's hull
will be sufficiently strong t. be service
able in rough water. which is not the
ase with the more lightly built tor
The torpedo shell has a double field
Of action, the over-water and under
water hull. 1t is estimated that the
decks Of the most heavily armed ship.
will be vulnerable to wen the eight.
inch torpedo shells charged with 1Oc
of explosive Selatine and a very
large portion of the more heavily
armorcd parts Of the shell charged With
500 pounds. - Philadelphia Times