Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-06
A HOOSIER MAN IN FRONT.
HE GIVES PROF. ZALiNskl POINTS IN
DYNAMITE HURLlNG.

The Destructive STUFF Shot Out of ordI-
nary Guns with Tremendous Eject on
the Enemy-Bourke Cochran Stands Up
for White Of Indiana-Iioweil Makes II
Diaboiieai Insinuation.
WASHINGTON CITY, Feb San official
report to tho war department on the use of
| dynamite shells in "a demonstration made
last December at Sandy Hook, but which
was withheld from the public until a few
days ago, is attracting great deal of atten.
tion here among army and navy officers, and
others; and some go so far as to say that the
success attending this last and other prior
demonstrations and successful experiments
OF "a similar character, lays the foundation
for complete revolution in the system of
modern warfare. Shells charged with ordin
airy powder, such as it was supposed could
only be used heretofore, are to be laid aside,
and dynamite shells are to be used in the an
Inhalation of armies. the reduction of forts or
the gripping of fleets The thing accom-
plishod at Sandy Hook, as shown by the re-
port of the board of ordnance ofilcers-Leut.
Col Mordecai, Maj Farley, and Capt. Greer
was the total wreckage of wrought iron
semi.circular turret Is feet wide, 10 feet
hiR h, and II inches thick, made by two sew
en-inch plates, by three dynamite shells
fired from seven inch Ames rihed gun. The
shells were Of steel, weighed 1872 pounds, and
were charged with .. Sc pounds of dynamite.
This was accomplished by a method of
charging shells with dynamite, the invention
of j. W. Graydon, Of indianapolis, formerly
a Lieutenant in the navy. His invention con-
sists not only in firing dynamite shells from
modern guns or cannon, with full service
charge Of powder and with no danger of pre-
mn Inuin 81 th. ahn hao
shock, but also securing the entire range de-
sired and penetration into the object struck
before the dynamite explodes-penetratio
being absolutely necessary in order to obtain
the full destructive power of the explosive.
Three demonstrations of this invention
have thus far been made by order of Gen.
Sheridan--two at San Francisco ia the sum-
mer of 1886, and the third at Sandy Hook
The experiments at San Francisco were con.
Quoted by Gen. o. o. Howard, and were in
tended merely to demonstrate that shells
charged with dynamite could be fired from
cannon without premature explosion. After
ffty-eight dynamite shells had been sue
cessfully fired out of 3-inch aud 41S-inch
siege gun from the Preside grounds into the
hills across the Golden gate, the board of
officers conducting the experiment expressed
the opinion in their report that the two prin-
cipal causes or apprehension of danger, heat
and shock, had been completely guarded
against Gen. Howard then recommended
further experiments with larger guns, and
out of this Recommendation grew the Sandy
Hook demonstration with Finch Ames gun
and l22-pound shells The San Francisco
experiments had proven that dynamite shells
could be fired from cannon with safety, and
at Sandy Hook it was intended to prove that
Graydon's method of charging dynamite |
-.
merit-that of obtaining penetration before |
explosion. The effect of the three shots fired |
there is infinitely described by tie board in |
their report. Two of the shots were glanc- |
ing shots and not point on" shots, as was |
desired to test penetration, but they pene- |
trated the front plate several inches and |
caused marked wreckage, the first tearing |
off the iron roof weighing fifteen tons, |
and throwing at a distrance of twenty five |
feet, as well bursting bolt |
heads and separating the plates several |
inches. A third shot-a point on" shot 4
completely wrecked one side of the turret, /
penetration through the front plate being eff |
fected before the shell exploded. A piece |
of the front plate weighing nearly two tons
was blown distance of is feet, the plates
were still further separated, while both were
badly cracked.
The board in their report, substantiqte the
two main points claimed for the inve IN by
say ing: "Shells charged with dynamite by
Lieut. Graydon were successfully fired from
the gun, and serious damage was inflicted on
the turret, this being especially the case in
the third round, when penetration and dis
ruptive effect were combined"
Other experiments will soon be made with
the largest guns in the service, and with !
twelve-inch r;hed mortars, throwing Gs5-
pound shells, and with the Hotchkiss revolv-
ing cannon, to still further test the merits of
this new method Of charging shells with dy-
Mantle