The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-02
A TERRIBLE WEAPON.


the italian Government.
Cap tain E. L. Zalinski, the inventor
OF that terrible engine Of war, the pneu-
matte dynamite torpedo gun, has been
experimenting with the gun recently
completed for tho Italian Government
which will cos. $4,000. h
This gun, in the language Of Captain
Zalinski, is an @rial torpedo projecting
machine. possessing many advantages
over the appliances for projecting the
torpedo through the water. 1t Is OF
15-inch caliber, and its range will be
at least one mile. The sull caliber
shell will carry 600 pounds Of explosive
eclatinc, equivalent to s52 pounds OF
dynamite No. or 943 pounds of gun
cotton. Shells con tanning smaller
charges can also be thrown. The gun
barrel is n light tube, having smooth
bore. The loading is done at the
breech. Air at 1000 pounds pressure
is admitted through balanced valve,
made so as to open and close by
single move Of the operator. The time
of opening and closing can be varied so
that the range can be changed without
altering either the elevation or pres
sure.
In order to maintain the pressure as
nearly uniform as 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 lifteen-inch gun is great. 1t is
clear that the value Of a weapon which
can project huge mass Of powerful
explosive equal to three-quarters of the
entire bulk of the projectile to dis
tance of one and 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
is annexed to the she'll in order to re-
tain it in it's proper trajectory. Nom
metallic pins in the head keep it GEN.
trail at this point and free from metallic
! contact, while a leather gas-check and
vulcanized fiber projections keep it
central at the tail. The charge thus
far used has been uncamphorized ex-
plosive gelatine, having core of dy-
Mantle. This core is for the purpose Of
producing complete detonation of the
less sensitive explosive gelatine. In
tho c,.uis Yorstown ara thrae of the
new tifteen-inch dynamite guns, placed
abreast and parallel to one ano ther at
a fixed angle of sixteen degrees.
The training of the gun is accom-
plished by steering the vessel. which is
done by steam, and the running of the
engines which drive the twin screws.
The range can be varied by means OF
valves. The guns are required to be
loaded 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,
which when in place will rest upon a
heavy masonry foundation. The York
town when completed will cost $780,
900. This includes the guns. The
speed of this vessel will be at least
twenty knots. The speed is exceeded
by the small and light torpedo-boats
built abroad. but the Yorktown's hull
will be sufficiently strong to be service
able in rough water which is not the
case with the more lightly built tor
pedo-boats.
The torpedo shell has double field
of action, the over-water and UNDER
water hull. 1t is estimated that the
decks of the most heavily armed ships
will be vulnerable to even the eight
inch torpedo shells charged with LOG
pounds of explosive gelatine and very
large portion of the more heavily
armored parts of the shell charged with
600 pounds. philadelphia Time.