Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-22
rHs pYNAnIrn onuIsrn.
A Competent Favy officers Criti-
cisnis OF the yekuv tus,

cisnis OF the yesuvtus,
A dispatch from Philadelphia 10 the
New York 7riJuns says; "rhe most in
fernal triumph OF American ingenuity!'
was the declaration Of the navy depart
ment ct Washington, when the contract
WAS closed to build the dynamite cruisai
Vesuvius. But will she prove the "tre.
mendous success" that has been asserted
with such emphasis by the Secretary oil
the Navya One Of the old navy officers
who was one OF the actors in the notable
Monitor Merrimac igbt, who served With
distinction In other naval engagements
during the civil war, and who has made
careful inspection OF the new vessel, re-
marked to day that he was much dissp-
pointed with her design. He aaid to the
tribune correspondent No attempt
whatever sec ms to have been made TO
protest the vital parts OF this 'ipfsrnal
triumph in the slightest. Her boilers
and engines are as much above the water
line as below, and no protection is
given to the boilera except coal,
which, of course, will not he there
when most needed to protect them
from the solid shots OF the enemy. Both
Of her engines are in ons compartment,
80 that IL hole is made in that compart.
lnent, or shot goes through the steam
pipes OF one engine 1t would disable the
motive power completely. In fact,
single shot from revolving cannon Of
the size which is carried in tho tops Of
vessels of modern build, can easily pene.
trate the steam. pipe and completely dis.
able the boat.
at Ia easy enough 10 make vessel 90
when you ara not hempered with the
WEIGHT OF protective decks or amor, or
obliged go keep che machinery below the
winter line; but cannot conceive that
suoh design for boat OF this character
and for the service which she ia Intended,
is calculated to do mora than to demon.
strate whether or not the dynamite gun
enn be worked from 8 floating plat
form. The same thing cDuld have
been shown OF proved by putting
one Of the guns on one OF our old
ships. The Vesuvius could not possiby go
into action and FIRE one OF her guns un-
lees she took the enemy by surprise. A
4 iet OF such boats would no. take the
place Of great steel cruisers and steel
batteries. The government has contracted
to pay S3oo, O00 Ter tho hoNt, aud it is
specified that she shall have speed Of 30
Knots an hour. But there is considerable
doubt expressed WHISTLER ehe will ocme
up to this condition Of the contract"
The Vesuvius is $50 feet long, 90 feet
breadth OF beam, u feet draft and Z, 200
horsepower. Shs was TO have been com.
pleted by juno list, bu. it will be three
months yet before she will bs ready for
service. Sha ia to carry three dynamite
guns, in addition to the rapid Ere guns
put upon all Of the new naval cruisers
Each OF the dynamite guns OF the
ztlinski pattern is to be of 10I inch
calibre and capable Of throwing with
accuracy 200 pounds of dynamite a
distance of one mile. The proieotile itself
ts simply copper cylinder capped with
solid iron filled with nitr0-e lycerine and
tailed with long SHAFT Of wood to Keep
1t end on. Itis TO be fred by the forca OF
compressed air, and " msy be exploded
by conclusion against the objsc. aimed
at, or by an electric battery attached 20 1t
that ia enlivened by the moisture after the
projeehle has sunk to any required depth
in the water. The gun is q losR steel tube
lined with brass, with cir chambers in
which sir may be stored at pressure OF
900 pounds to the square inch. lhe
raold fire guns will throw 6pound steel
he!t' - 80 7'sa 2. i GO ioIYts dIs
'eroe OF lWo niles with precision The
vtH'el his typ Tpansion eneirta and
abe will be propelled by twin screws.