The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-23
SECTIONAL VIEW OF REPELLER's BOW,

SHOWING:
A, gigantic gun used In projecting the instanta-
neous motor; BB, incline elevator used in loading
gun; c, loading chamber; ID, bomb proof hood to
gun.
This proiectile was not, in the ordin-
ary sense of the word, an explosive, and
was named by its inventors 1.-The In
Simultaneous Motor" 1t was discharged
from an ordinary cannon, but no gun
powder or other explosive compound
was used to propel it. The bomb pos
sessed in itself the necessary power of
propulsion, and the gun was used merely
to give it the proper direction.
These bonbs were cylindrical in form,
and pointed at the outer end. They were
filed with handred3 of small tubes, each
radiating outward from a central line
Those in the middle third of the bomb
pointed directly outward, while these in
It's front portion were inclined forward
at a slight angle, and those in the rear
portion backward at the same angle.
One tube at the end of the bomb, and
pointing directly backward, furnished
the motive power.
Each of these tubes could exert force
sufficient TO move an ordinary train of
passenger cars one mile, and tins power
could be exerted instantaneously, SO that
the difference in time in the starting OF a
train at one end Of the mile and its ar
rival at the other would not be appre
ciable The difference in concussionary
force between n train moving at the rate
of mile in two minutes, or even one
minute, and another train which moves
mile in an instant, can easily be mag
ined.
In these bombs those tubes which
might direct their powers downward OF
laterally upon the earth were capable OF
instantaneously propelling every portion
of solid ground or rock TO a distance OF
two or three hundred yards, while tho
particles of objects on the surface of the
earth were instantaneously removed to q
far greater distance. The tube which
propelled the bomb was of u force grad
uated according to circumstances, and ii
would carry bomb TO as great dis
lance as accurate observation for pur
poses OF ann COUlu DC ludut. us loiN'
was brought into action while in the
cannon by means of electricity, while
the same effect was produced in Tho
other tubes by the conclusion of the stee
head against the object aimed at.
What gave the tubes their power wa.
the jealousy guarded secret.
The method of aiming was as novel N
the bomb itself. In this process nothing
depended on the eyesight of the gunner
the personal equation was entirely elimi
mated. The gun was SO mounted that it
direction was accurately indicated b,
graduated scales; there was an instru
ment which was acted upon by the dip
rise or roll of the vessel, and whiol
showed at any moment the position o
the gun with reference to the plane o
the sea surface.
Before tho discharge Of the cannon Al
observation was taken by one of the Sci
entifc men which accurately determines
the distance TO the object to be aimed al
and reference TO q carefully prepares
mathematical table showed to wha
points on the graduated scales the gu
should be adjusted; and the instant tina
the muzzle of the cannon was in the pc
sition that it was when the Observation
vas taken button was touched, and TIA