The Springdale news., 1889-02-15
< - DYNAMITE GUNS.

Contract Awarded for Seven of the Mur
 derous Missile Throwers. to be Mounted
 at sandy Hook, Fort schuler aud Fort
 Warren-Ihe Dynamite Cruiser yersu-
 ytus.
 NEW YORK, Feb 9-The news that the Secretary of War had awarded the Pneu- matie Dynamite Gun Company the con tract for seven guns for coast defense was little else than was expected by the officers of the company. The contract calls for three guns for Sandy Hook. two for Ft. SehHer and two for Ft Warren. Mass. As the peculiararities presented by the fifteenth gun now mounted at Fl. Lafayette are virtually specified, the guns must be capable of elevation and depression by either pneumatic or hy- draulic power and have an extreme eie gation of at least 9 degs. They must be capable of aH al-round fire, or through 330 degs., the training and eleyating to be wholly under the control of the gun ner in charge. The range of fire is also specified, the extreme demanded being a mile. Rapidity of fire is also called for, being q requirement. not demanded in the recent tests of the stationary gun. The | delivery of the guns, ready for mounting, must be made within eight months of the time of execution of contract. The sum of money bid by the Pneumatic Dyna- mite Gun Company is S}95,500
 Just where the guns will be built is not yet known. The 15-inch gun at Ft. Lafay- cite was turned out by the Cramps, of ] Philadelphia, while the s.inch gun which destroyed the Silliman was baiIt by an iron firm of Jersey City. The three guns to be mounted at Sandy Hook will consist of one of s-inch and two of l5-inch cali Der.
 Il is not at all unlikely that the s-inch and lj-ineh guns now at Ft. Lafayette will be mounted there The l5-inch gun from which the recent tests were made was built with the intention Of being mounted at SPezzi, Italy. But the Pneumatic Dynamite Gun Company, having bid for the work of the
 seven new guns, decided to re- tain this gun for this country until at least Il was known that the Government had decided not to adopt dynamite guns for coast defenses. It is becoming well-known fact in military circles that foreign governments are en- aeayoring to negotiate for dynamite guns and dynamite cruisers with manufacturers in this country. It is known that the Cramps have received offers as high as S500,0o0 for the Vesuyius. and this in luce or IHt Ahft lEAt iHt ' hiiHH SNditN Government Is only paying S350,000 for her. But the Cramps are not at liberty 10 negotiate with other governments for the purchase of the Vesuvias inasmueh n nine -tenths of the contract price has already been paid down for her, the re-
 maining tenth to be paid on the final ac- ceptanee 0f the vessel.
 There Is no doubt the Cramps would like to soil the Nesuvius elsewhere, inas- much as they are known to be out by about Sl00,o on the contract Bat all
 stories to the effect that they are consid- ering offers from foreign governments are absurd. there beng no possible chance for the Cramps to avail Themselves of any
 such opportunity before the Secretary of the Navy has declined to accept the yes- The Navy has declined to accept the ves- se The Vesuvius having fulfilled all the requirements of speed tests, there re- mains nothing now but acceptance on the part of the Government.
 The success of the Vesuvius has con- tributed to the success of the dynamite gun, mas much as vessel and gun appear inseparable This double success is looked upon by foreign governments as a matter of the very greatest importance, and military men in this country feel sure from the number of emissaries of foreign governments now in this country induiring into the features of gun and vessel that the Italians, Russians, Span
 iards and French will have dynamite guns in their coast defense system beforemany i months have passed. There k, of course, nothing at present to hinder the dyna- mite gun people from furnishing one thousand guns to foreign governments, 1 and all that is now to be feared in this country is the possible lethargy of the National representatives to adopt, the measures and plans of coast defense re- commended by the military boards,
 whereby dynamite guns will constitute oue of the main features.