Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-03-08
NEW NAVAL TERROR
~ VIII have an Explosive Enerrv =, /. !.
Pounds ar n,u..,. - VI 81

VIII nave an Explosive Energy ofsn.
Pounds or Dynamite. ''~
There Is now approaching comn,.
ton for the U. S. Government w,
which, it is predicted, will exoro;,s
potent an influence in revolutoni,s'
naval warfare as did the famous Me-
itor. Unlike the Monitor, bovsvaa
which in her build presented feature, -
entire novelty, the so-called .dynama,
cruiser" Vesuvius owes her imnor,.,.
to the weapons which she carries "a
to their capability for the projection Il
serial torpedoes charged with sno,
mously powerful explosives.
1t is not difficult to conceive that,
hostile vessel approaching our coast,
and encountering the dynamite cruise,
may find herself in very disagreeab,
situation. True, she may open fran
a range much greater than that Avn.
which the dynamite shells can be- om
Jected, but the low, raft-like Gran
coming bow on toward her, at the rata
OF twenty-three miles an hour and
showing breadth of but 26I feet, Of.
fers target exceedingly difficult TO
hit. If the deck of the dynamite shin
be protected by a curved turtleback
shield OF steel five inches in thickness,
as is contemplated in future construc
ton shot and shell fired at sharp angle,
may easily glance from it. 10 reach
the hull with a movable submarine
torpedo OF the Whitehead type is even
more difficult still. The range Of such
a torpedo is only about three hundred
yards, so that the dynamite ship would
come within easy firing distance and
be enabled to throw her projectiles
| long before the torpedo could be efec
tive.
If the enemy ironclad awaits The
attack motionless she will necessarily
have but few minutes. after sighting
her opponent, to do fatal injury. Il
she advances this period will neces-
sarily be shorter still The moment
the Vesuvius finds herself within l,5D
yards of her marx she can launch
1900 pounds of nitro-gelatiDe, the ex'
plosive energy of which equals thata
about 3, 400 pounds of dynamite, or
more than ten tons of gunpowder, and
this can be repeated every two min
utes; or, if the guns be discharged
singiy, a 600-pound shell can be Tired
every forty seconds. 1t is not att
improbable that after few OF these
projectiles had exploded in her lmme
diate vicinity, there would be no lron'
clad.
The foregoing represent the capacV
of the particular weapons OF the 'esu'
vius for projecting the large amouas
of explosives noted. Shells containing
smaller quantities can be thrown over
much greater distances, the range@
the projectile containing two hunurea
pounds of nitro-gelatine beng nA0
and half, and that OF one containing
one hundred pounds of the same say
stance, two miles. The rapldity u
fire depends upon the construc'lonW
the gun. which is practically mug
revolver BY increasing the nuhOVi
OF chambers in the rotary or''.A
mechanism it is possible to flre even n'
heaviest shell three times per Hinu"
Lieutenant Bradley A. Flske' u NV
navy, has recently discovered s1 :.h
derful application of electricity wnly ,.
will prevent the effect OF the Snlp'
motion upon the gun. .,
The possibility of controlling 'u'
range of the proiectile with nicely ia
ders it probable that the dyha,.m
ship will play an entirely novel rOis .s
an attack upon haroor pfV 49,.
by fixed submarine torpedoes-'H"..,.
she may destroy torpedoes " Il
pedoes. One hundred pounus
nitro-glycerine exploding under Wa
will. it is said, destroy iolp;S'
cases and blow up torpedoes, e A
ing anywhere within a rau,u
fifty feet. The ship on arri'ps saa
harbor entrance known to be s'uus so-
with explosive mines would a a,Is At
herself and proceed to drop sne a h.,
regular distances OF one nuuu -, Al,
apart in longitudinal and laIe I, mi,
rections. 1t is claimed tha' - docs
manner she could clear OF 'o.P wiae
a channel three hundred 'ee' "A al.
at the rate of a mile an hour a .0s,
vancing into the passage AZ IA soOn
she renders it safe to do So co"1 '.b;ch
blast her way to a position IRON ,,,v into
her shell could be thrown VA
the city or fortificatlons.-
| WILn M I~s ~. -, adiiM