New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-08
Is THE vEsUvIUs EFFICIENT
Tome Edttor Of TIC Trtbun&

Some OF the anti Adm nistraton organs. by their
anxiety against the heads Of Departments at
Washington, have made nOnsensical and unsup
portable attack upon Secretary Tracy, and charged
him with trying 10 embarTass Cramp & Sons, the
builders Of tho vesuvlus. by refusing 10 accept Of
the vessel" The fact is that the vessel accepted
by Secretary whitney on the tests OF her speed and
horse power only Just before he went out Of office and
before her armament had been put on board. Now
the contract provided that the guns should be tested
to certain conditions before she could be finally ac
coped. These conditions have not been met; in fact,
the tests have not been wholly satisfactory The
contract stimulated that the vessel 10 be armed
with 1O-lnch guns which would project 500 pound
dynamltebomb one mile, with accuracy, with 2OO
pounds pressure The guns used on the trial were
15inch callbre Now all that Secretary Tracy requires
before accepting the vessel entirely IS TO be satisfied
that the change from 1Onch guns to 15-nch guns
was not made because the 10-inch guns would NOT
fulfil the terms OF the contract, ard that the lo1nch
guns Will not impair the efficiency Of the vessel
It IS well known fact that the best ordnance
experts of the world look upon the dynamitesun is
weapon much overeStimaed as TO Its efficiency anu
accuracy OF fire. The experiments. thus far nave
certainly fallen much below the expectations. II
was shown by the experiments In the Lower Bay
from Fort Lafayette that 1t possible to deliver
the fire of such gun near enough to hXed large.
10 insure successful explosion II that target should
be the size of a vcsseof-war But the problem Is not
the same when the target is moving, as was SHOWN
By recent experiments This Is an element to be CON
sdcred thoroughly, and especially In view OF the iac'
that the time of the flight of prolectle nom 'no
dynamite gun is much longer than II propelled iroh
a powder-gln The actual range of this torpedo mas
been shown by actual tests to be: with 1000 pounds
air pressure, 500 yards with lOopound t0ieI3S,
900 yards wth 200 pound torpedo, ana looo 80 AZ,
with $50 pound torpedo. II was also sno iTas Tho
though the extreme range is about t"o ihiio'' '
effective range Is only 400 to l.5OO yaius. -. .h
II must DO borne IN mind that the PROVISIONS VI or a
law REQUIRE that the Nesuvus can Only NC -.
ccpted in entirety and then only aiter IN
have proved the efficiency OF the armament VI '',
vessel Not only was the Vesuvus Designer a,
auxiliary to harbor defence but also a. an auNrais
10 fleet Of baitleshps and TO deield u1i e he
the assaults of the enemys vessels, wnch may ~
armed with guns that carry pIoleculo WI" nile he
accuracy distance Of five miles, or three mics pc
yond the range of the pneumatic uy lam 80 con
Tho Vcs,,vtus II Is fact that her plans were coI
sderably modified by Secretary whitney .da' o,,siv
made larger than her original designs Ai; e., nrnect
enough no attempt Whatever wa i nls and e9nglnes
her vitals I'm the slightest i ,, ~ below and She
are as much above tho water line a. t course &c
has no projection except coal WHEN, VI no. o,ires
not there when most needed BON VI q, ~" ,Lo steam
are In one compartment, 50 that nor ~ v norer
pipes OF one engine would disable tho PS"0'
completely.
New-YOrk, Nov. 4, 1So9'