Morris tribune., 1889-03-20

A=t---EElE=- L.
IT
SECTIONAL VIEW OF REPELLERS BOW,
SEoWING:
A. gigantic gun used il projecting the instanta-
neous motor; BIB, i1cline elevator used in loading
gun; C, loading chamber; d, bomb proof hood to
gun.
This pro;ectile was not, in the ordin-
airy sense of the word, On explosive, and
was named by its inventors "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 tho gun was used merely
to give it tho proper direction.
These boEtbs were cylindrical in form,
and pointed ct the outer cad. They were
filed with hundreds CT small tubes, each
radiating outward from q central line.
Those in the middle third of the bomb
pointed directly outward, while these in
its front portion were inclined forward
at 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 a force
sufficient to move an ordinary train of
passenger cars one mile, and this 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-
cable. The difference in concussionary
force between train moving at the rate
of a mile in two minutes, or even one
minute, and another train which moves
a mile in an instant, can easily be mag
med.
In these bombs those tubes which
might direct their powers downward or
laterally upon the earth were capable of
instantaRaously propelling every portion
of solid ground or rock to distance of
two or three hundred yards, while the
particles of objects on the surface of the
earth were instantaneous removed to
far greater distance. The tube which
propelled the bomb was of force grad
uated according to circumstances, and it
would carry bomb to as great dis
lance as accurate observation for pur-
poses of aim could be made. Its force
was brought into action while in the
cannon by means of electricity, while
the same effect was produced in the
other tubes by the conclusion of the steel
head against the object aimed at.
What gave the tubes their power was
the jealousy guarded secret.
The method of aiming was as novel as
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 its
direction was accurately indicated by
graduated scales; there was an instru-
ment which.was acted upon by the dip,
rise or roll of the vessel, and which
showed at any moment the position of
the gun with reference to. the plane of
the sea surface.
Before the discharge of the cannon an
observation was taken by one of the sci
entific men which accurately determined
the distance to the object to be aimed at,
and reference to a carefully prepared
mathematical table showed to what
points on the graduated scales the gun
should be adjusted; and the instant that
the muzzle of the cannon was in the po-
sition that it was when the observation
was taken button was touched, and the
bomb was instantaneously placed on
the spot aimed at. The exactness with
which the propelling force Of the bomb
could be determined was an important
factor in this method of aiming.
AS soon as three of the spring armored
vessels and five s'crabs" were completed,
the syndicate felt itself ready to begin
operations. 1t was indeed time. The seas
had been covered with American and
British merchantmen Fastening home
ward, or to friendly ports, before the
actual commencement of hostilities. But
all had not been fortunate enough to
reach safety within the limits Of time
allowed, and seYRal American mer-
chantmen had been already captured by
fast British cruisers.
The members Of the syndicate well
understood that if war was to be car
ried on as they desired, they must strike
the first real blow. Comparatively speak
ing,.a very short time had elapsed since
the declaration Of war, and the opportu-
tunity to take the initiative was still open.
It was in order to take this initiative
that, in the early hours of a July morn
ing, two of the syndicate's armored
vessels, each accompanied by crab,
steamed out of a New England port, and
headed for the point on the Canadian
coast where it had been decided to open
the campaign.
The vessels of the syndicate had no in
dividual names. The spring armored
ships were termed ssrepellers," and were
numbered, and the crabs were known by
the letters of the alphabet. Each repeller
was in charge of a director of naval
operations; and the whole naval force of
the syndicate was under the command
of director-in-c chief. On this momen-
tous occasion this officer was on board of
RepeIer No. /, and commanded the little
feet.
The repellers had never been vessels Of
great speed, and their present armor Of
steel strips, the lower portion of which
was frequently under water, considerably
retarded their progress, but each Of them
was taken in tow by one of the swift and
powerful crabs, and with this assistance
they made very good time, reaching their
destination on the morning of thesecond
day.
It was on a breezy day, with q cloudy
sky, and the sea moderately smooth, that
the little fleet Of the syndicate lay to off
the harbor Of one Of the principal Cana
dian seaports. About FIVE miles away
the headlands on either sideof the mouth
of the harbor corld MAINLY. be senn IT