Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-08-10
LlFE.sAvINa DEVICES.
A Gun to Throw Lines from the Shore tC
Shipwrecked Vessels.

onlpWroCkeu vessels,
Woolwich Arsenal 10 surely the last
place in the world likely to be con-
nected with experiments in life-saving
apparatus. And yet yesterday after
noon a party of gentlemen, including
several Government officials, attended
within the confines of that mighty
storehouse and mandatory to witness
the trial of new pneumatic gun, de-
signed not to throw dynamite shells,
but light steel bolt, with cord or
lifeline attached thereto. 1t need
scarcely be further explained than to
say that the object of such a CUNT
would be misnomer to call it weapon
is to assist in establishing commune
cation between ship-wrecked vessels
and the shore, between vessels them
selves in a heavy sea-way, when
hawser for towing has to be passed, to
assist drowning persons in boating and
ice accidents, or to throw rope into
the upper window OF burning build
ing to rescue persons from the flames.
Such are the purposes for which the
pneumatic gun has been designed by
its inventor, Commander John
Darcy Irvine, Royal Navy, who
claims that it is more certain than any
rocket apparatus and handler and
lighter than the ordinary line-throw-
ing mortar apparatus The new
gun weighs about ten pounds, and
with tripod, reel and line, and COM
pressed-air steel cylinder complete,
only fifty pounds. The compression
Of gases in very thin steel cylinders
has been wonderfully perfected of late
years; so that there is no difficulty in
procuring vessels charged up to one
hundred and fifty or two hundred at
mospheres. Alongside the canal,
close by the rocket store-houses and
gun butts, was the scene chosen for
the life-saving apparatus experiments.
The gun comprises a slight, straight
barrel of steel, about one and one-haif
inches in diameter by four feet long.
with an enlargement to about
three inches in diameter at the
breach for a length OF some six
inches. The breech end has a valve
and tap, by which connection is made
by means of small coiled copper
tube, with the compassionate cyl
inder, wherein the propeling charge
is stored until it requires to be drawn
upon. A hollow steel belt, like very
thin tube, closed at one end and with q
screw thread on the other, is then in
serted into the gun, the threaded end
first.
To the closed end or cap, which re-
mains projecting two inches out of the
muzzle, the life line is attained in the
ordinary way, the strands of the cords
being carried along the side of the gun
barrel on ring, from which they pass
to the reel placed under the gun. The
threaded end of the missile is firmly
gripped by movable correspondingly.
grooved jaws at the breech, quarter
turn of handle serving TO lock or un.
lock the hollow bolt When the jaw
are closed the hollow bolt is practic
ally screwed into the breech.
block, the whole being her.
medically sealed. The compress
ed air is then turned on. passino
into the brcech and inside the hollow
tube, which has thus become, so t.
speak, like rocket surcharged with
potent gases, the air pressure being
about two thousand pounds on the
square inch. When the handle i!
moved and the jaws are unlocked of
the bolt flies with a gentle explosion
and whizz, dragging the lhe line aftel
it, the elevation of The gun being jus
over thirty degrees; the course de
scribed III fight is well-market
parabola. Three shots were fired yes
terday with comparatively low press
ures, as the gauge indicated, and il
each instance the bolt and line flew
precisely in the direction aimed, fall
ing in the center of the canal at ranges
as measured, of 215 yards, 125 yard
and $50 yards distance consecutively
The apparatus appears extremely sim
pie, light and safe. -London Dali
Telegraph.