The Lamar register., 1890-07-12
The Pneumatic Dynamite Gun.

NEW YORK, July S.-About 100
persons went to Cold Spring on the Hud
son yesterday afternoon TO witness the
trial of new ffteen-i inch dynamite coast
defense gun made by the Pneumatic Dyn-
amite Gun Company of this city for the
British army
The gun, weighing with its carriage
about eighty tons and about forty tons
alone, fifty feet in length, with an inside
diameter of fifteen inches, was placed in
position at the end of the long wharf
owned by the West Point Foundry Com
pany, which cast the piece. The contract
with the British government called for
gun which could throw charge of 100
pounds Of dynamite in an eight-inch shell
a distance of J, 200 yards, with compressed
air as the motive force.
Owing to the service of an injunction
upon the company, it was prevented from
throwing shells loaded with dynamite, and
had to substitute composition of sand
and ashes so mixed as to weigh the same
as dynamite, and to fill a shell ordinarily
used fer that explosive.
After two or three preliminary trials,
four shots were made at distance of 3, 200
yards up the river 10 a point between
Crows Nest and Stony Point
The first shot was made in an eight-inch
sub-cubic shell weighing $50 pounds,
which was of steel and coated with copper
to avoid corrosion. The initial pressure
on the cylinder at the time the shot was
fired was 1000 pounds to the square inch,
the pressure on the cylinder after the shot
being s65 pounds. The detection of the
gun was so degrees and 90 minutes The
preiectile revolved considerably after ar
irving at its greatest height Its weight
was 339 pounds and its length about 81
inches
The second shot was fired with a ten
inch shell, ninety and one half inches
long and weighing 529 pounds This
shell was intended to contain 200 pounds
OF dynamite. The proiectiie made a beau
tiful flight of about two miles. Its course
was straight and there was not a single
revolution of the shell during its course
As it arrived at the highest point it fell
perpendicularly in the river in twenty one
and a half seconds. The initial and final
pressures were 1000 and SO pounds re-
spectively The elevation was 20 degrees
and "A minutes.
The third shot was made with projec-
tile of the same size and weight as the
last. Owing to some mistake in filing,
the shell broke when nearly at the end OF
its flight.
The last shot was made with an eight
inch shell. The proiectile sailed grace
| fully upward at an angle of 60 degrees
| and 43 minutes. When at point about
two and one-half miles from the muzzie it
| fell as straight as an arrow into the river.
| This shot was much applauded. The in
| itial pressure on the cylinder Of the gun
was found TO be only SO pounds and the
| final pressure 745 pounds.
The three levers which were worked by
an engineer standing upon high platform
fired. raised and lowered the breech and
moved the carriage. A motor supplied
the power and an air compressor stored
air in series of 16-iuch iron pipes, the
air being at pressure of 1000 pounds to
the square inch. The air is passed from
| this reservoir to second one and then
allowed to pass to the breech of the gun
behind the she'll by complicated system
| Of valves.
1t was said BY Mr.. Yate Of the manufac
turing company that the gun would be
sold Tor about s50,o0o. The cost of the
| test. he said, would amoInt to oser 81 OoO
1t was also said that IKE more guns Of
this kind are in process of construction
| for the United States government. This
gun will be taken to Shoo5uryness
England, and experienced upon, 1t vii
Ia finally taken to llelQrlai Australia