The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-30
TO tbs T PRoJEorILE GUNS.
Government Invest cations of the Dis
aster on the G tX Of B.rnainQhRm


Government Invest cations of the Dis
aster on the C ty Of Birmingham.
The recent explosion of the Lyle signal
and proJectile gun on the steamship Cisy of
Birmingham while being tested By United
States Local Inspectors OF Steam Vessels
Lee and Headman, in which several people
narrowly escaped being killed, has caused
line-carrying guns on shipboard
The Secretary of the Treasury has di-
rected the supervising inspector general Of
steam vessels to convene the board OF super
vising inspectors in extra session
in Washington, Sept. rs, for the
purpose of making "a series of experiments
with such llne-carrying projectiles. and the
means OF propelling them, as may be sub
mitted.n
nature as to determine:
l. whether the guns, rockets and other
means Of propelling this required projectiles
are reasonably safe to be used without en-
dangering the lives Of those using them.
q Assuming the safety of the means of
| propulsion, to determine, so far as may be
feasible, whether the use OF such line
| carrying projectiles can be successfully
| made available as a means OF saving life
there is no life-saving station, or the equip
ments belonging to such Station, and the
crews thereof to act in cooperation with
| the crew or the vessel.
3. To determine what advantage it would
be as a means of saving life for q vessel
stranded on q coast accessible to a life
saving station to be supplied with line
cirrying projectile, and the means of pro-
pslilng it. as a means auxiliary to that
W ha
crew thereof.
By the terms of a Law of the last congress
the Sec 'etary OF the Treasury is dire cted to
nave these experiments made, and to report
the results thereof to congress at the begin
ming of its next session, together with his
| opinion as TO whether necessity exists for
such hfe-savlng appliances as are now re-
| quired by the treasury department under
the law. He is also direc ed to report what
changes, if any, in the law or regulations
may be deemed advisable by him to meet
the interests of life-saving and the shipping
| interests alike.
In view Of the explosion of the effectively
constructed gun for propelling a line
carrying projectile" on board the City OF
Birni- CHAM, secretary Foster has re-
| quested Gen. Dumont to notify the local
| inspectors of steam vessels OF the ports on
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts not to pa IS
|
steam vessels, under the regulations of the
! department, as a means of propelling d
"line-carryipg projectile," unless accom-
panied by certificate of guarantee of tat
manufacturer thereof that such gun OF
rocket has bsen tested in such manner as is
usually required to insure their reasonable
safety from explosion when fired
The explosion of the so~calied Lyle" gun
on the City of Birmingham mas demonstra.
ted, the secretary says, that, when manu-
featured OF iron OF steel, such guns lack toe
principle of safety of the real Lyle" gun
made Of tae bronze, and designed by Lieut.
Lyle, U. S. NJ; therefore, such iron or steel
50 called Lyle guns must not be passed al
all until it can be determined, by proper ex.
perlments, that they possess the principle OF
safety possessed by the bronze Lyle gun
which has been established by mauy years
use in the hfe-saving service.
The investigation by the Secretary Of thu
Treasury Of the signal and projectlls gum
used on steam vessels and in the life-savine
service, is the result of the careful test Of
the gun on the City Of Birmingham, and
the examination of its material and con-
structioa by the local inspectors in Savan,
nah, who have made careful reports to the
| authorities upon the matter.