The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-11
BLOWN INTO FRAGMENTS
A LYLE GUN ON THE CITY OF
BIRMINGHAM ExPLOOKS.

The Gun and Carriage Shattered, the
Vessels Deck Torn Up and Half a
Dozen People Narrowly Escape
Dsath-The Explosion Due to Imper-
feet Material and Defective Casting
OF the Gun, and Occurs During a Test
by the United States Inspectors.
ALyle signal and projectile gun on the
steamship City of Birmingham exploded
yesterday while being tested by the United
States inspectors Of steam vessels, tearing
the gun into fragments and shatter-
ing the carriage into splinters. Tue
vessels deck was ripped up and pieces Of
the gun were carried $50 yards across the
Ocean steamship freight sheds and over tie
river. One piece weighing several pounds
went through a shed aud struck a timber
several inches thick, splitting 1t in pieces
and nearly killing a team Of mules.
First Officer A. F. johnson, who fred
the gun, was badly burned on the face and
arms.
INSPECTOR HEADNAN's CLOSE CALL.
United States Inspector Henry D. Head
man was standing few feet back Of tae
of the gun carriage went over his head,
striking his hat and tearing away portion
of the crown. United States Inspector W.
G. Lee, Capt. c. S. Berg Chief Engineer
Pennington and half dozen Others Were
standing close by but escaped injury. A
chunk OF iron grazed the chief engineers
head, but further than the shock be was I'M
hurt. Capt. Berg also had a narrow es-
cape.
Inspector Lee was partially protected by
an iron ventilator past which the force Of
the explosion we1t.
Mr.. Headman had the narrowest escape
OF all Had the fragment OF iron passed on
inch lower it would have struck him on the
temple In his experience Of twenty-seven
years in the steamboat inspection service he
has never had 80 close a call.
THE LYLE Guns USE.
The Lyle gun is a small cannon, the
device OF Lieut.. Lyle, for rendering assist
ance TO stranded vessels. IL is a gun and
projectile OF special form and construction,
capable of throwing & line by which the
ropes and other apparatus Of the life-savinR
crew may be hauled aboard the diss blsd
vessel The gun Is also intended for fog
signalling. and for firing salutes, aud is
used at all life-saving stations. 1t pur-
ports TO be of steel and is about feet long
and of 21S-inch bore.
The charge which caused the explosion
was half pound cartridge on top Of which
was the line-carrying prOjectile. The gun
was mounted on a carriage on the after
deck Of the ship After being examined it
was loaded and aimed TO carry the projectile
and line across the river.
THE AIR FILLED WITH FRAGMENTS.
First Officer Johnson pulled the lanyard.
AS he did, the explosion occurred. In an
instant the air was filed with pieces OF { @
crtsn md ~a ~rfo # fhar nf..k.s,
ten and twelve pounds The false work over
the vessels steering apparatus, and upon |
(which the gun carr age stood was torn in |
pieces, and the deck below was shattered, |
Fragments of the gun we're thrown under the |
freight sheds, and one piece was found |
Embedded in the flooring where it struck |
The explosion was heard through the west
ern part of the city and crowd quickly |
gathered The escape of the officers and in
spectors who were testing the gun was |
almost miraculous
THE FIRST TEST.
The exploded gun is one Of ten ordered by |
the Ocean Steamship Company for use on |
its vessels, and was the first tested by the |
United States local inspectors. IL was |
brought out from New York on the last |
trip Of the City Of Birmingham to be ready |
for the annual inspection Of the vessel. |
which was made yesterday The United |
AJAoNCo AbSpSClOioi III NlSW VI LUB IacG L0HT
the gun is intended for saluting PURPOSES as
well as for signalling and for use in case of
wrecks, demanded a thorough test of its
ability.
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
The explosion was due, 80 far as has
been determined, TO imperfect ma
terlal and defective casting of the
quo. A broken section showed the
material to be unable to resist the strain
of the charge required to carey the pro
Jectile. The projectile itself, to which the |
line was attached, was carried but d |
short distance, the force Of the |
powder having been exhaustei |
in exploding the gun. The explosion under
the circumstances was fortunate one.
Had 1t taken place at he time Of an emer- |
gency at sea, or while firing a salute the |
chances are there would have been serious |
loss OF life. The United States inspectors
Will make full report of the explosion to |
the authorities at Washington
THE RUMOR WAS FALSE