St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-10
SANK A SCHOONER.
Careless Army Officers Shoot a
Hole in the Tiiden.

NEW YORK, July 9. - the three
masted schooner Harry r. Tilden, COM
manded by Capt. Harris. bound to Phila-
delphia from this port in ballast, was
sunk three miless Off Sandy Hook this
afternoon by projectile weighing
500 pounds. fired from ten-inch gun
with 2l0 pounds of powder, from the
United States proving grounds at Sandy
Hook. On the schooner at the time
were six men and Capt. Harris. The
men were all rescued by steam launch
belonging to Shepard Knapp, of this
city, and late i'll the evening landed at
the docks of the Erie railway, in Jersey
City.
JERSEY CITY, n. j., July Capt.
Frank Heath, of the United States
army, who is in charge of the govern
ment proving grounds ut Sandy Hook,
made statement relative to the sink
ing of the schooner Tllden when he
landed at Governors island from the
government tugboat General Wood
at $50 this evening. He said:
las l am in charge of the proving
grounds at Sandy Hook belonging to
the United States government. my duty
This afternoon, the day being fair, |
determined to make velocity tests,
using the big ten-inch breechloading
gun recently delivered at the PROV
Ing grounds, and which is mounted
on one Of the new disappearing gun
carriages made by the South Boston
Pneumatic Engine company. In max
ing velocity tests we have set up in
front of the gun two wire nets, each of
which is connected by an electric wire
to an Indicator that accurately and
al nj nnic f1e
electric circuit is broken by the shot
passing through the nets.
The firSt net is set up $50 feet from
the muZZle OF the gun, the second the
same distance from the first. When
i making test for velocity with big guns
it is invariably the rule to fire them as
nearly as possible in a hori-
zontal position. Between / and 2
O'Clock we prepared to fire the
first shot. The line of fire
was due southeast. and at the time the
Scotland lightship could be clearly dis
tinguished. There were several sailing
off the line of fire as the gun was
trained. To make doubly sure there
are Ito vessels near the line of fire,
have man detailed to note
the position at sea of all the
passing vessels. ] have much to take
up my attention, and for that reason
cannot watch each and every passing
vessel. | always, before ordering
shot to be fired, look myself at the
horizon and at the same time receive
the report of the man at the,lookout.
1.-The first shot was fired at 80, and.
passing through the nets, no other
thought was given as to where
it disappea red. At O'clock the gun
was ready for second shot. The
elevation was the same as in the
first shot. The order was given to fire,
and again the prOjectile passed through
both nets and went to sea. This was
the shot that hit the Tllden. though at
the time we did not know it, paying
little attention to where the shot went
to after passing through the nets.
subsequently third one was fired,
all of the three being for velocity, and
not for elevation or to determine the
range of the gun. No one at the PROV
ing grounds noticed that one of the yes
sells out at sea had been hit, and not
until the steam launch of Mr.. Knapp
came steaming in having in tow the
lifeboat of the schooner did we know of
the DISASTER
Capt Heath was then asked as to how
he could eXplain'Why, if the Tilden was
| not in the direct line of fire it was pcs
SlOle Tor her TO be hit? His answer
| was:
Il have taken many observations and
triangulated the position of the Tilden
when she was hit, but as yet have not
worked them out. This l will say,
however. From all that | know
the shot, after passing through
the second net struck one of
the sand dunes down the coast,
and was detected to the right, striking
the stem Of the Tilden. From my OBJ
servations [ am positive that the vessel
at the time was at least three quarters
of a mile 10 the right of the line of fire.
Il shall most certainly make report
OF the matter" said the captain in reply
to the query as to what he proposed to
do. ''And in the meantime, captain, will
you continue 10 test your guns to the
danger of life and irrespective to shots
being DETECTED by sand dunes ?'' was
asked.
why should not ?' was the reply.