The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-02

Experiments To ne Made for Testing Its
Msrass as q wa:er-exeiudi Material.

Experiments To BE MADE sor hessh0 Au
Merits as q wa:er-exeiudinr Material.
WASHINGTON. March 1.-Thc contrasts for
the Montgomery. the Detroit. and the Marble
head call for water-line belt OF ceiiulose OF
other material designed to prevent the how OF
water through the holes mnde by hostile shot.
Tho two former vessels are approaching COM
plction at Baltimore and tho latter hos been
launched at Boston. The contract Tor the
armored cruiser New York. under construc-
ton at Philadelphia. requires that coner-
dam 3k feet deep and filled with an approved
water OF Guiding material shall be worked
betwoen the protective and berth docks
all around the ship Protected Cruiser No. q
building at San Francisco is to have wator-
excluding belt IN feet thick enclrcling tho
vessel at the water limo The Pirate Will have
a coffe-dam four feet wide worked next to the
ships aide through tho whole length. filled In
the bunkers with patent substance which In
an emergency can be used as fuel. while at
other times It forms wall five feet thick
against machine fire. and forward md abnft
the bunkers the cofferdam will DO flllod with
some water excluding material similar to
woodite. The battloships Indiana Massachu-
sets. and Oregon arc also to have such belts.
worked on the slopes OF the armor deck for
ward and aft
Accordingly the Bureau OF Naval Ordnance
has decided that the time has como to tcst tho
material which 1t is proposed to use for this
purpose in our ships. large tank is undor
construction near Norfolk. to he lined with q
belt OF cellulose. and this will be Ilred at by the
0.inch guns OF the Newark. The amount Of
holes will give good idea OF what may DO OK
pected from tho use OF this substance in the
new vessels.
Some foreign governments have tested col
luloso without resort to tho device contrived
by our Ordnance Bureau. Not long ngo the
Danes flrcd 5-inch shot directly through tho
bow Of their war ship Hekla. penetrating tho
cellulose belt OH both sdos OF the vessel at tho
water linc Then the Hekla steamed rapidly
about the harbor for three hours. so that tho
water could dash into and above these shot
ment which had t. cen shot through was exam.
mod. aud was found to contain only two icct
OF %"s so Tns W Wa Mo =" ON
Last year the accae1tni collision OF tho
the bow " tho cruiser but the ccliulosn pro-
lection allowed only slight amount Of water
to enter before tho gap closed ur.
gan to be used In France. 1t is n brownish
meal made Of the Eroand ber q G2c1annt
being wet. so that with remarknnle rnni,lity it
it has ASA great ndvantng" IN its l,ghtn"ss $50 SO
that II belt several feet thick adds comparn-
lively little to the eight OF II vessel. 1t is pro-
pared in blocks or brilucttes. Of II gu bic foot or
other convenient size. with the sides com
inch while the interior is filed with loose cei-
lulose. This mukos 1t easy for handling nnd
packing. and besides while the loose crliulo,e
will burn slowly and give out II white smoke.
when compressct 1t = very hard to ignite.
have gradually been diminished IL loft in its
natural state 1t would breed vermin and be
unheal thiul: but this drawback is ohviated by
removing the, ,glutinons, Dortlons. Again.
in order to prevent this result a coat Of nuint
containing much oxide Of lend s.narates the
celluose from contact with the steel hull.
In this country Philadelphia firm has tho
one to he tested for our vessels. But thcr. are
competing substances. including preparations
of lndiu uhber and OF wood. Woodte is n
British production for excluding water. WHICH
Possesses some advantages. but originally
cost. il is said. half dozen times rs much ms
price has been brought down. according T."
one statement. even below that Of cc!nlo
and it has been improved in lightnrss until no
longer ohIect Get. NJ On that s2Tr 4 sui ~,
country Is made OF cedar bush.
coming trials at Norfolk the most precise
thorough. and yalun he ever made on this sub
war vessels are CARRYING relluI"se hcits. und
they have been sunpIied tn vessels Of var uus
other navies Yet criticisms are lound IN
these leak stopping devices. The eXicii-
ments. therefore. which nre to- he conInctrdh by
fired from the battery Of n cruiser as II in
action should prove Of value to other services
as we'll as our own.