Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-02
THE DYNAMITE CRUISER.
Coming Trial of the vesuvius and the Inter.
est I'm. the Result.

Coming Trial of the yesuvius and the Inter-
est I'm the Result.
The dynamite cruiser Yesuvius will sail in a
few days from New York for Port ROYAL, S. c.,
to range her guns for their final trials, the sue
cess or failure of which will determine her
future position in the United States
navy. Successful sine will rank as a
powerful war machine while a failure will re!e-
gate her to the rear a mere naval yacht. fhe
trials will be conducted under the supervision
of a board composed of Capt. Montgomery
Sicard. commanding the Miantonomoh: Capt A.
S. Barker commanding the cruiser Philadelphia
and Commander ". H. Brownson, command
ing the dispatch boat Dolphin. She carried
forty-one dummy" projectiles for use in the
trial of her pneumatic throwing tubes, which,
however, are better known as guns.
Other projectiles including eighteen loaded
with the fall gun cotton charge, will be
shipped TO Port Royal by the cruiser Phila-
delphia. This vessel will % into dry dock at
New York this week and will probably start
south about the 18th.
The Vesuyius will steam at the rate OF 13 5
knots and will probably reach Port Royal by
Tuesday Of next week. There she will range
her guns and establish stations for observing
the fall OF shot and then await the arrival of
the Philadelphia and the trial board. The trials
will be made about the LIST of February and will
be watched with considerable interest in naval
and military circles.
The Vesuvius was launched at PHILADELPHIA
May, 1885, and so far through untoward cir
cumstances has failed to fulfill the predictions of
her designers. She has a length of 2s2 feet a
beam Of 26 feet and a displacement of $50 tons.
She has twin screw engines, developing 1000
horse power. She is built Of light steel. and no
effort il made to provide armor. except in the
arrangement Of coal bunkers and in the fitting
OF Q one-inch defective deck over the breech OF
the guns. As she fights lend on"-that is, with
her bow to the enemy-she presents O small
target, and in this her safety principally lies.
She is fitted with three pneumatic guns,
fifteen inches in diameter. She also carries for
defense against torpedo or boat attack three
Hotchkiss rapid-fring three-pounders.
Each Of the three ffteen-inch tubes is ffty-
i've feet long. They are mounted side by side
and project several feet above the deck near
the bows. They are set into the hull of the
vessel at an angle Of eighteen degrees from the
horizontal
In the powder gun the propelling charge is
constant and change Of range is given by rails
ing or lowering the breech OF the gun. In the
Nesuvius pneumatic guns the elevation is fixed
and change Of range Is given by increasing on
diminishing the amount of compressed air sd-
mitted behind the projectile at the instant Of
firing.
Each Of the 15-inch pneumatic guns is cana
Bile OF firing three sizes ef projectiles-namely,
the full caliber l5-inch proiectile. weighing
LOCO pounds and carrying 500 pounds Of gun
cotton; the subcal:ber 10-inch projectile.
weighing 500 pounds and carrying 200 pounds
of gun cotton, andthe 6-inch subcaliber pro-
jectile. weighing $50 pounds and carrying 100
pounds Of gun cotton.