Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-16
TO REPEL INVADERS.
MAMMOTH AERIAL TORPEDO
THROWERS.
They Are to be Placed at Sandy Hook
to Protect New York from Hostile
Foreign Ships.

Iucy AEo 10 Do k>l8CoO at sandy HOOK
to Protect New York from Hostile
Foreign Ships.
Within thirty days. says the New York
Herald, there will be placed at Sandy
Hook battery of guns capable of throw
ing fifteen tons of dynamite an hour at
any feet OF hostile foreign ships that
might try to force their way up to New
York. These guns are pneumatic dyna-
mite thro wrs and will be completed
during the present week for the United
states government at the West Point
Foundry at Cold Spring, near New burg.
There are three tubes in this first battery
to be placed at Sandy Hook-two u.s.
inch and one 8-inch aerial dynamite
throwers.
If this battery proves a success the
United States Government, it is hoped
by those interested in the invention,
will place Q score or more of these tubes
of New York. The manufacturers be-
ieve that D large battery Of those dyna-
spite throwing tubes could prevent the
Qhpmbined navies of the world from enter
ing New York harbor.
This battery was provided for by the
last Congress. Work on the founds-
tions for the tubes was begun several
weeks ago, and everything is now in
readiness to receive these powerful
weapons of war, each of which can drop
from one hundred to five hundred
pounds of dynamite into the water be-
tween Sandy Hook and Coney Island, to
q distance of from one to two miles.
As the channel for deep water vessels
extends only about one mile from Sandy
Hook, war ships trying to enter the har-
Dor would be exposed to the heaviest
charges fred by this battery.
WHERE THEY WILL BE MOUNTED.
Tho three tubes will be mounted at
Sandy Hook temporarily, near the end
of the sand strip from which the place
takes its name. They will be placed
side by side on the level of the beach,
the S-inch tube being on the right hand
side. All three can be trained entirely
around the horizon. It takes two min
utes to make full circuit. On board
. the Vcsuvius the tubes are set at fixed
angle, but those at Sandy Hook can be
ra1sed or depressed like gun, fifteen
seconds being required for the maximum
change. The time required for loading
and firing varies with the weight of the
projectile used. l. takes three minutes
to load and fire 500-pound projectile
and only half that time for one weighing
100 pounds.
The pressure by which the projectile
10 discharged is ordinarily 1000 pounds
to the square inch. 1t is supplied from
substantial shed about seventy feet in
the rear of the guns where this air COM
pressors are placed. BY an ingenious
system of chambers and valves the
amount of pressure can be exactly regu-
lated.
The tubes are smooth bore, made of
cast iron in small sections provided
with fianges, which are bolted together,
forming piece having II length Of fifty
feet and an internal diameter of fifteen
inches. The points are provided with o
new and very efficient packing which
automatically tightens with the increase
of pressure. The trunnions, which are
hollow, communicate with an annular
air space surrounding the barrel between
them and the breech. The trunnions
turn in boxes which support the barrel
and at the same time serve to convey air
through the trunnions to the firing
chamber in whatever way they may be
placed.
A POWERFUL PIECE.
The total weight of the 15-inch tube
is 40 tons. The total weight of the full
calibre projectile is LOCO pounds, the
explosive charge alone weighing 500
pounds. The range of the piece at 35
degrees elevation with a large projectile
is 2, 400 yards; with 1O-inch subcalibre
projectile weighing 500 pounds it is
1000 yards; with an 8.inch subcalibre
projectile weighing $40 pounds the range
is 5000 yards, and with G-inch sub
calibre projectile weighing $50 pounds
the range is 5000 yards. The weight of
the explosive charges in the subcalibre
projcctiles named would be respectively
200 pounds, 100 pounds and SO pounds.
Up to the present time heavy wrought
iron tubing has been used in the con-
struction of the storing and firing reser.
voirs, having a diameter of six feet will
be used for two of the tubes to be placed
at Sandy Hook. This will reduce the
number of joints and the liability to
leakage.
So far no plans have been definitely
made for the protection Of the tubes from
an enemy's fire. Placed on a level sand
spit. as they will be at first, nothing
could prevent their being knocked to
pieces by q vessel far out OF their range.
It is probable that after the tests are
over high and wide breastwork of sand
will be build all around them. AS they
usually fire at high elevation. this will
not obstruct their use. but will protect
them almost completely, not only by the
resistance of the sand, but also by con-
cealing their exact position. There is,
of course, no smoke to betray this.
EXCEPTIONAL ACCURACY OF FIRE.
At all ranges the tubes can place
seventy five per cent. of their projectiles
within rectangle 80 feet wide by $50
feet long. A duplicate of one of the
tubes was recently purchased and tested
by the English government for coast de-
fence. The most skilled rife practice
was thrown in the shade by its perform
ances. At the close of the target prac-
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