The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-09
Hren ExPLos1EEs IN sHEnDs..
The systems OF UsiuE Theru whteh Rely on
MODIFYING the Profrctt'e b .

bhouNytnE tno h-fOltctEc.
i WASHINGTON. July 8--ordnance officers ar
inclined to think that although the final emo
In the Justin experim ents ut Sandy Hook dur
Ing tho rast week was premature explosion
the result as q whole was very favorable to tn
systom. 1t Is certainly promising to fire min
shells. containing explosive gelatine, from al
ordinary rifled gun. with q powder charg
sufficient to give II about ] 400 feet Of initia
velocity. II is true that tho charee,of the higl
explosive was small. being ~ pounds. in
closed in a 135- pound shell But the ey plosiyes
OF which much heavier charges are thrown
are OF a different character To secure {
range OF four miles with an ordinary powder
gun and shol containing even n small
charge OF explosive Gclatinc, as Mt the Sant,j
Hook proving ground. exploding It either with
percussion fuse. or. II desired. by delayed
action fuse. at any required point In the
| course promises an addition to coast defence
devices, since four times us heavy charges have
| been used in these shells.
| The experiments OF DR.. Justin arc based on
| tho theory that change In tho ordinary form
| OF shell will secure immunity agains. its pro.
mature explosion through the shock OF dis
charge, when loaded with high explosive md
| fired with ordinary powder. Iiesurrounds the
eXplosive with compiessiole absorbent. and
| then packs the whole in wooden boxes in.
side cylindrical case called q carrier. This
carrier Is shorter than tho shell and of less di.
| anleter and Is fitted at top and bottom with
| leather disks. fastened by washer heads
and rubber disks. When the gun is fired. tho
| shock breaks wire which holds tho carrier
| In forward position and whilo the shell at
| once takes UP the riNing and begins to re-
volve very rapidly. the inertia OF the carrier Is
overcome much more slowly. 1t is really
Iorcod to the rear. COMPRISING the air be-
nina II, anu this compressed Air In turn
lmsses in front Of the, carrier through ports
sushienins effect. the cxiest Of Which, Is resu
used is spsSlsly adSptsl for this system
rctt, and an SINGH BaEely a and aiterwara .
rott rae With charge Of 50 pounds q brown
yards away. which it penstrated to u distanco
OF u feet without exploding. A second she'll
Wh Sars NO ps S was fred
blode on striking. Last summer. shells were
i a having q convex rear face ON tho carrier
OF the shell, and thus decrease the friction, In
explosive ,geIatne in a s. pound proiectile
We're fired against rock target and one
feet Of earth. ali without exploding. 4 5-round
Shell ,, charge in non,ponnd proIectile was
were also successfully fired from o;inch
three With charge Of
pound Projectile. 4 seventh, shot. with 80
proiectiie. perforated 5 inches Of steel and was
exploded .h in the b backing BY va time fuse
inch AN iron OF me pise n Eide
was used. elevated about fifteen degrees, with
n5poInd shell aad seysn p1pSnds and f2n:
charge being twenty five pounds OF black hex:
saEonal powder. As has been recorded nine Of
INFUSED. shells while the explosion of the
tenth which happened just beyond the muzzlo
rier in eacl, OF the nine shots at an elevation
had al, naturally rested against the base Of the
shs Pr in tbs shot ns had
horizontally at, sand bank. This hoEzonta!
position had allowed the carrier to slip forward
was considered to account for the premature
EXPLOSION. In horizontal firing. however, the
place by a pin provided for the purpose. There
Will be little anxiety, therefore. on account OF
from a. i2-inch breech.lo load Ing mortar.
thai 81 of souP is
described BY Ensign Simpson Of our navy. the
projectils has the , uspal osivai head solid
down to a less diameter than the calibre Of the
gun: Fitted over its base Is a brass cylinder.
thirty holes. When the discharge occurs the
pressure Of the powder gases shortens the
air which produce the cushioning effect, and
bulges. the cylinder SO that 1t expands and
base cylinder drops off soon after leaving tho
muzzle. These projectiles can be used either
with rifled or smooth bore guns.
the Snyder System and that Of Dr. Jus in makes
acheHeG BY the s Sear beore ss
projectes containing ~ pounds of explosive
Armstrong and 7;inch Blake!y. but with very
i i2al' p 9sis Was red Through S' h"iine
steel plate without exploding. Last year with
snsa sbss Of
pounds total weight. Of which the rubber buf-
Ter and case weighed II. were fred. One shot
With S initial EEsloy q LIZ feet
OF l70j feet. Both exploded on striking q soft
bank, and portions OF the brass cases. showing
riding Impressions. we're scattered along the
This foreign system will serve to illustrate
the progress made elsewhere In the direction
fore our Board o: Ordnance and Fertilization
There are two other methods Of using'high
n different propusive power substituting
notably sale; 50 that It allows practically ,5 un.
EVEN 500 noands. but with hort ranges Of
mile or mile and half. The other system
is that Of modifying the character Of the high
explosive so that it cannot BIO burst by con-
cussion. Examples Of this sort are the French
the British dde the
eiudne the 0ss and our
navy explosive produced by Prot. Monroe at
the Newport torpedo station. This. however.
Justin method. which does not seek to modify nc f
either the high explosive or the pro5eing