New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-11
ACCURATE YORK OF VESCTIUSS GUNS.
GUNPowDER SUBSTITUTED FOR GUNCOTTOS IN
THE LAST TWO OF THE FIVE PRO-
JECTILES FIRED.


JECTILEs FIRED
Port ROYAL s. C.. Feb. 1O-A clear day enabled
the yesuvius to resume the tests OF her pneumatic
guns this morning A stiff southwest wind maze
the haibor rather umpy In the early morning, but
beforc the first shot WIS fired the breeze was no
mere than fresh and the water was fairly smooth.
The Wahnea came down the river at O'Clock In the
morning and drew up alongside OF the PhilahePhia'
she was sailed by Captain Barker, and In the name
OF the board ordered up the harbor with In
strucons to take her station halfmle to the north
east Of the target. The Philadephias steam bunch
crossed over to the Hilton Head shore, taking posi-
lion abreast OF the target and In line with the shore
flag station where the theodoc parties were. The
VesuvluS got under way at IL o'clock. and In less
than thlrty-five minutes WIS In line and had fired
three proj,c cities.
Promptly at IL 10 the VcsuvluS hosted signals an
nounclng that she ready fire the first shot. and
would aim II from the 2.000yard buoy. The Doard
had gone aboard the Vesu,iis early In the morning.
and watched the days experiments from her DECKS
With her signals flying she Steamed slowly up TO the
600 ya, buoy, heading slightly TO the north OF inc
target line. A mOmenary pause followed whlie sHe
SWING slowly into position. Then the Signals
dropped and almost insantaneousy there followed
the white cloud Of compressed air indicating the hring
of a shot. The Observers eye took up the prolecnie
before II had gone hundred yards on It's flight. IL
sailed gracefully through the heavens, making curve
OF perfect symmetry. The first shot fell fifty yards
short OF the target but exactly in hne With the Dnoy
which marked The 1000 yard range. The target iseli
had too much stray line and had drifted forty or my
yards away from rs station
The Vesuvius was s,gnalled from the Wahneta that
the shot had fallen short. and in twelve minutes she
was ready to fire again. indicating by her flags that
the sane range would be kept THIS time she crawled
close up TO her buoy before firing. The shot was ms
pretty as lis predecessor The observers on the Wal
meta sgnaed back to the Vesuvus that the shot fell
ten feet short, a third shot fired few minutes
later falling short Of the target but practically on the
buoy line.
An interval OF an hour followed. and the remain
Ing two proJcctilcs were hrcl. The fourth shot ic
on the buoy lire, but the fifth and the last shot Of
the day fell so close the target that the spiay
thrown up by the projeclc obscured the target. An
instant dferward explosion was heard, and the
water behind the target disturbed 50 far as
could be seen from the Wahncta, the fifth shell was
the ONLY one that exploded, though the officers OF
the Vcsuvins and members OF the board said that
they had distinctly heard the explosion Of the fourth
shot.
II was learned In the course OF the afternoon that
after the nIing Of the first three pOlectlei the gun
cotton primers had been replaced by gihpo"der
primers the supposition being that guncotton mai
failed TO detonatc the powder. Many Of the officers
malnt aimed that this view is probably correct The
second and fifth shots fell 80 accurately that they
would have fallen an ordinary sloop statohe'
for a target ,, =
over the results OF the days tests. The Nesuvius
returned 10 the Naval station In the alterhooh anu
took shells from The lighter ie s u1i
he replaced ,v powder 10 enable the experiments 10
b, continued tomorfow