The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-11
SHORT OF THE MARK.
TESTING or THE YEsUvIUs' PNEU.
mATIC GUNS CONTINUED.
Five Very Pretty shots Fired but None
Strike the Target-fhe Experiments
to be Resumed To-Day.

PORT ROYAL, Feb. lO-A clear day
enabled the vesuvius TO resume the tests
of her pneumatic guns this morning. A
stiff southwest wind made the harbor
rather lumpy in the early morning. but
before l o'clock, when the first shot was
fired, the ireeze was no more tran fresh,
and the water was fairly smooth. The
Wahneta came down the river at . O'CLOCK
in the morning and drew up alongside OF
TIE Philadelphia. She was sailet by Cap
tain Barker. and In the name of the board
Yves ordered up TO the harbor with in
structicns to take her station half mile
TO the northeast OF the target. The Phil
adelphia steam launch crossed over to the
Hilton Head shore, taking a position
abreast OF the target. and In line with
the shore flag station. at which the
theodolite parties were.
The Vesuyius got under way at IL
o'clock, and In less than thirty-nve
minutes had gotten into line way and
fired three projectles. Promptly at II 10
the Nesuvius hoisted signals Announcing
that she was ready to fire the first shot,
and would aim it from the 1000 yard buoy.
The board had gone aboard the Vesuvius
fdTly III tnc anu MatcneQ the
days experiments from her decks With
hor signals flying. the Vesuvius steamed
slowly up 10 the 1000 yard buoy. head
ing slightly 10 the north OF the target
line. A momentary pause followed. while
she swung slowly into position. Then the
signals dropped and instantaneously al
most there followed the white cloud OF
compressed air indicating the firing OF
shot. The observers took up the pro-
l.. Laf.. ~ l.. "A
on It's flight. Ii sailed gracefully through
the heavens. making curve Of perfect
symmetry.
The first shot fell fifty yards short OF
the targets. but exactly I'm line with the
buoy which marked the 2,OO0-yard range.
the target itself had too much stray line.
and had drifted about forty or fifty
yards away from the station The We
suyius was signalled from the Wahneta
that the shot had fallen short. and I'm
twelve minutes she was ready To fire
again, indicating by her flags that the
same range would be kept. The Vesuvlus
this time crawled close up to her buoy
before firing. The shot was as pretty as
its predecessor. and more nearly attained
its target. The observers on the Wahneta
signalled back TO the Vesuvius that the
shell fell ten feet short third shot
was fired a few moments later, falling
short OF the target. but practically on
the buoy line. An interval OF an hour
followed. and then the remaining two
projectiles were fired. The fourth shot
fell on the buoy line, but the NTH "and
the last shot OF the day fell so close 10
the target that the spray thrown up by
the projectiie obscured the target An
instant afterwards an explosion was
heard, and the water behind the target
was disturbed SO far as could be seen
from the Wahneta, the fifth shell was
| the only one that exploded, although the
officers OF the Vesuvius and members OF
| the board said that they had distinctly
heard the explosion of the fourth shot.
II was learned during the afternoon
| that after firing the first three projectlles
| the gun cotton primers had been replaced
| by gunpowder primers, the suppositon be-
| ing that the gun cotton had failed to
| detonate the powder. Many OF the officers
maintain that this view is probably cor
rect The second and fifth shots fell so
accurately that they would have fallen on
an ordinary sloop stationed for a target.
| The officers OF the Vesuyius are greatly
eiated over the results of the days tests.
The Vesuvius returned TO the naval sta
ton this afternoon and took seven shells
from the lighter. The gun cotton had
been removed from these proiectiles and
will be replaced by powder to enable the
continuance of experiments Tomorrow.