The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16

because Iney VIII De forced TO DO so.
When the weak government shall be
just as capable to maintain its rights,
just as able as the strongest to infiict
punishment on an invader, there will be
no more international tranSgresSion, no
more bullying OF the greater powers
over the weaker. When all the iron
clads. ordnance and armor plate of the
world are reduced TO junk, when all
fortified places and all forts shall take
and men shall be weak in proportion as
they are massed, humanity shall emerge
to a higher development and shall cast
aside most of its torment. When mere
courage and discipline shall be of no
consequence whatever, when the very
molecules of the atmosphere shall be
shattered and the earth shall leap into
craters OF volcanic energy, there will be
an end to war. But, as in all other
things, there will be no change until
something more effective supplantS the
present method.
This something may readily and eco
nomincally be found in nitroglycerin.
This is the most evenly balanced ex-
plosive known TO either theoretical or
practical chemistry, has even more ce-
lerity than lightning and Is the most ter
rifle in its volume of expansion.
WHY USE CANNONS?
Had Schwartz hit upon this perfect ex-
plosive instead of the slowly generating
gases of his gunpowder, gunnery, as
the world has seen il for two centuries,
would never have been developed. The
nations would have been saved meal
culable expense and the science of de-
struction would have so advanced that
the decision of issues by physical vio-
lence would long since have been elm
mated. Or, if Staying had been contin-
ued it would have been thorough. with
out filling the world with MANNED and
saddling a grinding expense on genera
lions of survivors.
The great Krupp cannon, on exhibit
ton at the Worlds Columbian EXPOSE
ton, would not stand the expansion of
ten quarts of nitroglycerin in its huge
barrel and double this quantity on the
surface OF that mass of metal would
shatter that crude conception into frag-
ments. What then can be more ridicu-
louS than to construct such an engine,
the effectiveness of which must after all
hinge on the hitting of target-when
a mere can of twenty or thirty quarts
of simple substance exploded in its vi
cinity and dependent on no armament
whatever, can utterly demolish it?
Let us now consider a hypothetical
case and illustrate what is meant by a
death radius and what Will aSsurediy
be the coming method in at least de-
fenSiye warfare.
Let us suppose that an invading navy
is to be met and that a fleet of hostile
ironclads is approaching New York city
to lombard our great commercial and
financial metropolis. Let it be assumed
that a dozen of the worlds greatest war
vessels are coming on hostile mission,
clad in the most approved armOr plate
and wit
ordnance that modern art can produce.
Manifestly now, the work to do, is TO
destroy such vessels before they can
approach within a harmful distance.
The question then is, can this be done
with absolute certainty? 1t can be done
and without a shadow of a doubt. With
less cost than is involved in a single
one of such ironclads, all the hostile
vessels of the earth If within reach, can
either be destroyed or held at bay One
hundred barrels of this explosive can
be placed into a tank and on board of a
small light vessel constructed for the
purpose, at a. cost including equipment,
of $40, 000 The explosion of 1000 gal
Ions of this substance, at any given
point on the water will create a death
radius of at least four miles, or, circle
having a diameter of eight miles, on
which not floating thing, large or small,
could escape destruction. On this area.
the atmosphere pressure alone. would
send to the bottom all the ironclads OF
the earth, if there assembled. Not one
point only, but the whole circle, is in the
erea of death. In the wave set in
notion all iron vessels would founder.
SOME OF THE EFFECTS.
The ocean would be rent into a funnel
shaped cavity itself large enough to
engulf all the war vessels of any one
nation. 1t is in no sense an eXaggera-
ton to say that such an explosion would
shatter the rocky fortress of Gibraltar
into fragments and in the revelation of
such conclusion all the navies and ar
mament of the world would emerge
with the simple value represented in
their junk.
Ore single half pint Of this explosive
represents more in destructive capacity
than does a bolt of li~htning and the
amount of four thousand gallons, which
is being cnsidered, therefore fully rep
resents the aggregated effect of $4,000
lightning strokes, or more than the COM
bined electric energy of lightning mani
tested in any one of our States during
a century.
Care has been taken in these calcu-
lations not to overstate nor overesti-
mate and the proportions. which are all
| capable of mathematical verificatiOn
will be found to be within the radius of
| the facts.
| 1t now remains to indicate ways and
| means to bring such cargo of this nigh
| est explosive so near to such hostile
vessel or vessels that the death radius
| that shall ensue from such explosion
| shall embrace within its area such YES
| sells as it is proposed to destroy. This
| shall be fully done in a succeeding paper
! on the subject. 1t will be clearly shown
! that one or as many as may be deemed
| necessary, of such cargoes OF explosive
| may be automatically and unerringly
| landed within the required destructive
| radius and from which no present iron
| clad can by any means escape. This
| will be set forth in complete detail and
| likewise the concomitant but modified
method of annihilating land forces.
Here it may be stated that, should the
United States government find itself al
war with any other government and
should the exigencies of the situation
| demand the destruction of a hostile force
| and equipment either marine or military
| ample capital is behind this plan to dc
| this at a reasonable cost and not a dol
lar need be disbursed by the government
until the work is successfully &C.
| complished.
The aim is simply to bring IA new So
luton 10 this war problem and 10 indi-
| cate the utter FOLLY Of any expenditure
on the old lines. OF course this viii
meet with opposition. but the govern
ment will not be asked TO put a single
penny into experiments.
| How. should the situation demand IL
| the enemy may be bombarded from the
heavens. shall also be fully set forth in