New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-20
TO TEST HIGH-POWER EXPLOSIVES.
SOME INTERESTING EXPERIMENTS TO BE CON
QUOTED AT THE INDIAN HEAD PROV
ING GROUNDS.

QUOTED AT THE INDIAN HEAD PROV
ING GROUNDS.
Washington Ian 10 (SpeciaD-1he Naval Bureau
of Ordnance has in contemplation series OF I'M
por,ant tests Of hSh-power explosives which VIII
attract much attention in this country ana ABROAD
Captan Sampson is completing arrangements
for the trials. which are to come on At the Naval
Proving Grounds at Indian Head In few days.
The exneriments will be witnessed by number Of
Army and Navy officers and foreign experts In
ordnance who greatly interested IN the results
The object in view Is TO determine which OF the
known high explosives give the most disas'rous re-
sults when fred in modern shells The trials are
suggested by reports received Al the Navy De-
partment showing the effect of shell fire upon Chi-
nese and Japanese ships which were engaged In
the Yaloo battle As far as known, no compare
tive experiments OF the kind have hitherto been
conducted either at home or abroad Speaking ~
the programme to-day Captain Sampson explained
that II was proposed TO ascertain what explosive
has the greatest al-round merits as a destructive
power He said that the effect OF gunco;ton. 'men-
site and other explosives was terrific under Ger
tain conditions. but II was important 10 Know
whether the results were more damaging when hf'l
from hgh-power'd guns; ana II tne eAEoSit's ''i
be safely ana economically employed Inc l"ru,u-
lar data desired reldte 10 's I'm"e al, 10 ., %
effect OF shell composition also the duhiity OF ~
ting fire TO tho woodwork Of vessels and other OBJ
jects attacked.
Reports from China show that one Of the most
serious embarrassmcnis 10 the Officers ana crews
vessels
gagement was the frequency and fury OF fires
caused by bursting shells. This quality Of an 'N-
plosvc rs thought 10 be necessary ana inc trialf
will demonstrate which Of those To b. tested has
this merit IN the greatest degree Another question
TO be settled is which explosive has the greatest
bursting and teariag effect when striking steel
Un,ier favorable conditions the powers % gun
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00UM N BOcOrT iOeJ mn r2DD) - lSVrr VI 0lnrT
eep1osfe~z raotrla ;sln7p114 fey,I77 m IN NJ Tx
opinion that everything considered. RIntoWd"f VII
yrohANy ~ FOUND tho most satisfactory - th" *
plOsiyes. lie said to-day that while grncp' ton.
encnslte ma amer eaplOslsrs we're icrTlNr when
used In blowing up rock and other objects u Mas
Questionable II they were effective when employed
against steel bolted the sides OF ships In re-
cent experiment at Indian Head. IA shell charged
with guncottou penetrated plates. but did no Other
damage than to cut cut clean hole through the
target The plate not distorted and torn. "a
usually results when gunTOwder II employed
The coming experiments VIII incIud" trials Of
gunpowder guncOtton dynamite cmenste md
probably other explosives. They VIII be fired under
the conditions obtain in the case Of gum
powder. I'm order that comparative results may b."
had. The trials viii extend over period OF a week
ten days IN order that they may be thorough.
and the results decisive.