The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-26
1T HURLS DYNAMITE.
Mace0's Weapon the First OF the
Kind Used in Warfare.
Built In New York, Taken TO Cuba by
the Three Friends In September.

Antonio MacoO, the CUBAN lnSurBent
leader ia the extreme west Of Cuba, used
a dynamite floldpiocc for the FIRST time in
warfare at the battles of Ceia del Negro
and Guamo Mountain on Oct. and 4
and reports himself highly pleased with
its execution.
The Cuban dynamite gun is an Ameri-
can patcnt. General Maceo has one in
Pinar del Rio, aud General Calixto Garcia
has another i'm the Oriente Both guns
were made in Now York and are known
TO American army officers as the Simms-
Dudley dynamite rifle Thoy have been
tested in this country and have proved
satisfactory.
The gun consists Of three parallel tubes,
the middle one being considerably longer
than the side tubes. The side tubes are
connected at the upper and lower ends In
fact, the system resembles trombone.
The projectilo is fred, or rather blown,
from the middle tube, which is made of
the best forged steel and is not moro than
half an inch thick. The projcctile force Is
compressed air. At the extremity of the
first side tube Is a breech mechanism,
where a cartridge of ordinary smokeless
powder is inserted and then exploded.
This explosion drives tho air in this tube
through the connection 60 the second tube
and down the second into the middle tube
or rifle and pushes out the projectile which
is there.
Tho projectile moves slowly at first, and
then with great rapidity. Tho rifle barrel
is made long, so that the projectilo will
have a chance to gain high velocity be-
fore emerging from the gun barrel. The
proiectile is loaded into the tube ut the
breech, and the large head of tho arrow
shaped projectile contains the explosive
material. The main barrel Is l6 feet long,
and the side air tubes are four feet shorter.
They arc made of wrought iron. The pro-
jectile looks like longn arrow with large,
elongated head. 1t weighs 33 pounds. OF
this 3 pounds are of high explosive COM
pounds. It is equipped with time fuses
and will burrow into the ground eight feet
before exploding To throw one of these
shells milo to IA miles requires 10
ounces of high grade smokelcss powder.
This will generate pressure of 500 pounds
to the square inch in the force tubes.
There is not tho usual cannon roar when
these guns are discharged They makeaI
sharp, swapping or IA crashing noise, as If
a stick of timber were being broken. There
is no fash or smoke, as the flame and
smoke are consumed in the chamber of the
tube where tho cartridge is exploded. At
night tho guns cannot be located except by
the peculiar noise they make. They spit
no flame or sparks md show no light.
Judging from reports received by the Gu
bans In New York the havoc wrought
within tho spanish lines in the battles
around tho city of Pinar del Rio must have
been terrific. Tho dynamite shells dug in
to the ground and tore open large gaps In
81 g-I, ,,,r
the squares formed by the Spaniards and
scattered tho dead and dying in all direc-
tions. General Nelquizo's columns be-
came panic stricken and lcd in wild disor-
der 1t was the American dynamite gun
which won tho victory for Maceo. The
Spaniards havo acknowledged its effective
ness upon their troops.
Tho Dario do Ejercito, the Spanish army
journal, said in late number: 1.-THE Gu
bans had new gun which gave our troops
a great deal Of trouble. 1t must have been
very light, as thoy moved 1t about with
great case. We tried 10 capture it, but
could not locate its position until IL had
completed its deadly work and was moved
again. Its destructiveness was phenomenal.
fragments of tho explosive hurled at us
were sent 10 Havana for analysis by ex-
perts of tho navy yard. !"
This gun, now used by Maceo, left Jack
sonville Sept. on tho Three Friends and
was landed in Pinar del Rio province,
near Bahia Honda, Sept 8. The expedi-
tion was led by Brigadier General Juan
Rus Rivera, Puerto Rican. The gun
Is under tho Immediate command of well
known civil engineer of New York, Colo
mel T. Il. Villllon. His gunners are
Charles Rockwell of New York, w. Gray
Lee, John Drew, J. G. Saute, G. +. Weiss
and party Of Russian artillerymen. The
gun which is with General Garcia's force
has made no record yet. 1t is expected to
be heard from very soon.
Captain Howell p. Elwell is the design
er Of tho pneumatic dynamite gun. 1t
wns tested at Glen Cove, n. Y, April 10,
before tho board Of ordnance and fortiflca-
tions of the United States army and repre-
sentatlyes of tho navy department. and
General Nelson A. Miles, all of whom con-
sidercd tho gun a success.
Tho now gun and carriage do not weigh
much over 1000 pounds. The gun has
little or no rccoil, because, as the force duo
TO tho discharge is completely absorbed
within itself, the strain on the bnse can
amount to nothing. New York Journal