Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-28
DEATH DEALING.
Wonderful Destructive Power OF Shell Invent.
ed by Portland Man for Cubans.

withstandins all the talk about nov
tangled weapons and death dealing de
vices the Cubans continue TO do their
most effective work for cuba libre with
the machete. Francisco w. Canales of
Portland. electrician and inventor tells
the Eastern Argus he thinks he has u
wonderfully destructive shell that Will
give the patriots great advantage over
the Spaniards. The Argus says:
Mr.. Canales is Il son of the late Mr.
Francisco Csnales of this city, a man
we'll known here for many years. lie
was a native of Spain. but from the first
took sides with Cuba in their struggles
for liberty. and died hoping for her sue
cess.
1t Is an eminently patriotic family. An
uncle OF the present MIR. canaes is q, a
Jose CanalcS of the Cuban army. one of
the fighting generals in the service of ~.
patriots. Within few months he has
been twice wounded and when his fricadS
in this city last heard from him WAS in
the hospital but hoping soon to he in
service. He was a planter and tobacco
grower before the war. but gave up ms
plantation. and saw his business ana Tor
tune wrecked in order that he might
strike a blow for cuba. He does not
write directly to his friends here letters
being Intercepted but TO other members
Of his family who in turn communicate
with his friends in Portland. The family
here has so far managed to keep pretty
well informed regarding the movements
of their distinguished kinsmam and are
very proud of him.
Some time ago Mr.. i. w. 9anales was
asked TO so to cuba as an expert electri-
clan. lie did not accept the offer, but at
the request of representatives of the re
public. continued the experiments began
by his father and at last succeeded in
pcrfecting what promises to he Il very
deadly thing for the Spanish forces to
encounter.
The new shell will be Il torpedo. four
feet ten inches long and twelve inches in
diameter. II will differ however in sew
eral very important particulars from the
regulation shell. For one thing it will
contain in the sections. cartridges en-
closed in gun cotton and dynamite. and
so arranged as to explode with the eX-
poisson OF the shell. The shell of the size
1900 cartridges.
Dropped down into the midst of say 4
regiment of the Spanish army, the shell
would itself do what mischief it could
and then the 1900 cartridges would start
Off on their mission of DEATH with Il re-
suit hard to describe. The regiment ca
pable of standing up against fire of a
battery, and Il fire of 1850 rifles. for that
is what it would amount to. in their
midst. would be hard to find.
Then Mr.. Canales has succeeded in
overcoming one very great difficulty. His
shell can be discharged from an ordinary
gun with the use of ordinary powder.
BY II system of springs of a peculiar
manufacture and of chemicals, he
cushions the recoil and sends his
shell out in pc. feet safety.
Then there is another charming pros
pect ahead for the Spanish forces and
one not exactly calculated to make the
service any more alluring than 1t is at
the present time to the ordinary soldier.
Soon after it was seen that Mr.. Can
ales had overcome the difficulties in his
way. and had invented perfect death
dealing shell. II WAS suggested on the