The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-05-27

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II " NJ Il
SsslEgE S ment, and will be
Sge&9EAS1k@D submitted to tests
tMSH to decide as to its
IA ultimate adoption
CA#s r by Uncle Sam
@epO for the protec-
ton of his own
towns and the destruction of the ships
Of the enemy. The new engine OF war
is a submarine shell intended to be
fired in an entirely new way. The in
yentor of this shell, DIR. r. B. John
stone, says that by means of it the
smallest tug boat may be cheaply con-
verted into a vessel Of destruction be-
fore which no foes fleet could stand.
The doctor is scientific man and has
brought out this invention as a result
of experiments in explosives. His in
@tention is to make the government "a
present of his drawings and invention,
leaving it entirely with congress
whether or not his services be recog-s
nized by any compensation. He will
not sell to any foreign government,
but will offer it for nothing to Cuba
in her war with Spain. The tombstone
shell is different from all others mas
much as it explodes not simply by
conclusion, but is fitted with car
fridge containing a chemical which
goes off on touching water. This
point makes it of infinite and unique
value. All other torpedoes are con-
structed so that by means of a cap at
the end, the explosion takes place.
when the point strikes hard sub.
| stance, but should the shell fall short
| of it's mark, even by half foot, it will
sink useless into the water and hum
dreds of dollars be wasted With the
tombstone torpedo this difficulty is
obviated and the shell explodes not
only on striking a ship, but will be
fired just. as efficaciously by simply
falling into the water. Should it
glance off from the armor Of ship,
or be dropped within a few feet of the
boat, it will explode the moment the
culiar cartridge and the hundreds Of
pounds of dynamite it carries will blow:
| to atoms any ship af1oat in the world
to-day. All modern men-of-war, while
heavily armored above the water line,
have only few sheets of the plate be-
low, hence the most vulnerable point
is that below the edge of the water
A shell exploding there has not only
but few inches of armor to penetrate,
but, being unable to displace the huge
bulk of the water, it expends its
strength in uplifting the ship, at which
point it finds the least resistance But
the trouble in firing below the line is
the DETECTION of the shell. With the
Whitehead torpedoes now in use a
shell is run out by means of machin-
cry, gets under the ship and is ex-
ploded by an electric wire from the
home boat or percussion cap on its
head. But nets now protect vessels
l from this form of attack. Besides this
torpedo is of great cost. When one is
wasted, lying in the bottom of the sea
But it is impossible for the Johnstont
torpedo to become useless, for if i
Ifalls anywhere within several hundred
u yards Of boat the effects of the explo
sion will reach the vessel. In an &C
curate aim be taken and the she'll hi
just a few inches from the ship tn
cartridge can be so timed that it viii
explode at any depth desired, whethe
!, it be one inch or fifteen feet below tn
water line. While the cost Of the pres
ent style of torpedo is very great tn
tombstone can be made at small eY
pense and they can be fashioned q
glass, iron or cast stell, and cast int
any shape desired. They are intende
> tiny tug, fitted up with a cargo Z
! these shells could exterminate tn
. fleets Of the world. The peculiar chem
ical which possesses the property {
\ exploding on touching water is place
!. it is ready to be fired, but at othe
times is kept in another part of til
r vessel, so there is no danger to til
d seaman who is handling the shell. Th
shell is. also intended to be used t
drop from balloon elevated above til
ships Of the enemy. There is no nee
s Of gun, for the simple fact of lettin
il fall into the water at the side of tt
a foes vessel will set it off with I'll
1 same violent explosion caused in 9th,
+ torpedoes by striking the armor of IL
s ship with great force. In case of Il
landing of marine from foreign We
d sci few forts along the mouth Of ii
= harbor would amply protect count
Le from invasion and small shells in Il
= hands of the inhabitants could be ca
r. so as to make it impossible for al
foreigner to get ashore in the boat
Small towers placed at the entrance
ID our rivers and at such places as San,
lie Hook and the Golden Gate would ke
r out the navies Of England il provid
l. only with a long-range pneumatic g
st and a bountiful supply Of these watt
in exploding shells. The capital OF Il
u nation is now supposed to be So
from any invasion Of the enemy fro
the fact that torpedoes have be
sunken in the bottom Of the Potion
- river, and these can be exploded
: ~ alecfricity at the annrnach Of an .