The herald., 1897-02-07

Illustration, which Is a photograph Of a
target after experiments with shell,
charged with dynamite.
The target was of steel, three inches
thick, but the explosion of the projec-
tile was sufficient to turn back the
edges OF the holes into a jagged wreath.
The inventor of this new type Of pro-
jectile Is James X. Blackwell, a patent at
torney of Pittsburg, Pa.
There is nothing new in the shape of
the shell, Mr.. Bakewell states, but he is
now working on a different style from
that of the ordinary she'll in use at pres
ert.
An experimental test of the new pro-
1ectile was made few days ago, and on
this occasion the shells used were of
the usual type. Neither was there any
new feature in the gun employed, which
was an ordinary six-pound navy gun, or
eix-inch B. L. rifle, as it is more tech
nically termed. The tests were made at
the naval proving grounds at Indian
Head, Md, and were conducted by the
American Ordnance company of Wash
irgton, d. c. Six shots in all we're fired.
The first five were with the ordinary
siX-pound armor piercing shell. Four
of these were charged with frozen dy-
Mantle packed in the cavity of the shell.
The sixth shot was fired with only COM
mon shell charged with frozen dynamite.
The whole principle therefore rests upon
the freezing of the explosive.
The purpose OF the test, as the in
ventor stated, was to demonstrate that
the she'll could be safely fired from the
gun under the most rigid conditions, and
that they would penetrate the plate be-
fore exploding. MIR. Bakewell was 90
delighted with the success of the tests
that he is now arranging for further eX-
periments to determine the destructive
effect of dynamite against armor plate
and Notifications.
Besides the inventor, number of army
and naval experts were present at the
trial and the unanimous verdict was that
1t was eminently satisfactory in every
manner land Mr. Bakewell was heart
1ly congratulated at being able to so
thoroughly establish his theory at the
first practical test.
When the party gathered for the ex-
pertinent 1t was not without some mis-
givings, all being familiar with the
danger of handling dynamite under any
condition. The Hotchkiss six FOUNDER,
q rapid-flre gun, rested on a recoil
mount. The large three-inch steel tar
get was placed exactly 100 yards dis
tant from the firing piece. The cart
ridge used had been reduced, being
charged with only 700 grammes instead
Of the full service charge of $40 grammes
This test was to establish a standard
mon armor piercing steel shell was
used. 1t was loaded with powder sim
ply, and fused. AS the party felt as
sured they were working on perfectly
safe ground in this case, there was no
hesitating in pulling the trigger Of the
Hotchkiss.
The gunner's aim was excellent. The
shell pierced the target almost exactIv
in the center. The difference in effect
on the target between the powder shell,
and the frozen dynamite projectiles fol-
lowing was very marked as is shown
by the Illustration. The hole where the
ahell penetrated the steel is compare
lively clear and cleanly cut while the re-
mainder are considerably torn and turn
cd by the explosion. The initial yeloc-
ity OF the missile was measured at 1850
feet per second. When the party re-
paired to the target the point of the shell
was found to project fully three inches
beyond the rear surface of the plate
while the base was at least an inch from
the face Of the target The fuse had
blown out Of the shell.
The preparations for the second round
were gone about with more caution.
This was in reality the beginning of the
experiment as the frozen dynamite was
used. The gunner did not relish the idea
of standing too near the piece, so line
was attached to the trigger and he stood
some distance in the rear with the re-
mainder of the party to be safe from re-
coil or premature explosion.
All the firing conditions were precise
ly the same as those in the first round
except that the frozen dynamite was
substituted for the powder used in the
first she'll Exactly fifty-f1ve grammes
of dynamite were used. At the signal
the trigger was pulled. The shock Of the
firing was extremely severe. as the gun
Is what Is known as a very high power
one. The mass Of dynamite was so small,
however, that II could not be estimated