The sun., 1898-06-26
Shells That Do the Work

Now that the thunder of the big gunE
on the American battleship kaA
awakened the echoes OF the Cuban halls,
it is interesting to know something ci
the projectiles which have been fired
from the American guns, aud sonpeGking.
Of their destructive power. A nunlbas
of the ships now in Cuban waters have
been equipped at League Island, and
Philadelphia firms have assisted ia ttxssr
Equipment.
A firm in this city has supplied the
Brooklyn and the Minneapolis with
shells. The Brooklyn has been taSpE
part in the bombardment of the fo1dafs-
cations, and was equipped to her full
capacity with explosive shells
The Brooklyn carries s eight-incil
breech-loading rifles y five-nch rapid.
fire guns, II six-pounders and 4 one
FOUNDERS
The projectiles used in the SIX and
eight-inch guns are all explosive shells
carrying dynamite.
Each fve-inch slreN carries twenty
pounds OF dynamite, while each eight
inch shell carries nearly fifty pounds.
The Brooklyn was equipped with ;M
ClSlU-inCu sllclls, anu V>o hsC-thSii Si"Ssin
The amount of explosives jn these ehetlk
therefore is the enormous quantity al
over %, 600 pounds of dynamite.
Notwithstanding the great distructiw'
force as represented by the shells, it it
entirely overshadowed blythe shells o5
the l2-inch guns of the Iowa. and The
l3-inch guns of the Indiana.
Each shell of the l3-inch guns on the
Indiana weighs 1850 pounds unloade6
and can carry l75 pounds OF dynamite.
When it is considered that the nlne
which so completely wrecked the Maine
is believed to have contained not over
400 pounds of dynamite. and probablF
not nearly so much, it can be readily
comprehended what destruction If
shell from l3.inch gan which the
American gunners can so accurately
place lust where it will do the mos5
good.
Naval authorities say that the receM
occurrences at the bombardmeiiG 'd
Matanzas bear out these statements. III
is noticed that, although the battleshipe
had no difficulty whatever in hitting
the forts, not one ofthe numerous shots
fired from the shore hit boat. NerE
much the same condition was encoun-
tered at the bombardment of AleXandrrs
by the British fleet in the early sos ln
that case the vessels were at anchor ID
smooth water and their targets wens,
good big ones. Although the range
was short the damage done by the forts
was insignificant.
Another thing which it is hoped will
be cleared up thoroughly is the exact
utility of the fast unarmored cruiser IN
battle. Theoretically it is intended 10
arm these boats with multitude Of
machine guns CARRYING small calibre bull
lets. The fire from these is to be directed
on every portfolio, coming tower slot or
aperture in the gun shields that can be
made out from the decks of the boat. IL
is believed that the fire from one of these
boats will be so searching and witherlng
that all the officers in the coming tower
will be killed and that the crews OF the'
guns will be so decimated that the ship
attacked by one of these modern spit,
fires will be put out Of action in five
minutes.
There are opponents to this theory
however, and they say that fast as an
unarmored cruiser may be able to go, q
modern shell can travel faster. They
cast doubt upon the ability OF the IN
armored cruiser to turn loose the hail
storm of lead with which she iscredited,
and declare that one shot from big gun
.on modern battleship will put the un
armored cruiser both cut Of action anf
out OF existence.