Mower County transcript., 1898-01-26

TESTING THE SPEED OF PRoJECT1LE Ar
SANDY HOOK.
have been laboring to do away with
the theoretical range and obtain for
themselves positive knowledge Of Just
what it was practical for the guns to
do.
When the test takes place, two open
frames are set $50 feet apart in front of
the gun. Wires are stretched back and
forth across these frames, making a
screen through which the shot must
pass. The wires in each screen form a
complete electric circuit, which in
cludes also an electric battery and an
electro magnet. The projectile, after
leaving the gun, flies through the wire
in the first screen, interrupting the cir
cult and releasing the armature of the
magnet. In space of time so small as
to be hardly conceivable the projectile
has covered the distance between the
two frames and pierced the wire in the
second, interrupting its electrical cur
rent and releasing the armature of it's
magnet as in the first case.
The interval between the drops of
these two armatures represents the time
spent by the projectile in travelling 100
feet. This time is indicated by the
chronograph in the laboratory near by.
Wires run from each screen to the lab
oratory, which is fitted up with bat
teries and switchboard. The armature
of the first electro magnet is an iron
rod about three feet long, which is sus-
pended vertically. This rod falls when
the first screen is pierced. The arma-
ture Of the second electro magnet is
placed little below the first, and when
it is released it acts as a knife, and,
striking the side of the falling rod,
makes slight mark.
The distance from this cut or mark
to the end Of the rod indicates the
distance through which the rod has
dropped while the projectile is passing
from one screen to another. This forms
the unit for the calculation of the pro-
jectile's velocity in feet per second
New explosives and high power guns
have increased the initial velocity of
projectiles wonderfully in the last few
years. Projectiles may be expelled now
with force that will make them effect
i've at range far beyond ordinary eye
sight.
Burglars and Matches.
''There is this to be said in favor OF
the sulphur MATCH" said the retired
burglar, "that it is noiseless when
struck, but its odor is decidedly against
it. More than once, when have struck
sulphur match in the hall, have
heard some light sleeper, when the
pungent fumes of the sulphur permeated
! the atmosphere, turn in bed in the ad-
! j2cent room. Istuck to sulphur match
. es for long time-naturally enough,
surpose-but finally came to use par
; 1or matches altogether. They are noisy,
but odorless, ard it may be possible tc
scratch them when teams are passing,
or when the wind is blowing, or there
; is some other noise abroad. At any rate.
/ came to prefer, from experience, the
::c;c,- c1c>.zss >zss 11,t.et,4, - .t,c .f1ent sut=
phur.
'Of course the ideal match for any
body in my business would be ore that
! should be both silent and odorless. 1t is
a wonder to me that nobody has invent
ed such match. 1t is greatly needed,
and should say that it would be com
paratively easy of invention. Now that
/ have retired, maybe l will devote my
self to the invention Of such match
and to do something to promote the in
terests of an arduCus and none too re
munerative calling. New York Srn,