The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
vILLAINOUS GUNCOTTON
THIS HIGH EXPLOSIVE ADOPTED FOR
THE ARMY AND NAVY.

| War Between China ana Japan Its De-
| structive Power - How 1t Ia Made.
Guncotton, one of the most power
ful destroyers known to man, has been
adopted by the United States as the
service high explosive for the great
guns of warships and seacoast de-
fences, as the tests Mt the Indian
Head aud Sandy Hook proving
grounds have demonstrated the entire
feasibility of firing from modern rifled
guns, with smokeless powder as the
propelling agent, steel shells carrying
heavy charges of guncotton. Among
all the measures taken for strengthen
ing the national defences, this is one
of the most important,
Armor-piercing proiectiles, heavily
charged with guncotton, would make
our fortified harbors safe from an at
tack by u hostile fleet. A single shell
from the great Watervliet gun to be
mounted on Romer Shoals would
carry such II weight of the powerful
explosive as to put out of action the
most heavily armored ship afoat.
Should portion of an attacking fleet
run through the fire of the long
range guns and come within range of
the mortar batteries, upon the decks
would fall tons Of guncotton incased
in deck piercing shells, which would
explode between decks with terrible
effect Armor plate would be crushed
like tin, guns dismounted, boilers ex-
ploded, and crews decimated by the
flying fragments of steel and the force
of the explosive.
Modern high explosives have never
been used in large quantities to charge
rifle shells in warfare, but secret ey-
periments in Europe have met with
such success that it is believed that
should there be another great Euro
pean war the combatants would all be
found supplied with high explosive
shells. Dynamite and guncotton were
used in torpedoes and submarine
mines in the war between Chill and
Peru, the Turco- Russian war of 1877,
the Franco Chinese war of 1884, the
Brazilian civil war, and the last war
in the East, but only in the conflict be-
tween China and Japan was any use
made of high explosive shells. Dur
ing the few hours of naval fighting
terrible destruction was wrought by
Japanese shells charged with small
quantities of cordite, the service
smokeless powder of England. Many
of the shells failed to explode and the
aim of the gunners was bad, but the
effect of high explosive shells, even
under these adverse conditions, was
terrific. In the action off Asan on
July 25, 1894, in which three Chinese
and four japanese warships were en-
gagged, the Isl Yuen, one of the
Chinese ships, received the heaviest
fire. An English officer went aboard
after the battle.
''The vessel presented the appear
ance of an old wreck" he said. "On
deck the sight was cruel and beggars
description. Woodwork, cordage, bits
of iron and dead bodies all lay in con-
fusion. Between decks matters were
as bad. The slaughter had been
awful, blood and human remains being
scattered over the decks and guns.
Three OF the five men working the
four-ton gun in the after turret were
blown to pieces by six-inch shell,
and fourth was shot down while at
tempting to leave the turret. The re-
naming gunner stuck TO his post and
managed to fire three rounds at the
Naniwa, and one shell entering her
engine room and another blowing her
fore bridge away, she hauled,off. The
Chinese admiral awarded to the plucky
gunner 1000 taels. One shell struck the
deck and, glancing, passed up through
the coming tower and exploded, blow
ing to pieces the gunner-lieutenant
and leaving his head hanging on one
Of the voice pipes. Huge fragments
of armor and backing had been torn
from their fastenings and carried in
board, crushing number of poor
wretches into shapeless masses, even
the upper part of the tunnels being
splashed with blood"
Guncotton shells for heavy guns
have been adopted by the United.
States as the result Of experiments ex-
tended over period of years. Long
ago the ordnance experts were con-
vinced that high explosive shells
could be used with entire safety, and
emmensite, q modern explosive of un-
certain action, was adopted for use in
the army. The service charge of em-
mensite for common 12-inch mortar
shells was fixed at seventeen pounds,
and for deck piercing shells at thirty
eight pounds. Three years ago the
army ordnance bureau announced
that experiments were in progress with
q view to adopting an armor-piercing
projectile and high-explosive shell.
Several American inventors have since
brought forward armor-piercing shells
meeting the government requirements.
The projectile factories are now work
ing under rush orders making shells
for the government. The armor-
piercers, deck piercers, and common
shells are all made with powder cham
bers, solid shot having been discarded.
No more emmensite will be made, and