The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-08


cotton fires the explosive gelatin, whiah
expiodss the pro3eesile. This gelatin,
though very destructive. cannot be ignised
with heat below $40 degrees. This *
plains the presence of the several layers
OF explosives
Mr. Sims has offered 10 equip 3 hun-
dred or more f1gcoazs for the govern
ment with these guns and guarantees tnaf
with them the coast can be kept perfect
ly clear of foreign warships- They are
especially adapted for this sort OF work.
for the gun. besides being smokeiess. is
practically nosseIess, erni;s no fash. and
has no reeoiI. These points render II OF
peculiar advantage for use on tugs or 9TH
er small craft.
But the dynamite protector VIII be
used In other loca lions than on cur coast
fortifcaIions. ''The United States steam
er vesuvius, With Special Reference 70
Her Pneumatic Battery" IS The title OF ii
prize easily by Lieut.. Commander Seaton
Schroeder. U. 8 N, at one time in COM
mand OF that vessel. He admits that she
was designed simply to carry the guns
and to satisfy the popular and somewhat
errasic cry for great speed, and that the
latter object was attained at the sacri-
fee Of other features
A strong point in favor Of the pneumatic
gun is this: The torpedo strikes under
the portion of the hull above water, but
with the shell from the dynamite gun
any hit counts
The most advantageous position for
pneumatic gun vessel is held 10 be either
ahead or astern of the enemy, and while
II may De rarely possible for single ship
TO choose its position, vessels OF this class,
hunting in couples, which is the best tao
tics. should find little difficulty, by sep
r,@tr ..<gs. is
most favorable position for delivering Il
fatal blow from one or the other.
The United States government, recog-
nizing this fact and proposing to have
these death-dealing s.-onsters hunt in coi-
pies, has lately purchased from Brazil
the dynamite cruiser Nictheroy. Former
~ she was the American steamship E.
Cid. but when the provisional war fleet
fer Brazil was organized IN 1888 she was
rechristened the Nietheroy and it was
her dynamite gun which was relied upon
10 que.l the rebellion in the South Amer
lean republic. Her late arrival, however,
precluded the testing OF its value. This
Gun has a bore OF Is inches and throws
proiectiies carrying 80. loo. go and 500
pounds of nitro-glycerine, the range OF
fire varying accordins- to the weight The
officer commanding his gun is able to
swing ii around ana TO change the e,eva-
ton by means of electric machinery. The
dynamite guns on the vesuvius are fired
by the officer in the coming tower. be-
cause they are fixed in the hull and must
be controlled by the one who steers
On November 10. 1895, 1t was stated that
Old Glory came down forever from the
Nictheroy and the flag of Brazil. was
raised 10 the peak, but che Stars ana
Stripes float again from he main peak.
The Nictheroy is steel vessel. and her
one screw propels her a a rate of - knots
an hour. Her engines and boilers are
protected by coal, and her armament con-
sists of one Zaiinski f5-inch pneumatic
gun. one As-inch and two 3s-.nch rapid
firing guns. eight 6-pounders. ten 1-pound-
ers, and four Howell torpedo tubes The
efficiency or the pneumatic weapon, hurl-
ing colossal explosive missiles, Is beyond
question. The modern high power rife
will probably continue 10 be the foremost
implement Of war; but not nearly so much
damage Is done with IL at sea as one
would be apt 10 infer from proving ground
firings This is demonstrated in the COM
paratively sight injury done TO the Huas-
car in her gallant conflict with two
Chilean irnneIads AMI the disappointment
felt a. TIE inadequate results Of the bonn
baTdment of Sax, Tunis. By the French
feet in July, 1851, and OF the Alexandria
tEgyp), forts by the British fleets in
lss2
In battle the crew of the Fesuvius
would embark on their errand of deatn
with many chances against a safe return.
She carries an enormous supply Of dyna-
mite. and a hostile projectile correctly
aimed would explode this. leaving not "a
trace of yesse! or men. She Will either
hur. dreadful bat sudden death upon her
enemies or suffer annlhilation perhaps
BOTH Should rapid movement be made
against any port the Vesuvius will pre-
cede our fleet, exploding all the mines
and craft that she can reach. Her three
I5-inch guns will distribute explosive
shells LOO feet apart, the fuses being regu-
iatec so as 10 explode only after the bot
tom OF the channel has been touched. Ev-
cry hidden torpedo, mine or submarine
battery within fifty feet of each expio-
sion Will he destroyed and at each stimuli
taneous discharge OF the three guns there