The Irish standard., 1898-06-25

of these shells explodes within so yards
OF modern man-of-war it will render
1t useless for fighting, for the detona-
tion will throw the bearings of it's en-
gines out of line, dslocate the shaft, or
jam the neatly fitted parts. Thus the
ship will become mere helpless tar
get"
Many leading artillerists in the army
are greatly in favor of the use of high
explosives, and in their official COM
munications to the war department have
advocated its more extensive USE The
only thing that has worried them is the
absence of a convenient as we'll as
fitting means of firing it. The great
dynamite guns at Fort Hancock and at
the Preside, San Francisco, are to a
certain extent regarded In the light OF
experiments.
John P Holland, inventor of the sub
marine boat which bears his name, was
enthusiastic over the favorable reports
received of the practical test of the
dynamite cruiser Vesuvius. He said:
Nov perhaps they may give the Vesu-
vius chance. There always has been
the strongest kind of prejudice against
| 1t in the navy, just as there is against
| my boat now. 1t never was given any
real sort OF test, and was utterly con-
demned by naval officers for no reason
| at all. 1t was only after the hardest
kind of fight that the government
could be induced to build it, and then
it was stepchild alfd was blamed with
everything. About four or five years
ago the board in Washington concluded
1t was useless and decided to tear out
the dynamite guns and turn the cruiser
into little gunboat.
| Fortunately, they had no money
available with which to dismantle and
reft 1t, and it lay around awaiting de-
struction until the war broke out and
there was such a demand for vessels of
all kinds that it had to be put into
commission. l hear that even after it's
arrival at Santiago it's commander had
to beg to be allowed to have a shot at
the Spaniards, and he was finally per-
mitted to fire just three shots, one from
each of the guns. The results seem to
have been remarkably successful. 7 be-
lieve the Vesuvius will create a revolu-
tion in naval warfare at least with re-
gard to vessels of it's size and kind"
Chief Engineer Albert r. Dixon, of the
naval auxiliary board, who is now in
this city examining yachts and tugs for
the coast defense feet, served for several
months on the Vesuvius
Most naval officers" said he, "haye
a prejudice against the Vesuvius at first
but after they have once served on the
craft they get to like it. 1 put in four
months on board. Our duty was de.
stroying derelicts. The loading device
is peculiar. A section of; the gun, in
GLIDING about 10 feet of the breech, slips
down on ball and socket joint and in.
to this the projcctile, containing zoo
pounds of gun cotton, is pushed. Then
the section is raised into position and
the gun is ready to - fred
"The range is obtained by range
finders, one on each end Of the ship, ant
the guns are aimed by pointing the yes
sci in the line of fire. The guns them
selves cannot be moved. The extrenl,
range is three or four miles, but the eff
fcctiye range is not more than one au:
one-half miles,"
Engineer Dixon has no doubt thu
Fcsuviu will give good account o
itself if it is called upon to open up tn,
channel at Santiago.