The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-16
NEN HIGH EXPLOSIVE
Uncle Sans Is Better Than
Lyddite or MeIanite.
POISONOUS GAS PRODUCED
Which Figured in the Pro-
CeedingS at the Hague.

Washington, July 1.-THE war depart
ment has recently concluded an exhaus-
tive series Of experiments at Sandy Hook
with high explosives and light field guns,
that promises to mark a material advance
in the artillery branch Of the service. The
experiments were under the board of ord
nance and Notifications, composed of both
line and STAFF officers and Of which the
major general commanding the army IS
chairman. The recommendations Of the
board are in shape to be presented to the
secretary Of war and If adopted will re-
suit in arming the troops In the Phil
ippines with the most advanced type of
light field guns In the world. The board
has decided on a type Of field gun which
can fire fifteen aimed shots per minute,
which can be operated by one man, and
which, with its full crew, can be taken to
pieces in thirteen seconds for loading on
1nule-back for transportation wherever
needed. 1t is OF three-inch calibre, and
can carry solid shot, shrapneIl or a
bursting charge of high explosive which
will kill by conclusion In a radius of 210
feet. The high explosive has been tested
either lyddite, the British, or melinite, the
French, high explosives.
New York, July ia new and secret
explosive Of terrible death-dealing prop
critics has, it is reported, been evolved by
The expert chemists of the United States
navy department The new explosive, is
Eaid to resemble closely the deadly mel
Unite of the French service, but from
what can Pc learned the poisonous effects
o fthe gases of the American ingredient
exceeds anything ever cinceived hereto
fore by man. Those who are understood
10 be in the secret of the new chemical
express the opinion that shell containing
a charge Of the stuff If burst on the gum
deck OF a warship, would kill by as
phyxiation every living being within a
radius of fifty feet Of the explosion. This
would mean, in other words, that two
shells Of the S-inch type, say, If. properly
landed on the fighting deck Of an ordinary
sized warship, would clean out every sea-
bnan in that part Of the ship. Two, such
shells would equal in man-killlng powers
che fire of broadsides.
At Santiago an S-inch shell burst IN the
FORWARD part of the gun-deck Of the In
saDta Maria Teresa and disabled the bet
der part OF three guns crews Had the
same shell been loaded, it is said, with
she ne wexplosive, it would have caused
uearly three times the destruction that
was actually wrought. During the past
week at The Hague the proposition came
ZIP before the disarmament commission to
tnterdict in future wars the use Of shells
containing explosives OF a poisonous char
meter. 1t was essential to an agreement
on this point that the vote recorded
should be unanimous. This was the I'M
herstanding before the vote was taken.
when the ballot was counted there was
found q solitary veto on the proposition.
nhe cables announce that the one vote
hgainst the measure was cast by Captain
~ T. Mahan, the American representa-
hive.
Captain Mahan Is a gentleman Of WELL
known humane proclivities. He Is also an
nctive official in the vestry of Trinity
church, this city. It Is hardly conceiva-
ale that Captain Mahan personally
favored teh idea OF shells that would
dispose of an enemy in wholesale fashion,
Tor. IL reports are to be credited, he OPP
posed the use OF the English dum-dum
s,ullet of explosive quality. The inference
in fact the only conclusion possible, is
that Captain Nathan voted under fnstruc-
atoms from the naval authorities at
Washington and with a full knowledge
nhat in filing his veto he was retaining
TOR the use of the United States the
secret explosive above referred to.
No one in 4 positive position to know
will speak for publication concerning the
new chemical. but from what can he
learned, here and there, the new ingredi-
cnt Is understood TO resemble closely picrIc
acid in color and is supposed 10 be fused
picric acid mixed with gun cotton dis
solved in ether and compacted into gran
ules. II Is also intimated that gum
arabic and chlorate of potash are utilized
but on this latter point Eothing absolute
can be noted.
The all-important fact Is stated that the