Evening star., 1899-07-12
elimination at Sandy Hook of I'm
portant Ordnance Experiments.
TRIAL OF NEWLY DISCOVERED qHoRIqE
High Explosives 7 Throw" From ordi-
nary Service Guns.
TOWER AND RANGE FINDER

Offieers Of the ordnance department
United States army; conducted three sep
arate tests yesterday at the proving grounds
at Sandy Hook The tests consisted of the
throwing OF high explosives, the firing of a
new high explosive and the testing of a
steel tower and range finder. All were ac-
counted successful. The tests were the cul-
mination of experiments which have been
carried on for some time to determine
whether or not high explosives can be
thrown with safety from ordinary service
guns. The experiments of this nature were
conducted by the board of ordnance and
fortifcations, of which Gen. Miles is presi-
dent. In addition to Gen. Miles, the follow
ing members of the board were present
Gen. Royal T. Frank, Judge Cultivate.
Capt c. B. Wheeler of the ordnance de-
partment and Lieut.. l. N. Lewis
The tests to determine whether the Lewis
range finder is affected by the blasts of
guns fired near by were conducted by a
special board appointed by the War Depart
ment at the request Of the chief of engi-
neers. This board was made I'D of Col H.
e. Hasbrook, Col. j. P. Storey Capt H
L. Harris of the artillery, Capt. ]. C. Ayers
of the ordnance and Capt. Judson of the
engineer corps.
High Explosives Safely Thrown.
The first trial was that of the Isham sys-
tenn of throwing. This consisted In the
throwing of lib pounds Of explosive gelatin
from the ordinary service gun. The Isham
diaphragm steel shells were used The gun
was a twelve-inch of the service pattern
and the charge consisted of AS pounds of
brown powder. At first the gun was fired
out to sea. 1t was placed at low angle.
The shell struck the water three times,
proving to the o-Acers that in case the shell
struck the water before striking the mark
charge
charges of explosive gelatin were next nred
from SiIns-Dudiey powder pneumatic gun.
These charges were fired in safety and were
success, 1t was said.
Thorfte Fired Through Steel Plates.
The greatest interest. of the day, how
ever, was centered about the experiments
conducted with DR.. Tuttle's new explosive
thorite. The officers were reticent about
the result of the test. The inventor was
present and personally assisted in the fir
ing of the charges. The -thorite was thrown
both out to sea and through plate, and it
has been demonstrated that while the ef-
fects of the EXPLOSIVE are terrible, it can
be used from ordinary guns and fired
through steel plate without 1t exploding.
The thorite was PLACED in service shells
and was fired from an eigfft-inch gun.
The bursting charge varied, but when
the armor-piercing shells were used, the
charge consisted of about twelve or thir-
teen POUNDS OF explosive Ihe smells were
fired through -half-inch steel
and, while the plate was shattered, the
charge did not go off.
The board also conducted an experiment
in firing off a Vickers'' Sons and Maxim
howitzer. 1t was fired four times with
service charges.
The officers attachaSconsiderable import
ance to these tests, and say that never be-
fore have such charges of high explosives
been fired from service gtas.
Test of a Range Finder.
While these tests were going on the spe-
cial board was conducting experiments to
find out the reliability of the Lewis depres-;
sion range finder and locator. The MEN,
bers Of the board wanted to find out If the
instrument would be affected by the blast
of guns fired in the same locality The
tests were also to find out IL the range
finder could be used from the iron towers
at the Hook. etc The tower Is situated
about 100 yards from the battery of IL
inch guns. This battery was fired twice.
and, according to the officers present, the
finder was not affected.