The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-10

Smokeless powder. charges Of any re-
CURED size may he employed for
throwing aerial torpedoes. and the
pressure in the gun regulated exactly
as may he desired. for the attainment
of the highest results. and without
any danger whatever OF over-straining
the gun. Furthermore. there are
number OF high explosives. as strong
as the most powerful dynamite. which
can be thrown from ordnance at any
required velocity with perfect safety.
/ have recently developed 4 new high
explosive called M0Nimite. which is
being tested by the Uni,cd States Gov
ernment with a view to it's adoption.
II is more powerful than anything
heretofore tried. while il is so iuSens-
tive to shock that IL may he not only
safely thrown from ordnance with
powder charges. hut armor-picrcing
shells filed with II may be fired
through armor plate. and the Maxim
lite will not explode until it has passed
through the plate \ single shell filed
with this material fired from one OF
our largest guns, and exploding inside
a battleship. would probably place her
hors de combat
The present twelve-inch sea-coast
rifle OF the United States army weigh,
ffty-two tons, and throws an armor.
piercing projectilc weighing one thou
sand pounds. This shell will carry
about seventy-fivc pounds of Maxim.
ite. torpedo gun. however. NAV be
made OF the same weight as the
twelve-inch gun, but with twice ms
large bore, which would he capable
of throwing projectiles carrying half
ton of MaNimite nj very high veloci-
~. This gun would be capable of
throwing a ton of Maximite 4 distance
of five miles. Such quantity of high
explosives, striking n battlcShip. would
not require to penetrate armor-platc i'm
order TO effect its destruction. and.
striking in the water anywhere with
in twenty-five 10 fifty feet OF a battle
ship, it would sink ii.
l predict that. in the future. large
torpedo guns capable of throwing
such quantities OF high explosives rs
TO render armor plate useless. will re.
place The heavier cannon now carried
on shipboard. l have also invented a
new compound called Motoritc, a ma
terial capable OF burning without at
mospheric oxygen. producing n very
hot flame. 1t is proposed TO burn this
material in n confined space. under
pressure, and utilize the heat of the
products of combustion. or flame. To
evaporate water, by directly mixing
the water with the flame No boiler
VIII be required. The products of
combustion, and the steam thus ger
Grated. Will be utilized for driving tur-
Dimes for the propulsion of torpedo
boats and automobile torpedoes. EN-
perimentS have already been conclud-
ed which demonstrate the perfect
practicability and utility of this inven-
ton.
a torpedo boat. such as that already
designed, would be adapted to travel
upon the surface OF the water in the
same manner rs the torpedo boats and
torpedo boat destroyers now in use. 1t
would be supplied with ordinary steam
boilers and steam engines. of sufficient
horse power for its propulsion Mt q
speed OF from ten to fifteen miles an
hour This speed would be great
enough FOR all ordinary purposes when
cruising about, and the engines and
boilers would not weigh more than
q quarter as much a those now en-
plOyed.
In place OF the extra weight of cn
Sines and boilers thus saved. / proposa
to carry quantity Of Motoritc. with
auxiliary engines and turbines. suni-
Client TO develop enough horse power TO
propel the boat through the water ut
the speed Of the fastest express train
say at the rate Of a mile a minute.
Enough Motorite could be carried TO
developc this speed for half an hour.
Means will be provided for rcgulat-
ing the combustion OF the Motorite. so
that only just such quantity as de.
sired may be burned in given period
1T IL intended that. before going into
action, this Motorite-drivcn torpedo
boat VIII assume sCm-submerged
position, leaving above water only its
Lookout tower and long. thin back
simply for totatiOn purposes.
ibis boat sighting, at a distance OF
ten miles. battleship going at the
high speed OF twenty miles an hour.
] ~ 'AHAN w SUN ulOu II at iNC
rate of forty miles an hour. and TO
oYertake it in fifteen minutes.
40 so little Of the torpedo boat
would show above the surface. and as
It's speed would be so great it would
be practically impossible for the bat.
tleshiD to hit it with any of it's larger
guns; and. az the lookout tower would
be armored. machine gun fire v ould
have no effect upon It. The torpedo
boat would rush upon the battleship.
launch two or three automobile tor.
pedocs. the latter also driven with
Motorite. and capable of travelling M
the rate Of mile minute. and. with.
in q few seconds. there would be but
q ripple Of the sea to mark the spo,
where the ocean lcyiathan plunged to
lhe bottom. with all her human
ireight-IIudson Maxim. i'm Success.
Good samaritans
In Franklin street a Iobo~r. .t,,,c