The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-16
Test Of Ordnance Invented by
M. Gathmann Failed to Give the
Results That Had Been Claim
ed for 1t
ANOTHER TRIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED FOR TODAY
Torpedo Discharged From a Gun
Specially Constructed Failed to
Seriously Injure Armor Plate
Inventor Says Fuse Was I'M
perfect

Sandy Hook, N. j., Nov. 15.-The
failure of Inventor Claimants ord
nance invention in the test made here
today, is ascribed by him to an imper-
feet detonation of the fuse, in the In
terror of the shell. The army officers,
/ however, aver that they have found
convincing proof to the contrary, and
say that everything in connection with
the test was as perfect as 1t was posi-
BILE to make it in accordance with the
inventors ideas
The board has decided to give sec
ond trial, to which the inventor Is en-
titled, tomorrow morning. The second
Gathmann shell for tomorrow test
will be overhauled in the presence of
Mr. Gathmann, for the purpose OF
guarding against lmperfections. On
the other hand, the test made later In
the day with the regulation gun on the
duplicate target was complete sue
cess.
The Gathmann gun test took place at
2.15 o'clock this afternoon. When
everything was in readiness, Lieut..
Morton, of the ordnance department.
lBoI 'uol1nq oIIlo9II9 9ql p9ss9Id
from the gun was followed immedi-
ately by the explosion of the torpedo
ments of the shell flying in all direc-
tions. The plate, however, was found
injured except for a slight indenta-
| ton on the face of the metal. The
! position of the target was slightly
changed, but the change was not
material.
The gun used today was a specially
built piece of ordnance, six inches
larger In bore and several feet longer
20 In, has, - tt,C
bore and "A feet in length The pro-
jectile was a shell IS inches in dia-
meter and six feet in length, contain
ing a charge of 500 pounds Of wet gun
cotton, the whole, including the she'll,
weighing 1850 pounds. The contention
of the inventor was that with a charge
of 80 pounds Of powder. his shell or
| torpedo would disable any battleship
in existence at a distance of $500 yards.
The target used in today's test con-
sisted of a KruppIzed steel plate II
inches thick backed by five feet of
steel At the rear of the target was a
bank of sand eight feet high and so
| feet long. The gun was mounted upon
temporary structure five hundred
| feet from the target, which was locat-
ed several hundred yards below the
regular proving grounds, pointing out
| to sea in a southeast direction. The
PONutI tudTSe WAS Teuuted IN LnlS test
50 as to represent the distance of $500
yards.
The duplicate target for the regula-
ton twelve inch breech loading rifle
with a twelve-inch Midvale armor
piercing shell, loaded with the govern
ment high explosive "D' was tested
at 4 o'clock. The proJectle pierced the
l1-inch Kruppized plate. 1t made a
perfectly clean entrance and exploded
after passing through the plate, MAX
ing a most deplorable wreck Of the in
terror. A report Of the final result will
not be made until after the test to-
morrow.
Those present when the test was
made were Majors Knight, Birnie and
Whistler, representing the ordnance
department; Captains Hunter and
Martin, representing the board of ord
nance and Notifications; Lieutenants
Strauss and Davis, representing the
artillery; Capt. e. b. Babbitt. com
handing officer on the proving grounds
and Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler.