The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-11-28
IN AERIAL TORPEDO
TESTED IN THE EAST
THE SECOND TRIAL WAS NOT AS
SATISFACTORY As WAS
HOPED FOR.
esthmann Still Holds to the Belief
That II VIII Prove Successful
New T~eIve-Ineh Gun Also IN,
dergoes Test.

NEW YORK. Nov. 1.-THE Gath
mann aerial torpedo and the big is
inch gun were tried al the proving
grounds az Sandy Hook again today
Two shots were fired, and the heavy
charge Of vet guncotton with which
each she'll was loaded was detona-sd
The first torpedo fired did not dam
age the plate or backing TO any ex
tent The second was more success
ful, cracking the plate from top to
bottom and doing much damage to
the bracing. Each shell contained
500 pounds of wet guacotton, and 21s
pounds of powder were used 10 drive
them from the gun
The first shot was fired shortly be
fore noon. The shell was placed on
a carriage AID then inserted in the
big gun. The target was a mile
away. Captain (. B. Rabbit gave the
signal. and the gunners. who were sta
toned before q shelter a quarter OF
a mile of. fred the gun BY electricity.
4 puff Of white smoke was seen, and
two explosions in quick succession
followed. The last report was very
heavy. and the target was enveloped
in a cloud of thick smoke Il looked,
from the bomb proofs. about a mile
from the gun. as if the target had
been shattered. The spectators.
when they reached the target. wore
greatly surprised to see it standing,
uninjured, excpet for dent
where the shell struck. The plate
had been driven back about Is inches
and the backing displaced slightly
The full force of 500 pounds of wet
guncotton. instead OF wrecking the
target, was expended in the air.
Mr. Gathmann was greatly disap-
pointed at the result. He made a
careful examination of the gun, and.
after satisfying himself that it was in
good order. asked and received Per
mission to fire another shot. The
gun was then fired with 80 pounds of
powder, which gave the projectile a
muzzle velocity of 10000 foot-tons It
was directed to the left side of the
plate, and when the shell hit the cot
fer-dam was considerably damaged
and several bolts were knocked OF
and the end of the plate. which vas
struck, was shifted about a foot and
a half. The back of the plate was
also cracked. Mr.. Gathmann claims
partial victory.
The Herald viii say tomorrow.
las a result of today's experiments.
Mr.. Gathmann declares that, while his
shell has not done all he claims for
it. he still believes that it has shown
sufficient merit TO warrant further
trial. He says that if these shells
had been exploded against the side
of a battle-ship the racking effect
would have been sufficient TO put the
vessel out of action. The ordnance
experts who witnessed the tests diff
fer, and say that the result was nor
mai only. and that practically the
same effect would have been suffi-
cient to put the vessel out of action.
The ordnance experts who witnessed
the tests differ, and say that the re-
suit was normal only, and that prac
tically the same effect would have
been produced had the shell been
filled with sand instead of guncotton
To illustrate this belief, they will to-
morrow (Monday) fire a Gathman
shell filed with sand at the target
and not the effect upon the plate"