The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-27

vines and other vegetation as If hewn
with knives. In five minutes the work
of year may be destroyed and ev-
cry bunch of grapes owned by the
vineyardist ruined.
The weather cannon have been more
or less in use for about two years in
Northern Italy, as we'll as in parts of
Spain and Southern France. The idea
originated in the French republic,
where wine makers near Marseilles
discovered that the rapid discharge
of a field piece tended to ward off hail
storms. The barrel is constructed of
sheet iron about one-fourth of an incn
in thickness at the top, the plates be-
ing closely riveted together. At the
bottom the thickness of the barrel, if
it can be called SUCH is about half an
inch. The barrel sets into a steel
framework, which contains the orific
for the cartridge. 1t is in the steel
framework that the force of the ex-
plosion occurs, the barrel being used
principally to form rings of gas and
smoke, which are forced up by the ex-
plosion to a height of a thousand feet,
if the wind currents are not too great.
The steel framework and barrel is set
upon a tripod of cast iron. In the low
er part of the framework is an opening
into which the cartridge can be push
ed by hand, working like a breech-
loading gun. The framework is really
a mortar and is opened by means of a
lever. After the cartridge is inserted,
the mortar is closed and fastened by
a set screw. Connected with the car
riage is a percussion cap placed over
an opening similar to the touch hole"
of an old-fashioned cannon. When it
is to be discharged the gunner sim
ply strikes the cap with a small ham
mer.
The load consists entirely of black
powder which is sold to the peasants
by the government. 1t is rammed into
a metal shell encased in paper, with
an opening so that the fire from the
percussion cap can communicate with
the charge. When the cannon is fired,
it forces the rings of gas and smoke
upward at a very rapid rate, also a
column of heated air. It is supposed
that their combined action, also the
conclusion Of the explosion, produces
the effect, but just in what manner
is yet to be determined. 1t has been
demonstrated. however. that If the
clouds are within 1000 feet of the
earth they can usually be prevented
from discahrging hail and consider
ably evaporated IL the explosions begin
as soon as they appoarch the vicini-
~.
Inc cannon vary IN night from IL feet
to 80 feet. the smaller ones taking a
charge of one-third OF pound of pow
der and the larger four pounds. The
mouth of the barrel ranges from 2h
feet In diameter 20 SiA feet in diame-
ter. or course the larger ones are
much more effective and are supposed
10 protect a wider area OF territory.
Some OF the cannon I'm use have pre-
vented hail from falling on a vineyard
fhlFAg ~ Vottg In
one-third In width. Other places in
the vicinity not thus protected were
ruined by the same storm. AZ times
they prevent any rainfall whatever.
but IN most cases what would be a
heavy downpOur Of water or Of hail is
changed into "A mist ~ fine rain
For people who are afraid of thun-
der and lightninE The Italian cannon
ought % be- d great boon, provided the
noise OF the discharge is not worse fhan
the rumble ~ the thunder and the
dash OF the lightning The results