Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-22
How Experiments Are Carried on
With Condemned Craft.
A FIRE WATER WORKS SPECTACLE
Each Torpedo Controls a Plot 200
Feet in Diameter.
SHOOTS UPW ARD 100.
Copyright. 1901. by E. n. DodsonJ

Written for The Evening Star by +. y. Dodson.
High explosives are today receiving great
attention from the ordnance department OF
the United States. which is conducting
series Of experiments at the Sandy Hook
proving grounds and at the torpedo sta
ticns at Newport and WilIets Point While
thorite and Iyddite, two of the most pow
erful destructive agents Yet discovered, are
largely used for the charging of shells and
other prri,ctiles. these explosives are not
used extensively for the charging of mines
and t0rpedrts.
Cld-fashiou,d dynamite still retains its
Trestig- and its uses. and among the latter
IS the making Of torpedoes and submarine
mines. Experiments with the latter are
frequently conducted at WilIets Point. n.
Y. con the Long Island sound. where the
government trains the soldiers in the MAX
iIg and proper placing Of submarine mines
During IN, war with Spain the narrow
strip Of water between Wi.letS Point and
Fort SCHUYLER, Du the opposite shore. was
little more than a submarine volcano,
which needed but tiny spark to create
such terrific uTheaVai as has not been
seen since the celebrated blowing up Of
the Hell GaJl rocks. The awful blowing up
Of the Maine and terrific destruction was
the work Of Il single mine. Picture to your
self twvnty-One such mines ingeniOuSly dis
tributed over an area Of several hundred
feet square that ii would be impossible
for a vessel to traverse that area without
being IN ;he zone Of total destruction. Yet
il was over these sIUmberlng volcanoes that
hundreds of crafts passed up and down
Long Island sound daily their way to
and from Boston and New York. The hap
py passengers on the palatial sound steam
ers, chatting gayly and enjoying the su-
Perb marine panorama opening up to their
view a they rounded Fort Schuyler little
knew that tiny spark was all that stood
between them and eternity. The touch OF
ones little finger to a key, and all would
have been over.
Mechanism Guarded.
The switchboard and all the mechanism
that controls the submarine field is jeal-
Ously guarded. and no one allowed to aD-
prOaCh il except the commanding officers
and the men detailed to that special duty.
In the army post at WiIlets Point there
are comparatively few of the soldiers who
have ever trOd the ramparts even so strict
are the rules against allowing any one TO
even approach the Notifications proper.
When an officer a private has business
to transact which will take him to the
rampdrts he has first to obtain a written
pass from the chief commanding officer be-
fore the WatChful SeutinelS Will allow him
To pass
Torpedo planting is part of the course Of
instruction given to the soldiers at WilletS
Point The mines are planted three in a
group, and twenty-oue to a field, the de
struCtive area Of each mine being caIcu-
lated To circular plot 2nO feet in diameter
The mines are SO placed that their areas
Of destruction partly overlap each other
The locating Of a vessel over any pdrtiC-
ular torpedo is not left 10 chance or guess
work, but Is determined with mathematical
certainty by means Of triangulation. Two
observers are stationed at widely different
points and there take observations of the
approaching vessel doomed 10 destruction.
No. 9-Ready, Fire,
An experiment was recently made with
a condemned schooner as the mark IN
tended for destruction. When the schooner
was turned adrift she was carried along
by the varying tides and eddies which
swirl tiercely at this point. Her progress
was carefully noted by the two observers
and promptly reported 10 the officer COM
mauding the firing station. The latter
waited until the two points Of observation
should coincide on some given point. 1t
might be at No. l. or No. !, or No. 9. Sud
denly one observer reported No. 0, the next
second came No. g. from the other OBJ
server. Quick as a flash issued the order
No. O. ready. fire. There was a duh roar
and a terrific upheaval as the mine ex-
ploded directly under the Inflated vessel,
and hurled skyward a mass of tangled
wreCkage and SplinterS.
Another interesting experiment was made
when portion of the bay to the east of
Wiilets Point was frozen over to a depth
Of foot more. hole was cut in the
ice and mine planted about five feet
from the opening on the bottom of the bay.
The hole filled in again with ice and
allowed to freeze over for several days. A
wire was then connected TO a battery on
shore and the charge set off. The effect of
the explosion was very beautiful, hurting
great masses OF sparkling ice that flashed
in the air Ike a million crystals over which
the spray descended in rainbow showers
Other experiments are made to determine
the force OF various torpedOes placed in
varying depths of water. These latter ex-
Ieriments are always a fine spectacle as
the explosions force immense columns of
water into the air TO a great height. There
comes a rumble and roar and the water
shoots up suddenly to height of eight or
ten feet in a great mass. Then ii rises ma
Jesucally like a splendid fountain until 1t
reaches the full height of it's meteoric disc.
perhaps some 100 feet. An instant of pause,
and ii sinks out of sight.
Mountain of Foam.
Shortly after the close of the Spanish
American war, when IL was reasonably
certain that there would be no immediate
need OF the submarine batteries of Will
lets Point. a sort Of carnival of fire-water-
works was arranged. In some way the