New-York tribune., 1901-11-19

duced charge OF smokeess powder at distance
representing four miles The service shell. with a
muzzle velocity OF 1906 feet second. struck the
target and shattered it 10 fragments.
Mr.. Gathna made the following statement yes
terday:
In view of the numerous reports as to results
at Sandy Hook. desire to make lew statemehts
the average reader than It must st nov nov sstr
in report 10 the Secretary OF war maze a'0e'
what it is proposed to accomplish by the Gath
mann system is in effect as r. int siGe Sy os an
afmored vessel By the impact above the wsterns
Of Gathann Rroeetiie upon stTising s ca tne gun gun
Grated will act in the direction OF the line OF nre
destroying the STRUCTURE Of the yssts over CON
addition the stress VIII be transmitted through
and ana open up g portion Of the Vessel
Three Shots have been fired from the Gathmann
gun The first was not effective. as VIII some
times p tsa there 6 eqs 4s n9 % Se
rectihed IN the others The second and third eia
driven back thirty-three inches at one end and
about foot at the 9ther The pa5es ib
sent TO ramming action.would open up a soe .,n
any ship afioat This is independent Of the *
Pred ns Of 1o 6s 4d1 e ssoass ss e Se0
is on land. / only claim what IS shown by the
M ees s from The op third 4o ooo shot sd &
still further than the second II now stands 70
M al t s left Of Its esh si
original position with the whole coferdam struc-
ture crushed and timber braces smashed. Either
OF these blows would have sunk any oattieshtp
since human agency could stop the incoming
dealing onset Of the gases from the detonation Of
four hundred pounds OF gun cotton. which would
have instantly killed every man on the ship who
not under cover. Tl.is result Is fulnllment
of my intention stated by the board The tar
gets were prepared by the chief OF naval con
struction, and were to represent the side OF the
latest type of battleship.
The results of the firing to-day with the service
rife also very remarkable, and from this date
ii is inevitable that high explosives will be the
shell filters OF the future and the solid shots Will
pass the oblivion of smooth bore guns. Either
result at Sandy Hook would have put any ship out
of action II remains compare the probabilities
and availability. Both do enough when they do It
as on the proving grounds. By mine, safety the
venture and defy any TO create A mishap to
the main charge of normally arranged she'll This
used by the Pinch rife My effective range is as
far as the object can be HIT and at any apprecable
had and that is not possible at great range. such
as, will prevail in all future conflicts.
In battle with high explosives as the destrrc-
tive agent. the Gathmann torpedo could DESTROY
at at long range before the enemy could reach ef-
fectiVe distance from which could be nene-
trated. l therefore have the inestimabe ADVANTAGE
OF perfect safety, coupled with more than double
expressed has long been that future wars will he
fought with weapons which cannot he replied to
object Of war to destroy the enemy with as HttIe
damage possible to yourself The long series of
tablished by overwhelming proof my contentious
Of unlimited efficiency at any possible range safetv
the same destruction possible with the other svs
tenn has been shown to-day but It lacks the essen
have laboriously and carefully demonstrated and
which no one else ever has. The high explosive
dent that in the ineTitabe ieorganzsfion f6n f6n
must must take place In an orr weapons OF offence and
from the careful ,onsideration Of the nri,a n
essential which my system alone possesses