The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-09

no parapet about it, is naturally the
first o0Ject to attract the eye of the
visitor. but it does not represent any
greater triumph of mechanical art
than does the machinery that stands
in the building fifty feet to its rear.
In that building are the two COM
pressors that reduce air to a pressure
of 1900 pounds to a square inch, at
which enormous energy it is stored in
tier of tanks in the building and un-
der the gun, with which connection is
afforded.
Massive pieces of machinery are the
compressors. operated by steam Sc
cured from the boilers of the adjoining
room. -Four cylinders stand one upon
another, and about them flow streams
of cold water to cool the air that is
packed to density that sets its parti-
cles in such violent friction as to Gre
ate intense heat. Were it not for the
water the compressors would be con-
sumed BIZ the heat of the compressed
air
From the compressors run connect
ing rods to the storage tanks, con-
structed Of the strongest steel. These
tanks have a capacity that with that
of the chambers beneath the gun. adj
init OF twenty average shots being
fired without the compressors being set
in motion. With the compressors in
operation. however, there is practically
nc limit to the number of shots that
can be fired.
Besides the compressors there is 9TH
er machinery. including an electrical
motor. Electric power is employed in
the manipulation of the gun. which is
moved rapidly and with ease by one
man. who controls the current that
eleVates or depresses or traverses the
gun, revolving il upon its runway.
of hundred feet in another direc-
ton from the gun is the magazine,
wherein are stored the projectiles.
These are filled with deadly nitro
gelatin, the most powerful explosive
known in chemistry. There men work
with little thought and no fear of al
explosion. With more than 1000
pounds of the explosive under their
noses. enough to have blown that i'm
mediate portion of Hilton Head into
tho sea. they pursued their work OF
fina' preparation, getting everything
in readiness for the test which was 10
bring an end to their labors upon the
gun. They knew that nitro gelatin
while the most powerful, was really
the safest of all the dynamite compost
tons. being unlikely TO explode
through any other agency than fire.
Preparations for the Test.
On Friday the people connect
ed with the contractors sta
ton were busy as bees. The
final preparations for the test were
on. President r. S. Darling of the
company who had been at the station
for some time. was observing opera
tions. which proceeded under the per-
sonal superintendent of Mr.. Frank
Creelman, one of the foremost mechan-
zeal engineers of the country, and, in
cidentally. a brother of AJames Creel-
man. the well-known writer. Mr. Rob-
ert Gunlach, superintendent OF con-
struction, saw TO the delicate work. and
Mr.. c. A. Leander. assistant inspector
OF ordnance for the government looked
10 the loading Of the projectiles.
President Darling left on Friday at
midday for Port Royal where he met
Maj. Ira MacNutt and Lieut.. Leigh
Sypher the testing board. Maj. Mac
Mutt Is Of the ordnance department,
stationed at New York, and Lieut..
Spyher is connected with the artillery
post at Sullivan's Island Charleston.
He acted as range officer, directing the
enlisted men who stood at the stations
on shore to observe the fall and the
explosions Of the torpedoes. officers
from the post at Fort Fremont, near
Port Royal, also accompanied the par
~ ana were interested spectators OF
the test.
on the arrival Of the party at If
o'clock Saturday morning the test was
commenced. In Mr.. Creelman's hands
We're placed the requirements Of the
government, which were 20 be met by
Dy the gun before ~ could be accepted
THESE called FIRST for satisfactory de-
nnonstration Of facility in handling the
great piece MT Creelman went to the