The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-09

I mouth of the piece, before the main
| valve closes.
Fired Thirteen Shells.
Fired from the gun were one 10-inch.
five S-inch, two 6-inch and five dunn
my shells. In the 10-inch shell there
was 200 pounds of nitro gelatin; in
the S-inch. 100 pounds, and in the 6-inch
so pounds. The dummies contained
only sand. but We're so constructed as
to weigh 11S5 pounds, the same as the
loaded full-caliber projectile. The
range of the gun with a full-caliber
shell is $500 yards: with a 10-inch
shell, 4,200 yards: with an S-inch, 5,100
yards and with 6-inch, $500 yards
The power of nitro gelatin may be
understood when it is known that Gen.
Abbott of the United States army, re-
tired, found. by experiments that the
explosion of 500 pounds of the mate
rial under water would exert pres
sure within radius of As feet of $500
pounds to the square inch, enough to
crush in the sides of a ship.
Mr.. Creelman. at the gunner's posi-
ton. depressed the piece to the angle
for loading. The crew ran a 6-inch tor
pedo out on a truck, and it was loaded
into the breech. Lieut.. Sypher gave
the signal to the men at his stations
be fired. Mr.. Creelman waved his arm
as a signal that he was to fire, pulled
the lever, which opened the valve, ad-
hitting the air behind the projectile
and launching it into space.
started with a Hiss.
With the hiss of the entrance of
the air, the sharp report of the dis
charge, the smoky-looking frost caus-
ed by the rapid expansion of the re-
leased air. the projectile started its
fight. The eye caught it soon after
il left the gun, observing the fall from
1t of the gas check at the rear and
the blocks at the front, which were
used to give the sub caliber projectile,
for firing purposes, the full calibre.
Some hundreds of feet the blocks SEEM
ed to go before falling into the water,
being released by the action of the
air upon them. The gas check fell
sooner the screws holding it being
broken by the force of the discharge.
Some 5000 feet into the air. from
the elevation of 35 degrees, the torpe-
do was fired. Spectators could see all
or a portion of its flight according to
whether they were removed some dis
lance TO either side of the gun or were
near it, About ten seconds were re-
quired for a shot of the average size
to find its mark, and the eye was thus
enabled to follow it's flight. No ves-
sci. however. could escape through see
ing the torpedo in fight.
Far out TO sea the shot fell. The
cap had been arranged TO explode the
torpedo upon impact which it did.
sending a column of water high into
the air and killing any fish there may
have been within wide area.
The next was also a 6-inch torpedo.
n. Co.. g,lA
quarter 90 a second after contact. II
was seen when IL struck the water s.
800 feet from the muzzle of the gun.
but no explosion was noted. 1t was
thought that, for some reason, the
torpedo had not exploded.
1O-inch shell Failed.
The heaviest Of the loaded torpedoes,
the 10-inch was then fired, it's cap be-
ing set for one seconds delay after
striking. II struck in 81 fathoms OF
water, hut. II II exploded, no evidence
thereof could be gained from the sta
lions on shore.
Then the five eight-inch shells were
fired, the first for explosion after half
a seconds delay, which caused an
Eruption that was visible from the
great distance. The second was to
explode on impact. which IL did send
ing a column Of water hundreds OF
feet into the air. The third exploded
after une-quarter OF "A seconds delay
and the fourth after one-half a sec
ond. hut ~ could not be told whether
the last exploded as II was set for q
seconds delay. These shots were 10
ascertain accuracy, which, II is
thought was good
GcouunOed % Third PAgsl