The Cairo bulletin., 1908-05-26
TO MAKE ATTACK
ON j. S. SHIP
EXTREME TEST WILL BE MADE
OF hRMOR PLATE ON NEW
MONITOR FLORIDA.
TORpEDOES TO Be USED
And Twelve-lnch Guns Will DC
Turned Unon Her-No Humans
Aboard-To Be Sunk On
Sand Bar.

New YORK, MAY +o.~~ hS u
monitor Florida will be attacked earl,
next week by great guns aud eKplod
ing torpedoes In Chesapeake bay. The
experiment will be the most sensa
tIonal ever attempted by the Amcri
can navy Distinguished naval otii
GERS win leave WASHINGTON on Mon
day to witness the daring expert
ment
Every effort Is to be made to pre-
vent newspaper correspondents from
learning how the monitor will be tor
pedoed and what effect two sh ts
from a t2-inch breechloading rifle Will
have upon the forward turret.
The experiments are planned to
get the practical information as tt
the effect of bombardment upon the
internal fittings aud other portions
of the ships structure. The Flor'd.
was picked because he Internal diva
sion bears a close relation To thu
framing and interior subdivisions o
the latest type of American bate
ships.
The experiments are to be undel
| the direction of two naval boards, thu
bureau of construction and repairs
and the bureau of ordnance.
The Torpedo Attack.
The Iowa Is twin sister OF th'
Florida and has been chosen to fir
the shots against the monitors tufra
and also at specially prepared stee
military mast that has been erecte
ON the after section of the ship.
1t is Thought that the attack o.
! the turret Will be made Tuesda,
probably In the morning, aud that TIL
hamnering Of the skeleton mast b
four.inch guns will be finished tn
same afternoon and that the torped
attack will be completed "Wednesday
For the torpedo attack IL is propose
to tow the Florida over sandbar 81
that she can be easily raised If sunk
The monitor has been preparin
for the experiment for eight weeks
and special armor has been place
around her sides at a point where tn
impact of the torpedoes will be made
| Whitehead torpcdoes are to b
used.
Experts Note Effect.
Every shot will be Photographic
and officially recorded by experts
They viii note whether the turrct
Jared off its roller path, whether TIL
gear electrical apparatus, fire contro
ammunition hoists and gun sights an
injured.
One torpedo will be fired at eac
side of the ship in a way to dc
termine the correctness of the ide
that filling the water compartment
affords protection.
So as not to destroy the turrct tn
plan is to use sixty pounds of q
plosive powder for each 12-inch sho
The range will be short one. an
because of the reduced quantity
the charge the shots viii be with
nominal low muzzle velocity
E No Humans Aboard.
There will be no human being
the turret when it Is fired at Nolu
teers from all over the country MAJ
application TO occupy the armorpla
+. chamber, but the navy departme
decided to take no risks. Some
the volunteers belong to the battl
shin fleet now i'm these waters. 4
,, idea entertained for some days
the navy department. to place IT.
:, sheep within the proposed targt
, also has been rejected on the groun'
! that If the animals lived they cou
not tell what occurred and that the
death would prove nothing.
Among those who are to view u
bomhardment are.
Admiral George Dewey. preside
of the board: Rear Admiral John
Pnisbury. chief of the bureau of ma
CATION. Rear Admiral George A. ca
I verse. chief constructor; Rear A
: mirals Washington l. Capps. Newt'
r. Mason. Wm. 5 Cowles and Rio
ardson Glover Capt Raymond
Is Rogers and Commanders VIM
Sims and Washington l. Chambers.
1t is not vet settled whether Pre-
dent Roosevelt will he present s.
10 eral members cf his cabinet are
a pected to be on hand.