Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-01-02
ROCKETS IN WARFARE
They Were In Use Centuries Be-
fore Cannon Were Known.
FIRE TUBES OF THE GREEKS.
At the Siege of constantinople, In ofs'
the Arab Fleet Was Destroyed by
Them-Modern Rockets Have USE
full Side and Solve Many Problems.

warfare centuries before the nrst can
non was made and fired. At the siege
of Constantinople, A. D. 673, the
Greeks discharged fire through tubes
and so destroyed the hostile Arab feet.
In a weird old manuscript now IN
Paris called the "Liber Ignium," or
.'Book of Fire." which was penned long
previous to the Norman conquest, Is
description of how to compound pound
ed sulphur, saltpeter and charcoal OF
willow, pack the mixture In long
narrow case and discharge it upon the
enemy-nothing more or less than
war rocket, so it is curious, indeed,
! that it was not until October, 1906, that
war rockets were first used by British
forces.
This was in the attack on Boulogne by
Commodore Owen. Terrific missiles
were Commodore Owens rockets. They
were made of sheet iron, each weighed
thirty-two pounds, and their range was
mile and half.
The success of a rocket troop at the
battle Of Leipsic led to the formation
Of rocket corps in our army in the
year 1914. These men carried twelve
pound rockets, which could be laid on
the ground and fired. They would then
run along the ground, rising and fall
ing, for at least 1000 yards, and even
at that distance pierce a six foot wall
of turf, exploding on the far side and
scattering shower of bullets in every
direction.
The Cougreve rocket was wonder
full invention. In this so called Eight
ball' detached itself from the rocket at
it's highest point Of fight and, by
means of small parachute, remained
suspended in the air.
Fired at night over besieged town
or an enemy's camp, it gave light
enough to observe all their movements
and dispositions. A modification of the
Congreve rocket carried a floating
carcass" a mass of chemicals which
took fire on touching anything and
burned with a fame almost impossible
to extinguish.
The modern light rocket is largely
used both in peace and war. Its head
Is filled with magnesium fire, which is
automatically ignited at the highest
point of fight and throws a fierce
glare over wide tract of country.
Then there is the alarm or detonat-
ing rocket. which carries in it's head a
fog signal just like those used by light
houses in time of fog. Coast guards
men are always supplied with both
alarm and light rockets, which are
kept carefully wrapped in tarpaulin so
as to be ready in all weathers.
Signal rockets are also kept in all
coast guard stations and in seagoing
ships. The signal rocket carries a cou-
pie of dozen colored stars-red, green,
blue or white. The cases are painted
the color which the rockets will show
in burning.
It is extraordinary the distance at
which light rockets can be seen. In a
recent experiment rocket was seen
at two places nearly eighty miles
apart.
The most useful of all fireworks is,
Of course, the life saving rocket. All
our coast guards are regularly drilled
| in the use of these inventions The
life saving rocket is a twelve FOUNDER,
| and it's case is of STEEL Its stick is
nine feet in length. Its power is very
great. Without its line its range is
over a thousand yards Attached to
each rocket is line 1900 feet long.
The inventor of the life saving rock
ct was Colonel Boxer of the Royal ar
tillery, and the rocket Is made in two
parts, so arranged that when one is
| burnt out the other takes fire and car
ries the line onward. Once the line Is
across ship it is, of course, a simple
matter for the crew to haul aboard the
hawser with the breeches buoy and q
board which contains in three lam
guages directions for use.
Buoyant rockets are to be found in
all lighthouses which stand on danger.
Gus rocks.
These are large, clumsy looking ar.
rangements coated with cork, yet
powerful enough to carry one and a
| quarter lncn rope to distance of loo
yards. Many lives have been saved by
means Of these queer rockets.
A form of rocket has been devised
for dropping oil on rough water. These
are used more in America than in the
United Kingdom. A few years ago q
wrecked vessel was saved off LONG
Island by dropping oil rockets around
her until the lifeboat could take Off he,
people.
| On the same principle is an inventor
for dropping liquefied carbonic aci6
gas upon fires. The idea of the in
ventor is that the heart of fire car
be reached more quickly and easily By
means of a rocket than in any othel
way.-Pearson's Weekly.
Sand and Lime Bricks,
| Rr}0Hc ~