The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-11-16
SURPRISED FOR
THE EXPERTS
Two High Explosive Tests on
the Monitor Puritan Did
More Damage Than the Of
ficers Present Anticipated.

~ ORT MONROE, Va, Nov. I5.-High
= explosive tests the monitor
Puritan, anchored Ia Hampton
Roads. today damaged the vessel 80 Sc
riOusly thai ID was necessary 10 send "A
hurry caii 10 the Norfolk navy yard
a. have tugs seat up at once 90 tOW the
battered Warship 10 dry dock. The
tests were required by a provision in
the ordnance appropriation bill passed
by the last session of Congress
Two explosions were made each with
zoo pounds of nitro-giyeeriDe gelatine,
GncOnfined except 40 thin covering
Of sheet iron. In the first test the high
explosive was placed against tine side
of the nfter-turret OF the monitOrj In
she second against the side OF the YES
sci iust above the water line.
Naval officers and experts present
acknowledged that more damage was
done than they anticipated.
The first explosion cracked the side
plate OF the turret witch was eight
inches thick, and forced IL inward about
eight inches. A cat and two chickens
placed inside in the same positions
that the gunners and sighter would
occupy were not killed.
The second explosion bent in so badly
the ten-inch side plate OF the vessel
thereby opening a big hole below the
water line. that the rear end of the boat
sank 10 the bottom in less than two
minutes after the explosion.
AS the Puritan draws IS feet and
was in only - feet of water, she did
not disappear below the surface. But
III few minutes at least one OF the big
Watel which was pouring up from be-
low deck and over the stern.
Extent OF Damage Unknown.
Until the vessel is drydOcked il will
be impossible 10 determine the extent
OF the damage below the water line or
now much OF the lower part OF the yes
sci FTas Hooded 1t was not believed,
however, that the aFmor plate was
cracked, although II was bent and
stove in.
The water was pouring in. it was
Thought, through holes below the ar
NOR belt, which extended three and a
hair feet under water or through seams
caused by the tearing apart OF the
plates. Al the point where the second
test was made. the vessels plate was
10 Inches thick.
or the two explosions the second was
The more severe, the hydro glycertne
causing the monitor TO shake as if she
had been struck by a small earthquake
and II was even felt slightly by other
vessels lying 500 Yards away.
captain austin NJ. Knight, president
OF the special naval ordnance board
VINO remained on the Puritan TO dis
charge the explosive, said the shocks
were severe.
The New Explosive.
w nile II was not shown positively
that the new explosive, the Invention
az Willard : Isham. is more destrue-
tive than the present form which does
It's work from the inside rather than
from the outside. il was practically
acknowledged that serious cOnstdsra-
zion must be given II.
Most Of the navy and army officials
and powder experts who went down 10
witness the tests We're aboard the tug
Mahneta. Among them We're Rear Ad-
-uiraE Mason. chief of The huraau NJ
ordnance; Chief Constructor Watt OF
the navy Major Hern of the ordnance
department. and General Arthur Muir
ray ehiei OF the coast aftlllery.
As soon as the Puritan Is drydOcked
the special board on naval ordnance
composed of Captain Knight. president:
Lieutenant Commander Richard r.
Jackson, and Philip r. Alger. professor
of mathematics at Annapolis. win ex-
anime her injuries carefully and make
a report.