Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-15
TESTS START LEAKS
Monitor Puritan, Sinking, Hur-
ried to Navy Yard.
DAMAGED BY EXPLOSIVES
Cat and Chickens Survive Ordeal in
Turret.

In an experiment to test the effect of an
unconfned explosion Of high explosive
nitroglycerin the monitor Puritan was
badly damaged In Hampton roads today
after two charges of 200 pounds each
had been exploded against her after tur-
ret and side.
In a sinking condition the vessel was
rushed to the Norfolk navy yard
Explosion Starts Leaks.
In the first test the armor of the aft
turret was badly cracked. In the sec
ond explosion. which was against the sid 2
of the ship aft, the armor plate was
badly stove, and bad leaks developed be-
low the water line. flooding at least one
big compartment Ct the ship.
The rear end of the monitor, which was
anchored In water only one foot deeper
than her draft, Immediately sank. Wa. er
began pouring over her after-deck from
the Hooded compartment below.
Rush orders were sent to the Norfolk
navy yard to have the monitor taken
there and placed in dry dock.
Capt. Austin NJ. knight, president of the
special board of naval ordnance, from the
the two explosions. electric wires running
to the big cylindrical nitroglycerin gela,
tine charges. The first explosion was SCI
of at $3.50 am.
Cat and Chickens Survive.
On board the Puritan with Capt knight
were several sailors. In this test a cat
and two chickens were placed In turret
at points where gunners would stand.
The conclusion from the shock outside
acted largely outward The cat and chick
ems were found alive after the terrific ex-
plcsion.
high explosive. Willard p. Isham. in
ventor of the explosive, was on the mon
itor Tallahassee, which was anchored
nearby. Rear Admiral N. E. Mason,
chief of the bureau of ordnance of the
navy: Chief Constructor r. NJ. Watt OF
the navy; Brig. Gen. Arthur Murray,
chief Of the coast art llery; Mai. Edward
p. O'Hern of the ordnance department OF
the army, and several powder experts
were present.
Inventor Isham claimed that high ex-
plosives with great outside conclusion IL
more dangerous than INSIDE explosives.
Capt. Knight. Rear Admiral Mason and
some others who witnessed the expert
ment acknowledged that much more da n
age was done than they had anticipated
Capt. knight said the second explosion
was very severe.
Pumps Set at Work.
Immediately after the second test the
pumps Of the Tallahassee and a tug were
put to work pumping out the Puri an.
After each test the army and navy off,
GERS who were on the Tallahassee. the
mine planter s. NJ. Mills and tug. went
aboard the Puritan.
Immed ately after the second test
Capt. Knight, who had been designated
for the work, turned over the command
Of the monitor to Lieut. Murdoch, aide
to Admiral Marshall, cOmmandant OF
| the Norfolk navy yard.
AS each explosion occurred a great
cloud Of smoke and flames shot out.
The second explosion seemed almost
| like a small earthquake.
The explosive was confined simply In
thin sheet iron covering. Into this
dangerous substance Capt. I'm ght had
TO place his wires.
The explosion alongside the ship bent
| the armorplates and burst holes In the
hull below the water line.