The Washington herald., 1910-11-16
EXPLOSIVE GELATIN
{. HAS GREAT ENERGY
Continued from Page One.


gelatin were ignited against the monitor
In an unconfined condition. The purpose
of the experiment was 10 determine the
force OF a hish-power explosive ignited
in an unconhned condition against armor
plate.
The Puritan was anchored in the New
port News middle ground. near where the
Monitor and Merrimac fought their his
torical duel forty-eight years ago. She
was placed in about eighteen feet OF
water, so that salvage operations could
be performed easily. The first charge
was placed upon a small wooden Shelf
In the side Of the turret
Capt A. NJ knight. president of the
special ordnance board. who had charge
Of the test. had the duty Of punching
small hole In the explosive with
lead pencil to permit the introduction
Of the fuse. Electric wires were run for
ward TO a position on the berth deck,
where the firing switch was placed.
After completing all preparations, Capt
Knight went forward on the Puritan 10
set of the charge. Suddenly there was
thunderous report.
When the cloud OF yellow smoke lifted
from the Puritan. the damage 10 the tur-
ret was apparent to the spectators. VINO
We're about 900 yards away on the naval
tug Wahneta.
Proves More Damaging.
After a short inspection OF the damage
TO the turret. Capt Knight prepared a
second charge. which was placed on the
nrmor belt, Just above the water line
This charge was fred IN the same way
and was more damaging. and al the
same time more spectacular than the
| first. A sheet OF water WIS blown up
| into the air. The conclusion and noise
were terrific. Capt. Knight said that 1t
felt Ike an earthquake.
Immediately after the explosion the
Puritan began TO settle. She has a draft
or IS feet and she was anchored In only
/ 10 feet OF water She settled down TO
| the bottom rapidly and her quarter deck
was soon awash.
! One OF the most remarkable features Of
the test was the fact that the scat and
chickens in the turret were uninjured.
! They were placed inside the turret at Mr.
I Isham's request 20 determine the effect
OF the conclusion on live animals After
: the explosion a jackie was sent into the
turret 10 see how they had Jared. The
chickens did not seem TO mind 1t at all.
The cat. however. was not satisfied at
! being offered up as a sacrifice 10 naval
| science and was voicing his disapprOval
/ IN feline howls. The Grated chickens
were placed on the deck near the after
turret and within 20 feet OF the second
explosion. Their presence Ia so dan
gerous a place was apparently forgotten,
for they were not removed before the sec
ond charge was ignited Although within
about 80 feet Of the second explosion, they
were not hurt. The test was revelation
10 ordnance officers, for they did not ex-
| pect the explosion 10 develop such great
destructive energy.
Take Time for Repairing.
The department was so confident that
the Puritan would not be damaged that
Il had planned 10 turn the vessel over 10
the Maine militia shortly. II viii prob
ably be several months before she is re-
paired.
Mr., Isham was satisfied with the gen.
eral result Of the test, especially with the
water-line explosion. In the turret test,
Mr.. Isham said. the charge had not de-
veloped its fun force Capt. Knight and
other ordnance experts admitted that the
explosive developed far greater destrue-
tive energy than they expected. They
claimed, however. that the type OF L.
inch shell now used by the navy would
have developed greater explosive power
than Pinch shell OF Mr.. Ishams gel
attn.
When the Puritan is locked at the Nor
folk Navy Yard an exhaustive examina-
ton will be made TO determine the ex-
tent Of the damage. a special report
VIII be made 10 the Navy Department on
the test by the special board on naval
ordnance. which Is composed OF Capt.
Knight president: Lieut.. Commander r.
H Jackson, and Professor OF Mathe-
MATES Philip r. Alger.
a large party Of officers came from
Washington to witness the tests. Among
others were Rear Admiral n. E. Mason.
chief OF the Bureau Of Ordnance or the
Navy Department: Chief Cons'. ~ctor r
NJ. Watt, and Brig. Gen. Arthur Murray
chief of Coast Artillery.