Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-07-23
ACCIDENT NOT LIKE
ANY OTHER ON RECORD
,Artilleryman Probably Chung to Ian
yard as Great Gun Was Rising to Fir
ing Position. and Safety Mechanism
Was Not Proof Against Such an
Unusual Jerk.

WASHINGTON. II. u. July <@-lo
the failure of safety mechanism TO
operate when a sudden and powerful
pull was given by an artilieryman
ir attaching the lanyard is now laid
the responsibility for the accident
which cost the lives of eleven men at
Fort Monroe, Va, during the battle
practice yesterday. Such Is the con-
Clusion of General Crozier, chi9f OF
ordinance. United States army, who
attended the practice and who has
been in touch with the inquiry made
ty the investigating board.
Never before in the history OF the
army had the device failed to work.
The possibility of it's occurrence was
demonstrated, however, by General
Crozier. himself. shortly after the ac-
cident, by test made of all the guns
which participated i'm the practice.
In another gun in the Inflated De
Russey battery the device was found
defective when General Crozir APP
deemed necessary In tests and cxami-
nations.
Will Improve Device.
Just before tine accident the gun
was -9onouzced by officers to be in
proper condition, and in April a coas;
artillery officer, on inspection duty. re-
Iorted that its premature explosion
was beyond the range Of possibility.
Steps will be taken at once to i'm
prove the device.
1.-THE firing mechanism Is somewhat
delicate" said General Crozier, in dis
cassing the accident. because OF the
lack of sufficient space for the utiliza-
ton of larger and more robust parts.
hut /; is supposed TO be sufficient 10
Withstand all reasonable usage. The
operations OF loading and firing are
conducted with extreme fapidity, in
the praise-worthy effort to make d
good time record. and It is neces-
sEry consequence that the motions are
made with great force and violence.
Gun in Motion When Fired.
In this case il appears that the
gun started to rise TO the firing posi-
ton before the breech block was
rushed home preparatory to rotating
and locking II. and before the lanyard
was hooked. so that the men whose
duty it was to hook on the lanyard,
had to do it while the gun was IN
motion.
Testimony IL to the effect that he
Rad some difficulty In hooking. max
ing several passes in his attempt TO
do so. and that he finally succeeded
n getting II hooked just as the gun
Was PASSING out OF his reach, when
TIE explosion Immediately took place.
u Is presumed that he inadvertently
ciung to the lanyard and save the
sudden pull. which. in the case OF
The neighboring gun with which 1t was
.ried later. proved to be sufficient 10
defeat the safety object OF the
mechanism.
This particular model Of firing
mechanism has been used for several
years: in drill and at target practice
Il has been operated thousands OF
times and by hundreds of men under
he supervision Of dozens Of officers.
bui no Instances OF failure have been
reported. II seems likely that con
iinued use and cleaning of the
mechanism Of gun No. had so worn
mo rounded some OF the parts a. TO
permit is failure under the violent
IuIl which was probably given H.
Previous Tests Made.
"Alf the nsrhanisms were tested
Tor safety shortly before the firing
ccmncaced. and all apparently were
IN proper condition.
1T j. probable that in testing the
officers subjected .hcw only 70
stresses which they considered such
as they would b. reasonably likely
10 meet. but which we're less than
The violent ruH which Il is supposed
caused the acciuent and n which. in
IN effort 20 reproduce q. the mechsu-
ism Of ttc other guns were after
wards subjected.
OF course II Is entirely possible
&c 80 change the mechanism as to
prevent the particular accident which
occurred