The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-22
E. HI. DILLON & co.

with his bare hand burning material that threatened to ignite a second powdeUrcharge which was on it's way to its emplacement."
 The unusual heroism of these men relieved somewhat the deep oppres- sion today. AS a result of the catas- trophe, which is ascribed by ordnance experts to a defect in the safety de- vice of the firing mechanism design ed to prevent the discharge of the gun until it is raised above the parapet, an investigation of the con- dition of this device on all guns in the coast artillery Notifications prob ably will be made.
 In no other way can the accident be explained. 1t is impossible to tell was in proper, working condition. The firing mechanism was demolished by the explosion, the breech block was hurled 75 yards to the rear and the only men who could have told whether the device was working
 Tteact that this was the first load in the gun eliminates the possibility Of the explosion having been caused by a fragment of burning powder bag or hot gases still remaining in the chamber-the usual condition pre- Vall1ng in case of a flare back"
 After the accident, ordnance ex- perts of the army, who happened to be at the fortress, made a thorough investigation of the safety devices on all the other guns.
 In loading the big guns, time is so important a factor that frequently the gun is released and rises to an upright position for firing before the breech block has been turned, Be cause or this man IS stationed on the upper platform to turn and lock the ns;.ia 6reeeh h block aftG the gun is in
 A thorough examination of the conditions prevalent at the time of the accident is being made by the board which has been designated for that purpose. Every detail is being gone over thoroughly.
 The report probably will not he completed for a week It then will be forwarded to the War Depart ment. The fact that the explosion occurred as the gun was being load cd for the first shot, the officers say. dlsposes of the question of defective powder or improper swa bbing as the cause of the accident
 30 Tar as they know, there was nothing wrong with the loader and they believe the accident undoubted- iy was due to a defect in the me chanlsm of the safety device.
 Despite the accident in the Rat tery De Russy the guns of the other batteries fired their regular rounds yesterday and the entire practice. ex. cept the one battery, was over before the fact of the accident became gen. rally known.
 Of the two targets which were lowed at a range of 5000 yards. one was smashed to bits and the other was nit by number of shells. The army officers estimated that at leas 5O per cent. of the shots fired were hits" Had the targets been batt1e1 ships, which they were designed to represent, the vessels would have been battered to pieces by the heavy proJectiles and sunk before they ha d proceeded dozen yards.
 Washington, July 22-Most of tbe scorebf officers who were at Norfolk during the target firing arrived in Washington today and there was comment on the heroism displayed hv officers and men and the efficiencv of the student officers who directed the firing Tnich demolished the two big targets.
 Major General Leonard Wood. chief of staff of the army in a. Telegram to the commandant of Fortress Mon roe, today expressed the sympathy of the Department over the death of the men killed Tn the accident and com mended those who had displayed ex- traordinary bravery in the work of rescue.
 At the coast artillery corps it was