The Washington herald., 1910-07-23
BREECH BLOCK LOOSE
Army Ordnance Experts Give
Opinion on Fatal Explosion.
Believe Soldier Gave Lanyard sud-
den Pull, which Ignited Primer
and Set OF POwder-Dan,aged Piece
Inspected Before Firing and Found
Apparently in Perfect Working
Order-Department Version.

The accident at Fort Monroe. Va,
Thursday when the breeeh block Of q l2-
inch disappearing gun blew out, killing
eleven men. was due, in the opinion OF
army ordnance experts. TO the accidental
pulling of the firing lanyard before the
breech block was locked securely and the
failure of safety device to function
properly.
According to spectators Of the accident.
the gun had started on its upward course
when the explosion occurred. The pro-
jectile and powder charge had been in
troduced In the gun. The breech block
had been showed home, but it's interrupted
screw had not been locked by rotating it,
The primer yAs in its place when one OF
the men who was killed was attempting
to attach the firing lanyard to the primer.
First Attempt Fails.
| He was unsuccessful in his first at
tempt and repeated his effort several
times to hook the firing lanyard TO the
primer When the gun had risen about
six feet from its depressed position and
was almost out OF his reach. he fastened
the lanyard to the primer.
The general belief among army ex-
perts is that he gave the lanyard sud
den pull which ignited the primer and
SET of the powder charge before tbs
bre@ch block had been locked. The force
of the explosion drove the breech block
out Of the gun.
The projectile remained in the gun.
There is a safety device attached 20 dis
! appearing guns designed to prevent dis
charge before the gun Is in an elevated
position and its nuzzle has cleared the
parapet In the present instance sais
I safety device failed 10 operate properly
Il is the FIRST time this device has
been found wanting. The safety bar on
the gun which was damaged was worn
and rounded by cleaning and use.
Brig Gen. William Crozier, Z. s. A.
chief Of ordnance, who was at Fort
,'eEroe at the time of the accident. in
spected the damaged gun and the other
guns at the fort. One other gun was
found TO have safety device that would
not operate properly. The damaged gun
was inspected Immediately before firing
Thursday and was apparently in perfect
working order.
The War Department yesterday gave
out this official version OF how the acct
dent occurred:
war Department Report.
'The accident occurred through the
premature discharge OF the gun. Interest
now centers in the determination OF its
cause. and the possibility OF preventing
future accidents from the same cause.
The gun was mounted on a disappearing
carriage. and the firing mechanism is
designed with the object OF preventing
the possibility of diseharging the gun un-
til aftRthe breech block has been closed
and locked, and the gun shall have been
tripped and shall have risen to the firing
position. AS the men who were directly
concerned with the handling of the firing
mechanism were all killed, it is only pos
sible to arrive at a conclusion as 10 the
cause OF the accident by inference from
what could have happened. coupled with
such evidence as can be obtained from
! On-lookers at a little distance from the
gun.
1T appears that the command to trip
the pawls was given and the gun started
10 rise TO the firing position before the
breech lock was pushed home preparatory
TO rotating and locking 1t and before the
lanyard was hooked. so that the man
| whose duty it was 10 hook on the Ian
yard had to do it while the gun was in
motion. Testimony is to the effect that
he had some difficulty in hooking. max
ing several passes In his attempt 10 do
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