New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-08
ARMY AND NAVY notes.
Rear Admiral TWining Answers
Charges of w. S. ISham.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau


SHY AT ORDNANCE soUABBI E-The
attempts OF ". S. Isham, the inventor Of
the high explosive. shell, to stir I'D an IN
vestigation OF the Naval Bureau Of Ord.
nance by making grave charges against
near Adn!ral n. c. Twining. probably Will
tall or erect as the House Nava! Commit
zee Is disposed to stand by the Chief Of
ordnance who was given a hearing az
which to reply TO the inventor
Rear Admiral Twining presented state
ment 10 show there is no reason 10 believe
mat an arnored vessel cannot be damaged
by armor-piercing shell CT long ranges,
and he cited in proof Of this thu expert
mental firing at the Katahdn, IN which
nVe shots from a Pinch gun fred at
ranges slightly in excess Of 5000 yards pen
etrated the armored targets erected on the
Katahdin's deck. He said:
The most extensive tests have been made
win view TO determine the safety Of
Keeping and firing explosive gelatlne nitro
| glycerine and other explosives of a similar
nature from guns, and II is the opinion
or practically all army and navy ord
nance authorities that this cannot be
! done. For army use 1t is possible that
shells could be carried in the shell
| mouse empty and the explosive put in only
zen shells were required for firing. Such
4
| impossible, and we would be forced TO
carry about in our ships shells with this
dangerous explosive Theoretically sealed NJ
in them, subject TO unknown deterioration
ana with all the dangers Of unexpected and
disastrous explosion. We in the navy are
now employing an explosive which is safe
amount OF explosive gelatine would be, nor
can our shells be designed TO hold as much
OF a charge as Mr. Isham proposes TO use
IN his shells Consequently, the damage
I a. nf ana Nf NoHc
IS not as great as would be done by the
explosion Of the Isham shell, but the
| chance or putting the shell where II can
do damage Is much greater with the armor-
piercing shell than with the Isham shell.
The naval chief Of ordnance emphatically
stated TO the committee that he believed
the government money would be wasted in
Isham. and he concluded:
If, however, the committee or Congress
after full consideration OF the matter, dts
agrees with me- stand ready and willing
to carry out 10 the best OF my ability any
tests that may be required. and I shall be
the first 10 admit my error II tests fairly
prove that my contentious and position
have been wrong. My attitude in this
matter and that Of the other officers OF the
progressiveness, 10 obstinacy, TO lack or IN
telligence and 10 undue influences exerted
IN manners not stated DN inc steer trust
and other corporate interests.
Rear Admiral Twining believes that such
statements require nc notice beyond the
full explanation defending the policy Of the
naval ordnance bureau.
ORDERS IssUED.-The following orders
have been issued:
ARMY.
MAJ
ical Museum Building Washington. June "a:
FOR examination for promotion: WILLIAM
E" PURvIANcE ana CHAMP c. McUL-
CAPTAIN CHARLES 7 LEEDS. corps OF en-
gineers. 10 army retiring board. Fort Bay
1.aTs Of sesence: Sscond Lieutenant FRANCIS
I, sWARD. 26th Infantry. four months.
NAVY.
Ensign H. B CECIL. detached the Idaho; to
chief S Msch!ni:t ' F. F. INGRAM. 10 tn. M.ry-
achini.t " LRNz to s Il. Ean .hsc,r,.. 10
receiving ship, Philadelphia. .,-..,.
70 the Iowa
MOVEMENT OF WARsHIPs.-The fol-
towing movements Of vessels have been re-
ported TO the Navy Department;
ARRIVED.
April 4-The washington, at Guantanamo the
Patterson, az heN west
Arrn 5-rhe Osceola, at Nueyitas. Cuba. the
Wasp, at navy yard. New York: the cyelop,,
del Sur. the Justin, at Santiago; the ITALIA
hassee the Castine. the Severn. the Tonopah.
CO, C-3. c.. C-5 D-1. DIP D-3. FL and
e at Norfolk.
SAILED.
Apru 5--The Patterson from Key West tor Pen
sacola; the Eagle. from Guantanamo for
Santiago de Cuba; the Wasp, from New
York city for navy yard, New York, the
Chauucev from Olonsapo for Shanghai