The Washington times., 1914-09-29
COULD WIPE OUT NATIONS, CLAIM.

he Daily Express declares that a
h n known to the editor for years and
v 10 is generally we'll informed. has
~ -'rten as follows. concerning turpinite:
The new explosive was invented two
B. ,rs ago by VI. Turpin. the parent in
h. tor OF mclinite and lyddite. and is
Iu loubtedly the most terrific and most
" ileIv death dealing high power eX-
pl sive ever known. So lethal in its
effect is the new shell in explosion, that
81 Nd its use become widespread whole
h. les indeed, entire nations, would be
go Iple;ely eXterminated in the course
OF few weeks. For this reason its
,I, is probably prohibited by articles of
v by the international Hague con-
Y, lion. though NJ. Turpin, himself,
body claims this is not the case"
after telling of NJ. Turpin's dislike Of
II" French war office methods and his
g avances following the governments
a eptance of melinite and lyddite, the
IL 5rmant of the Express tells how Tur-
=. SET to work upon a new explosive
W jch he endeavored to perfect, SO that
as rompared to il melinite and lyddite
" Id be practically useless. He worked
fC wears. had gun made himself the
,.
prtnts, and then assembled and directed
H., making Of the shells.
Sees Trial of New Explosive.
The merest chance enabled me to
v ness one of the early trials. of the
NV explosive" the writer continues.
"On a stretch of sand 500 yards from
hEnwater level temporary sheep
Iold had been erected. about 400 yards
and rallied off with wooden
+ rrdles In this space were a dozen
sheep and a couple of aged and worm
PIT horses.
one of the horses was contentedly
n 1ching away at some hay and the
DtLer was rubbing itself against one of
The hurdles. while the sheep were hud-
died together in one corner.
This was what l saw through my
glasses when, from. a ridge some 2.on
yards away there came a sharp thud
and the shrieking sound of a small
sh"Il. just as though somebody had
Il ken a piece of silk and rapidly torn
i n two.
There was an explosion in the open
ace in the middle of the improviseo
sreeD pen. The sheep were still huddled
!. he corner. one of the old horses was,
n 'arently. leaning UP against the rail-
T The one that had been munching
b lay on its side.
Die As II PetHfled.
When, ten minutes later. L reached
4 pen. the sheep looked for all the
\ Id as if they had been petrified.
7 " were mostly standing up, one
; . .nSt the other
three or -four were lying down. but
f we're dead, with their eyes open and
L hanging. 1t was absolutely ghast-
. Yet 4 all the animals only the old
hapr1
0 by a fragment Of shell. The other
:" was half falling half leaning
Il INST the fence, its foralcgs stretched
. forward, its hind feet doubled up on
sand beneath it Both had been
II insta ntly.
there was faint odor in the air.
= oh can only describe as that given
by q TethylateG spirit, vet mixed
= p punCent sm-ll Of nenth1l. Later,
EXPERIMENTS were repeated On a
p ca larger scale at tie French camps
-, "halons and MailIy.
Tried In Battle, Belief.
For special reasons which IL would
unfair for me TO divulse at the pres
moment ] am strongly of the opin-
o. that these .'hclls have not been
ID 10 any ,xJent BY the Frencn
Ics in the f Id. Probably an actual
under battle conditions has been
. 10 once or :wicc. bit no more
That tins terrific eXplosiv.. will. how
r.. be used in case of sur IN an event
.ltv as ar ATTEMPT to take Iars hy
I'm. / have no doubt. But | am con-
ed despite tie thousands of bumLS
prepared and The special arI,arat.:s
are being cast. this explosive. a
lie fifty siX-Eound shell % which is
To kill-sn &c speak-'petiifv-eE@
nE thing in a space Of ig square
IS viii not be used unless under
desperate circums: ancns and only
nf H.. ~.