The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-30
DEADLY TURPINITE
TESTS DESCRIBED
New Explosive Could EXtcrmi-
nate Whole Nations. Says
Expert.
DOUBTS ITS USE NOW

LoNpoN. sept. is-There is considc~.
able discussion here about the turplnite
shells which the French are said To- be
using. This new explosive, according TO
tn DdlV Express. Is So deadly IN is
effects that all lltc ~ exterminatcd within
radius 81 900 yards ~ the exploding
shells. According - some Stor,r. rc,~-
nlcuts os Germans have been found dead
I'm 'helI trenches. thclr rifles stl In their
hands and not u mark on their bodies
The DuHy Express quotes a man who
has been known To the editor for years
and is we'll Informed in regard to turpln-
tie As saying:
For .pey.al reasons. which /, would 49,
unfair f1r mc - d.yLlge at the presen;
moment | am strongly OF the opinion that
tnrs,. shells have mo-, been used 20 any
large extent 10y tine French armies IN the
he u. IL - probable that an actual t"St
uaJar battle conditions has Deen made
oaye ur t~.'.. but no more.
'iuut tul- t,rfihc explosive will. how
ever, b" used IN case OF such AN evcntu-
plitf as an attempt to take Paris by
storm ] nave no doubt But | am con
v.ue,d. despite the thousands OF bombs
NOW prepared and the special apparatus
cast, THIS explosive, hfty-stx pounds OF
which 's abb, To XII, To- 'petrify.' 50 10
,p.,s. every living thing in "A space Of
80 square yards veil! not b. used unless
IN very Sprgdtc circumstance and only
vita tho tu,' consent ~ Frances allies
In describing the new explosive the
Dni,V Expresses informant says
The new explosive which was in
vented two Years ago by NJ Turpn. the
parent inventor Of mcl!nite and lyddite.
j. undohlted'y thu most terrific and most
, death dealing high power explosive
ever known. Should it, use be-
come wild, spread whole armies. In
deed entire nations. would be .Ntermi-
mated IA tho course of few weeks.
FOR this reason II probably enters into
the list of explosives the use of which is
prohibited by the Hague Convention, al
though NJ. Turpin says this is not the
case"
After telling OF " Turpin', dislike Of
/ the French War ono" methods and his
grievance following that Government 4
acceptances OF melnite and lydditc the
informant OF the Express tells how NJ.
Turpiu set to work upon new explosive
which he endoaVorrd TO perfect 80 that
molinite and lyddite would he practically
useless. He worked for years. had "A gun
made himself, the parts being constructed
I AT different points and then assembled
and directed the making OF the shells.
Tho mercst chance enabled me 10 Wit
ness the early trials Of tho new explosive
the writer continues. "Ou n stretch of
sand 400 yards from hish water level a
temporary sheep fold had been erected
about 400 yards square and rallied off Will
wooden hurdles. In this space were q
dozen sheep and II couple OF worn ou
horses
zone OF the horses was contentedl,
munchng hay and the other was rubbing
himself against one Of the hurdles while
the sheep were huddlcd together in cor
ner
This was what | saw through m!
glasses when from ridge some 2,5o'
yards away there came sharp loud thu'
and the sound Of small shell, Just a
though somebody had taken "A piece o
silk and rapidly torn II in two.
There was an explosion In the opel
space I'm the middle OF tho improviset
sheep pen. The sheep were still hud
died in the corner one OF the old horse
Was apparently leaning up against tn
3 railing The one that had been munchin
hay lay on his side.
when, ten minutes later. ! reache
; the men the sheep looked for all tho worl
As T. they had been pctr'hed, They wer
mostly standing M, one against tn
other.
Three of four were lying down. lou
, all we're dead. with their eyes open an
/ lips hanging. II was obsolutel
:, CHASTITY. Yet - all tho animal. onl
tho old horse. that had been munchln
h4v WIS hit by q fragment Of shel
Tho other horse WAS leaning against tn
fence. his forcleg stretched out forwar'
MS hind lcg . uhle1 up on me san
. beneath him Both had been killed N
. stautly.
y There was n faint odor in the al
. Witch I can only describe as th't give
" of by mcthyiatcd spirit, vet mixed vii
> a punpent smell of menthol The e.
porlmcnts were repeated on much larg'
scale al tho French permanent CANT
- CNllonH ana Manly"