New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-22

carnations interested in the problem
of national defence.
: Introduced TO the army and navy
men by Frederick w. Barker, acting
president of the society, Mr.. Goldmer-
stein gave the following brief explana-
tion of his inventions: 1.-THE usual IN.
cendiary bomb consists essentially OF
a shell filled with HERMIT, and an ig-
hitting device, usually phosphorus.
When ignited thermit develops an ex-
tremely high temperature and sets on
fire everything around that can burn.
"The disadvantages Of the present
construction are, first, that the igni-
ton is purely local and can be extin-
guishcd with comparative ease; second'
that the fire is started in a single
place, just around the bomb, ana Us
therefore limited in extent. This could
be helped by adding to the bomb an
explosive that would scatter the burn
inc material. but this is difficult to do,
because the heat conductivity OF Their
nit = high. and therefore any ex-
plosive now known would explode be-
fore the entire mass of the thermit
had been ignited and liquehed. Their
nit of itself scattered around would
do no harm, and the purpose OF the
bomb would be defeated.
81 have invented for THIS particular
purpose a new explosive that does not
explode until it is entirely inclosed IN
molten metal. II is proposed to scat
ter tiny grains Of the new explosive
throughout the mass OF thermlt, so
that. as the stuff is melting. 1t viii be
scattered in d sort Of a little volcano TO
all sides. thus preventing any one APP
preaching to put the bomb out, and
also increasing the area of the nre.
"Up to a temperature OF 900 degrees
Fahrenheit the explosive is absolutely
safe. 1t can be hammered. melted or
placed in an open fire."
Although talking about aeroplane
bombs, Mr.. Goldmerstein confined his
demonstration TO three small piles OF
kindling wood on the aviation held:
First he ignited small quantity OF
thermit to show how the tremendous
heat melted the piece OF iron pipe USED
as a receptacle for the metal. In ms
second experiment he added small
quantity Of the new explosive in metal
form to the thermit. using hve-min-
ute fuse on the bomb. Burning par
ticles were thrown twelve or more feet
away from the pile of kindlings, set
ting fire to the grass.
Bombs to Cost 81 Apiece.
Experiment No. 3 unfortunately
went wrong. Three tubes containing
the new explosive in high powered
LIQUID form foated up out Of the mol
ten thernit before the temperature be-
came sufficiently high to explode the
charge. Mr.. Goldmerstein said that he
would be ready to experiment with
new shrapnel she'll, filed with molten
metal, in October. In answer to ques-
tions. he said that factory ought to
be able to turn out 1000 Of his in
cendiary bombs a week, at a cost OF
81 to So bomb.
Among the United States Army off,
GERS who witnessed the demonstration
we.e Brigadier General George +. An
drews, retired; Major Hartman, OF the
! Signal Corps; Major T. Q. Donaldson,
! Colonel Noyes, Major A. Z. TRULY, OF
| the medical corps, and Lieutenants H.
| L. Jordan, II. P. Councilman and A. ).
! Buyers.
The navy was represented by Naval
! Constructor j. W. Woodruff, OF the
Brooklyn Navy Yard; Lieutenant W. 5.
| Anderson, Paymaster r. II. Johnston,
OF inc Fulton, and the following Off
GERS of the battleship New York: Lieu
tenants w. II. Lassing. II. G. Crosby,
P. H. Torrey and K. Wilson, and En-
signs r. B. Ralston, A. R. Wurtele, {.
C. Todd and F. B. Smith. Other naty
men present were Lieuten1nt F. P.
Conger, of the Jenkins; Lieutenant A.
| s. Barleon, of the Aylwin. and Ensign
S. S. Moore, of the Delaware.
Mr.. Goldmerstein is an associate ed
! itor of 1.-THE Journal of the American
Society of Engineers" He has been
experimenting with War materials for
fifteen years and has done work for
the Russian government He made II
plain Yesterday that his latest inven-
tion is At the disposal of no other
power except the United States.