The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
ARMY OFFICERS
SEE BOMB TESTED
Russian Inventor Offers L. S.
Explosive to Be Dropped
From Aeroplanes.
THROWS SHOWER OF FIRE

Witnessed by forty-six officers Of the
United States army and navy and the
New York State National Guard and
about three hundred civilians. man of
them members Of the A~eronautlcal So
ciety OF America, Leon Goldmerstein
yesterday afternoon demonstrated his
invention Of a new type of i%ncendiary
bomb on the grounds Of the A~eronautical
Society. lakewood Heights. Staten Island.
The bomb Is for ~aeroplane use and
when dropped will explode and throw
molten metal for a radius OF two or three
hundred feet. The principal effective
ness Of the bomb In time of val will
be to set fire to ammunition stations
and railroad structures. The burning
metal thrown is thermit. THIS metal
will explode and burn at the Fahrenheit
temperature of 800 degrees.
The usual ~incendiary bomb consists
OF n shell filled with thermit and an ig-
hitting device composed OF phosphorus
and when ignltei sets everything within
Its scope that Is inflammable on fire,
but It is inadequate. for the explosion
and Are Is local and may be extinguished
with comparative ease.
Mr.. Goldmerstein has invented a new
substance that does not explode until IL
Is encased entirely In molten steel. II
Is expected to scatter small grains OF the
new explosive throughout the mass Of
the thermit so hat as II melts II will
spread. preventing the approach OF any
one 10 extinguish II. making the con-
fagrat!on widespread.
Only one bomb was set of on the
aviation grounds yesterday. This was
a snail one that obtained its explosive
power from a small cube OF the explo-
otxsa Na.,Nl tAA AN.-l A. -
twelve feet was placed a network OF
boards and as the bomb exploded IL set
all the wood or Are. A low explosive
bomb was used successfully. The high
explosive bomb did not explode. for the
new explosive Is in the LIQUID form in
that type n the steel tubes containing
II hoated TO the surface Of the thermit
and did not become red hot.
This accident was caused by the ex-
treme precaution taken by the inventor.
He put only an ounce OF the substance
In the bomb, whereas ordinarily he
places a pound. for the spectators would
not have been safe from injury within
a radius Of 400 feet.
Mr.. Goldmerstein Is a Russian by
birth, but has declared his intention OF
becoming naturallzed. He Is a member
OF the A~eronautlcal Society Of America
and was an associate editor OF the
Journal Of he American Society of
Mechanical Engineers. The Aero society
wanted at the time Secretary Daniels
invited the organization to place two
members on the new naval advisory
board to elect Mr.. Goldmerstein as one,
but as he had not yet become a citizen
he was not eligible. This did not stop
the inventor. for he continued his work
and has offered the United States Gov
nme his invention any time that II
wants II.
Among the army officers present yes
terday were Brig Gen. George f. An
drews, retired Col. Noyes. Signal
Corps; Major Hartman, Signal Corps 4.
Major A. f. TRULY. Medical Corps First
Lieut.. II. l.. Jordan, Signal Corps Lieut..
IL. II. Councilman, Coast Artillery, and
Lieut.. A. 5. Buyers, Coast Artillery. The
naval officers present included Naval
Constructor j. W. Woodruff n Lieut..
W. $. Anderson. New York Navy Yard :
Pay master r. II. Johnston. u. $. S. Full
ton. Lieut.. +. p. Couger, L. =. s. de-
stroyer Jenkins, Lieut.. A. S. Bar!eon,
u. 5. :. Alywin Lieuts. w. II. Lassing,
II. W. Wilson. II. G.. Crosby, +. II. Tor
rey, EnsiSns X. r. wurtele. c. C. Todd.
= j. Moore. +. II. Smith and II. Il. Raj
ston, L. s. S. New York.
The National Guard OF New York was
represented by sixteen officers in charge
OF Lieut.-Col. II. g. Olmstead, Head
quarters Division. n Major Hallahan,
Corns