The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-12-08


Opei TO their present efficiency in deadness.
As you know, aircraft have been much used in the
present conflict Zeppelins have sailed over London
and dropped high explosive bombs French British and
Italian aeropanes in great hOcks have flown Ger
man and Austrian cities and Austrian and Ger
man planes have flown Italian and French cities
and showered the earth with topedoes Of enormous de-
sructiye power.
Many thousand Americans, watching the progress Of
the arts there, have become uneasy lest this
country fall behind her competitors and become far
outcassed in the Of defense to be at the mercy
or enemies But we need not worry ourselves into a
fever FOR according writer in the New York World
Uncle Sans ordnance experts have kept still and sawed
wood and he tells US about our newest means of de-
1ense against a possible enemy:
The United States army has a torpedo for dropping
from aeropanes that will do damage than any Of
those that have been dropped by German Zeppens in
England by British French aeroplanes Germany
Ghr difference between this and all other bombs is that
~ expodes at certain distance above ground scattering
tts fragments horizontally, while the point at which
others explode is always uncertain.
Existing aerial bombs of kinds-One that ex-
plodes contact the other timed with fuse explode
In the air The trouble with the former is that its high
explosive ha" tendency on impact with the earth to
blow downward instead Of aterally thus creating a
great cavity crater but causing comparatively little
damage.
The trouble with the second is that its accuracy de-
peDds upon the avators calculations to his altitude
and also that it is impossible to set time fuse to
minute fractions of a second. bomb dropped from
height Of 5000 fcat is travelling from 400 to 800 feet
second when n reaches the ground, of
tenth of second in the aviaors calculation would allow
the bomb explode either 40 30 feet in the air
considerable depth below the ground
This new American bomb overcomes both of these
dcUldes for it always eXpOdes between five and six
feet from the ground. And it does matter from
whrk height is dropped. Nor has the aviator
any calculations He need not know how high up
he fs has do is let the bomb fall it will
do the
The inventor Of this extraordinary shell is Lester Bar
low, who perfected it under the auspices and at the
expense of the American government at the Frankford
arsenal Philadelphia. Recently the bombs had several
r. S. wilkinson, u S. N. Capt E. J. w. Ragsdae, U. s.
A. and Lieut.. Col G. G. Galley, U. s. A, members of
the ordnance board The official report by Col. c. H.
Ruggles Of the ordnance board stated: "Ihe Barlow
aerial torpedo is satisfactory; the action certain, the
flight true and the safety devices satisfactory"
At these only light charges Of explosives were
used because full charges would have endangered houses
in the neghborhood. Bombs dropped from 1000
1900 1000 5000 5000 and 1000 feet, with light
The high explosive bombs shook houses three and four
miles distant.
Lester Barlow is only thirty years old but he has
heped build railways, has worked a fireman
ocean steamer as electrical apprentice gunner in
the United States navy and wireless operator and he
was on Pancho Villas staff aviator before villa
and Carranza split 1t when dropping bombs for
villa that he conceived the idea Of this bomb.
The new aerial torpedo is and
half feet long and weighs 100 pounds. 1t
has a streamlne form to give the least pos
sible friction while passing through the air
The torpedo is carried attached horizontal n
y beneath the aerOplane In traps and is re- ~
lea sed by the moving of a small lever. 1t 4 =
00-