Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-05-04
MARVELLOUS GUN
, TO BE USED IN
COAST. DEFENSE
10sT AMAZING WEAPON or WAR
vFARE, HAMMOND INVENTION, 70
&c ADOPTED ~ GOVERNMENT.
MILLION DOLLAR APPROPRIATION Is
INITIAL INVESTMENT IN the
HAMMOND INvENTiON.

WASHINGTON, H. G., May THE
United States government - preparing 10
spend over 81 900 900 as AN initial invest
ment in the most amazing weapon Of war
fare produced IN modern times, and is
preparing Ia own that weapon exclusively
and keep its secret guarded from the
world. The Notifications bill, introduced
in the house by Representative SherIey Of
Kentucky, carries an appropriation of
81 100000 for the purchase of all rights
and patents covering the Hammond de-
stroyer, including a sum for the manufac-
furc Of a certain number Of these weapons
and experimentation with them. So con-
fident are the legislators who listened in
committee 10 the wonderful story of what
this invention will accomplish. that they
increased the estimate Of the war depart
mcnf experts. which was $947 900 for the
first year. adding $4,000 to that amount.
While the purchase of the Hammond de
stroycr l. contingent upon 4 satisfactory
demonstration before - ioint army and
navy board. there j. not the least doubt ~
VI INV VI Wv lHifffaiN fAffftf- VIZ flfNf'
been studying IL for more than tw" wears
that II will accomplish cvcrvfhin. claimed
hy IT. inventor.
IN fact. the Hammond DESTROYER has al
ready done 80. IL J. moi an experiment /:
u - y reality. Everything that j. claimed
for II ~ warfare lua- been done. with the
~ingl. exception al l"'diu" II with y ton
~ gunrciton. which = 4 detail 20 simple
that n enter into the problem mol at all.
The inventor i John HAYS Hammond
Jr., son # The famous mining engineer. IL
= ~is wears ont at college. and i 4 civilian.
Yet he has produced IN instrument Of ~uch
destructive possibilities and such demon
~iratcd practicality that high army officer
are enthusiastic over A.. and are urein.
with all their Influence that the United
States become the sole posses-or. And
youp. Hammond. who Is m American.
wants his country To- own II exclusively.
The story of what tins destroyer will
do a. 50 astonishing that 1t almost re4,uirr.
the IMAGINATION of a jules Verne Ia rcaliz.
~. Technically. 1t = known ~ i radio
dynamo torpedo. For general purposes.
II IS termed the Hammond DESTROYER n
ls q dingihie boat or torpeio-.t may he
built IN either fofm-whish 4 .ompletelx
controlled from shore b. uireies.. !,
which may be controlled from q warah,r.
or from an aeropane.
These are some of the thing II will do
II can BE- sterred * wireless IN any A,
rrction.
lis engines may be- started. stopped and
controlled by various speeds ~ wireless.
The surface type can travel iiftv miles
an hour.
The submerged type can travel fr.m
twenty-se,en I" twenty eight miles an
hour.
VI can carry q ton Of high explosive.
IL ~ more accurate. in the opinion ot
army experts, than the fire of big guns.
1t may be- operated and sent against an
enemy by a single man. who remains
ashore. or on a war-hip. or in m aero
plane. and whose sole instruments are !
telescope and an electric key.
IL can not he interfercd with hy odvers.
wireless waves. because 1t is controlled by
a system OF selective transmission.
II the wave length controlling it is dis.
covered by an enemy. that wave Ieno,b
can be changed while the torpedo !, IN
flight.
H-and TIM J. perhaps most am.zin,
OF allan enemy attempts ro interfere
with II ny wireless. II passes the uncann,
faculty ot pointing immediately in IA, A..
reciion of that cne,n, and making direc,l,
for him.
IL / propelled by gasoline engines.
II can be- operated ~ night ~ uell y.
Gay. SUBJECT 70 accurate control hy an
arrangement Of TINY lights. - shielded !,
10 he visible only 10 the operator.
carries q >carchli.hi 81 IL, own. which
msv NE turned on and N by wireless
The surface tyne. will co,t about
$l1 500 Zach.
The torpedo type will co>t ahoat $4,000
each.
The ~siirtace type has q cruising radiu.
at 100 mules, a, ~ miles an hour.
IL may he guided 200 miles "a 81, hv
an aercidsne and launched against AN
enemy at the end of the run.
The surface type has a capacity at don
HE attack. II carries i termed. winch
when the DESTROYER j. in striking distance.
can he launched hy wireless. II the tome
DO strikes the destroyer can he turned
around by wireless and sent home. II ,ha
torpedo misses. the DESTROYER. which car
mes an additional halt ton Of explosive can
N sent on To retrieve the error. IN which
case, Of course, II As itself DESTROYED upcn
tn&,ac&