The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-02
DEADLY AIR BOMB
SHOWN TO HOUSE
TilsOn Displays Dummy Of
Destructive Device.
INVENTED BY YOUNG AMERICAN
ExpIOdes Near Ground and De-
stroys Everything IN Vicinity.

The invention Of the most destrue-
tive Of all aerial bombs 1oOpound
AFFAIR that explodes when within six
feet Of the ground. no matter from
what height dropped-was explained
10 the House late yesterday by Con-
gresham Tilson OF Connecticut. .
member Of the Military Affairs Com
mIttee, who II an expert on arms and
ammunition
Mt. Tiison brought into the House
a dummy Of the bomb. just a. he
dragged In . small-sized arsenal
about q month ago to show the legis-
lators the different types OF machine
guns. shells. and rtnes used In the
present war.
conrressman Tiison informed the
House that the bomb he described
was invented BY q young American.
Lester p. Barlow, q native Of Pennsyl-
vania, who IL now employed BY an
arms corporation In Connecticut Bar
low enlisted several years ago a. q
coal passer in the navy and worked
himself up to the grade OF electrician
At one time he was In charge Of
villas aerial squadron, but returned
to the United States when this eoun-
try broke with villa
Test shows DestFuetiveness.
Tests made with the Barlow bomb.
according to Mr.. Tilson. show that Il
deyastates everything about the spot
upon which IL IL dropped. II II IN
safe to exploded II within q mile
Of where anybody -ives- A bomb to
be used against submarines and ships
Is now being perfected. Another tsst
by the Government IL soon 70 be made
at q secluued point in virginia
I The bomb explodss horizontaiiy.-
said Mr. Tilson, -and with q terrific
force The fragments 50 In every
direction. The model have hare
works only on land. II II striker
water II does not work They are
developing one like that to drop on
submarines. have seen the draw
ing. II IL on the same principle, ex-
eeptlng It's nose. There 10 . timing
device in this new one that can be
set to let II 60 At any depth below
the surface Of the water bsfore II
expIodes so that II II hits any solid
substance on or below the top OF The
water II will explode Instantly, but II
II Is simply going down through the
water the machinery will set It on
At the designated depth
The one for use In land warfare
will explode when within Ave or six.
feet Of the ground. Il makes no dif-
ference from what height II Is drop
ped II they dropped Il from 1000 OF
5000 feet Il would make no difference
When Il gets within q certain dis
lance OF the ground II Ares.
Fragments Flew Hail lIilo.
They exploded one At the Sandy
Hook proving ground. They were
afraid to drop II from an asroplAne
there. It IL dangerous to drop II
within q mile Of where anybody lives
and you cannot be quite a. accurate
from an asroplane as you desire. So
they suspended Il at the proper dis
ated II by an electric spark.
'-They said In the official test that
the bomb destroyed everything for
three hundred feet around IT. The Of
feials took refuge In . bomb-proof
a half mile from where II exploded
and the bomb-proof was struck By q
mass OF fragments. and other frag-
ments went over the bomb-proof at
terrific velocity"
"Is the Government considering
this favorabiy," asked Mr.. Moore. Of
Pennsylvania
They certainly are said Mr.. TIL
SON They have made . favorable
report. One thing they are waiting
for II the actual test for accuracy
and for destructiveness when dropped
from the air and for that they need
two things-hrst. they need aero
planes and in the next place they
need 4 broad. expansive territory IN
which to drop It"