Year: 1876

A HUGE RAFT ExPERIMESTED UPON By GEN.


ERAL ABBOTT AT wILLETTs POINT.


On Monday afternoon last an immense iron raft
weighing thirty tons towed from the Continental
Iron Works. OF this city, to Wielts Point New York
harbor the headquarters OF the United States Engineer
battalion, and anchored in the bay n few hundred
yards the shore. II held position by six
teen thousand pound anchors. firmly secured by
strong chains. Thirty feet below the raft placed
200 pounds of dynamite to which of explosive sub
stance attached wiro connecting at the shore
with q gavanc battery.


All this had been skfuIly arranged undcr the direc
ton OF Major Henry !. Abbott, commandant OF the
post the object being to test the power of resistance
OF the weight OF iron. similar experiment was tried
on the ratt, with smaller quantities. OF explosive
MATERIAL on two previous occasions Everything was IN
readiness for the test on Thursday morning but the
heavy storm prevented the General IRON putting his
plans into execution Yesterday morning, however,
General Abbott drove to tho depot at Whitestone and
Generals Barnard and Tower of the Board OF En-
gneers Tor Forcatons for tho Eastern Coast who ar
rived the 500 train, and together they proceeded 10
Wetts Point where the officers were the qii rire
and everything was in readiness Tor the grand expert
ment On reaching the post, the General, together
with his guests and ASSISTANTS proceeded without delay
aboard the officers seamtug and steamed away from
the long dock point The shore under the unnn-
shcd and n with the rait whose black form
and turret loomed up like miniature monitor away IN
the distance The dock was lined with spectators and
on the summit OF The grassy parapets the post photos
rapher, with group OF officers, was pre-
parng plate and adjusting the camera to f.cus tho





On neighboring elevation stationed another
group OF officers with powerful glass and signal
far, ready signal the moment Of firing the charge
to Captain Livermorc and his assistants who were sta
toned Tor the time being at Crccdmoor about twelve
niles distant, the Captain being provided with a
seisomoIer with which 10 test Tho vibrations OF the
ground at that distance.


Az "A quarter to ten o'clock the sun shone out
clearly, the tide had reached nearly TO h gh water
mark, favorable condition for the experiment; the
vicinity Of the raft clear OF all sailing vessels
when General Abbott touched the key OF the battery
vtVn f,un tho~ nf as rrtri alamo
wire, dull report was beard, and tho raj.
for instant tremblcd and then was lost
sight OF for moment hugo
waicrspout shooting high into the air. AS the water
subsidized could settling itself
quietly down into position, where il remained for
thir,yeght minutes, when It suddenly kccled over and
sank the bottom OF the bay The ra will be raised
In few days and taken New York for repairs when
It will be again expcrmented npon. These expert
monts mado by General Abbott to ascertain tho
force necessary destroy the large ron-ciads Al the
fort force ef men are kept constantly at work nlng
preparing torpedoes and other instruments Tor like
experiments; and under the management Of this able
officer results will yet be obtained that must prove OF
advantage 10 the country