WELLINGTON DEFENCES.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6884, 17 October 1887, Page 6

WELLINGTON DEFENCES.

[PKESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.]

WELLINGTON, October 15,

A party of visitors, accompanied by Sir George Whitmore, Colonel Bailey, Captain Messenger, and other military gentlemen, went down the harbor to Fort Ballance yesterday afternoon to witness some experiments with .torpedoes and mines. Two Whitehead torpedoes were fired between buoys representing the line of advance of the supposed enemy. The direction was accurate, but one of the missiles proved recalcitrant, and eluded search for a longtime. The other floated up at once, and was easily regained. On reaching the surface a composition of phosphorus on the snout bursts iato a flame, aud guides the pursuers. After that four mines were laid and fired with complete success. No hitch of any kind occurred. The visitors inspected the fort, which is now finished, nothing remaining but to clear some earth away outside the palisades. It is armed witli two 7in muzzle loaders, a 6in breech-loading Armstrong, mounted on a disappearing carriage, and two six-pounder quiolf-firing Nordeufeldts. Everything is in readiness to go into action to-morrow if necessary. Tno work on Fort Halswell, nearer Wellington, is not so advanced. An Sin Armstrong is to be mounted there in addition to other guns. There is also a powerful search light at Fort Ballance, and all the stores and electric apparatus necessary for a system of floating and contact mines. The submarine armament of the colony has so far cost about ±20,000.