WAS THE LANYARD PULLED TOO SOON?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 5

WAS THE LANYARD PULLED TOO SOON?

■ The gun that was involved:in the;acci-';;V,;VvJ dent was a 9.i! inch hydro-pneumatic, gun,y>;V,i|; more : ipopularly known'- as -a disappear-:; % -y t ing gun. ' .The: typo; is, in use lington forts.'- By means of .water'ond pressure"'tho- huge ' : weapon';■ is < elevated; '•>:;:;- from a pit' UfltU' ite-nozzle points .out ;**?.% over the ooping stone. ■;' As soon:'as : gun is,fired it descends,/ actuated by:re-';;i!::;:: coil, to its.original position.''-On thia 00-,y L ',v<:, oasiouthe loaded gun was being elevated,'. ?$& and as:the:muzzle : was nearing;the;.tbp/.::;K,y of the pit's masonry, the', charge'prema- -~//";v turoly: The effect of. a. 350;p1ug'.:., : .::;, ;>; shell with (Mb. of black powder ;behind ; : , ''/>/'; it'oaused- great', havoc...' The 'shell struck;: :•///; ■and;' wrecked the '• masonry, and:-then;:, 'i : v rioohetted almost vertically into.the air.. ;,,\'v The artillery:men were hurled -in ;aU:di-/\;;&:;i •reoti'ohsV. stunnedand a lucky_ escape,, did. not sustain::Worso;r':'. l vv than, minor injuries. :'.> -- : ■ ;-- \-..;;,;/;.'..C/.-bH; '.;The'-.''.accident.had.-'-been'-'prc«ded'''byy'aV;.v;';v'V couple of :misfires, on account'of vwhich; a'/';>• percussion tube > was substituted; f or. • the - .-;-:':'~i- / electric, tube, although the .latter' is by ?v:'-M far': the "'safer, as the. gun canhot:be dis-' ') i-:': charged .until three'electrical have been; made..;. With percussion firing, V:-'m;,:; a'member-of the gun:crew, fires the gun • ■■■ s ; < : : ' ; by: pulling a lanyard. ■;■ Among..- various/:■';/'/: 'theories,- it has been suggested ttat the'"' ! 'S;--firing' lanyard-was prcmatunay.;.pulled. :■■,'''!v ; : Possibly this is the. inference, to be' drawnfronr.tho cablegram published!above, re- :; ' '-" ferring. to a- member of the'detachment l :/#■ losing his head.-It.is quite possible that'^ ;; K:< ■in. the excitement of firing tit a tune'- 4 when: cvemmnu; was eager many shots; into the .target aii' could in a fewnvinutes, the. lanyard'was: pulled '// ; %& before the- muzzle-was: out iof the "'pit. ; - c ■'~ s ' i