A Dynamite Warship.

Evening Post, Volume XILI, Issue 113, 14 May 1891, Page 4

A Dynamite Warship.

♦ News from America states that the Ericsson Const Defenoe Company, Newhaven, Conn., hiis the old U.S. warship Destroyer in hand t effecting alterations to her which are oxpeoted to render her tho moat formidable warship in the world. The Vioe- President of the company writeß :— " Wo are fitting up tbo vessel for the purpose of testing a gnu that will fico under water. Now, with tho heavy nettings which the big war vessels have for the protection of themselves against torpedoes, the ordinary projectiles aro almost u-olos9. But with the gun that is to be taeten on tho Destroyer we can make projootilea penetrate any of tho nettings that :<ro in nae. "Wo aro to nso a 16-inch pun. Tint which we are to experiment with is b-inj? constructed, and is about half dono. It is to bo 35ft in length. The projectile U to bo 25ft loner, and to throw it a ohargo of 251b of powder will bo used. Tho Biioll will contain 3001b to 4001b of nitreglyoorino, enough to blow up any vessel afloat if struok right. The muzzle of the gun will protrude 10ft under water, and the proinutile will bo carried from 750 ft to 1000 ft beyond the muzzle of tho gun before exploding. We intend to try tho gun for the fir-t timo at Newport in July, having obtained from Congress an appropriation for in iking the tests. With v, few such vessels 119 the Dostroypr will bo when pquipped with our gun, tbo armed fioeta of th ■ world oouUl be Hwcpt out of existence. I believe this invention will revolutionise tho naval gunnery throughout tho world. One of our aholls can bo sent right through the netting and into the side of a vessel whore a torpedo o )uld not penetrate. For the price that one of our big shipa will cost we could bnild and arm five smaller ships, which would be able to Hink tho beat navy afloat."