TERRIBLE ENGINES OF WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5589, 23 January 1879, Page 7

TERRIBLE ENGINES OF WAR.

(From the Boston Journal) Paris, Sept. 28.—The sensation of the moment is tne great trial of the Hotchkiss’ revolving cannon, made just off the coast of Holland, under the auspices of the Dutch Govenment, which recently ordered one of the guns to try. As is pretty well known to Americans who have been here much, Mr Hotchkiss, who is originally a Connecticut man, has an enormous manufactory of cannon at St. Dennis, where he is equipping the French navy and coast defences with some of his most valuable inventions. He is also manufacturing to the order of the Russian, English and other Governments, all of which are anxious not to be left behind in the great race for superior armaments. Mr Hotchkiss is one of the highest types of the American inventor; his mind is clear, precise, and now and then he has a luminous revela* tion which entitles him to be considered a genius. I will give you a good illustration of this fact later on in the story. The revolving cannon which has created so much excitement hero, and which I believe the United States Government now has two specimens of, is of two kinds. One is a field piece, the other is ' small, mounted on a pivot, easily handled, and managed from the shoulder as readily as a carbine. This terrible engine of destruction is fired by turning a crank, and sending forth 80 shots per minute without the slightest difilculty. It has been known to fire nearly twice that number in 60 or 80 seconds, but absolute accuracy is claimed for it only at a rate of four score per minute. The trials here and in adjacent countries have created a perfect revolution in public sentiment on the subject of aquatic warfare. After Die experiments with the Hotchkiss’ gun, all these great men felt more comfortable. Still, until last week, there had never been what might be called a decisive test, something from which there could be no appeal, and it was reserved for the Dutch Government to make it. The wily mariners who are constantly coming and going between the Colonial possessions of the Netherlands and the Dutch ports on the North Sea, have no intention of being caught napping; and so they have been anxious to test the new Yankee invention. Mr Hotchkiss was invited to bo present at the experiments. He sent over one of bis chief engineers to explain the mechanism of the gun to the Dutchmen; but they understood it already, and so Mr Hotchkiss followed at once, lie found, on one of the largo war ships, every one connected with the governmental marine service in important posts. As soon as they had taken him on board, they steamed away to sea, to a point opposite the Holder. There, just before them, just showing the top of her oack above the water, was a torpedo boat—a “ dummy," of course, as a real one would have been rather too expensive to practice on. “ Do you think that you could defend this vessel against that torpedo boat with your gun P ” said the Admirals, the representatives of the Ministry of the Marine, and other big wigs, to Hotchkiss. " I think I could,” was his answer. “Well, then," said the practical Dutchman, “lot us see what she amounts to.’’ They had brought their own gunner and ho evidently understood the use of the aim very well. He took his position at the side of the ship and the gun being loaded, with great rapidity ho fired about forty shots, putting eighteen or twenty of them right through the torpedo boat. Inasmuch as one of them would have settled her, this experience was stupefying. They tried it again, with a rather bolter result. Then they went off at some distance, and putting on all steam, went directly at the torpedo boat, trying to got t he same effect that would be produced if the boat wore approaching them and they wore defending themselves against her approach. The speed which they could got up to was between fourteen and fifteen knots an hour. When they wore within six hundred yards of the torpedo boat the gunner was ordered to open fire on her, which ho did, and despite the constantly varying position of the ship and the consequent difficulty of taking aim, lie riddled the boat again, and with such lightning-like rapidity and signal effect that the splinters and pieces were not to be counted. Out of 117 shots fired at the torpedo boat, seventy had boon lodged in her and had exploded, tearing the ill-fated craft into fragments . The Dutch official charged with the torpedo service of Holland came up to Mr Hotchkiss

ami (mid, "Sir, I feol inclined to prosecute you. My occupation is gone. Torpedo boats arc good for nothing hereafter.” Some time later, us they were nil seated at dinner, one of the officials remarked that the only hope of tv successful torpedo boat now was to make it so that it could be navigated entirely under water. A thought flashed through Mr Hotchkiss’ mind. “Thatought not to be very difficult.” ho said. “I’ll make one if you will give me time.” The Dutchmen laughed, and said that that was impossible. Whereupon Mr Hotchkiss took out pencil and paper and drew a plan. The .Dutchmen all looked hard at it, whistled, and said : “ Dot’s so !” The inventor put the mysterious paper in his pocket, and yesterday ho ordered a model of a torpedo boat, to be propelled two feet under water, to be prepared. Wo shall tco what wo sha'l see. He believes in fair play, and desires to give the torpedo men a chance, although ho has invented a gun which has thus far caused the utmost consternation among them.