DYNAMITE SHELLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7561, 28 May 1885, Page 6

DYNAMITE SHELLS.

A further trial of the newly-invented dynamite shells took place on March 12 on the banks of the Potomac, about halfway between Georgetown and the Chain bridge, Washington. The district authorities refused to permit the trials witnih the Corporation limits of Washington, on account of the destructive concussions which were among the results of the preliminary trial a few days before at the Navy Yard. . Four shots: were fired with six-inch shells, carrying 111 b bursting charges of. nitro-gela-tine, which contains about 95 per cent of pure nitro-glycerine. The range was 1000 yards, and the target was a perpendicular ledge of solid trap rock on the south bank of the river. The first shell struck near the eastern margin of the ledge and exploded by concussion, shattering the face of the rock for the radius of about 30 feet, and carrying away several tons of debris, which were hurled for hundreds of yards up and down the stream. The second shell struck nearly in the centre of the ledge, exploding as before. It opened a cavity on the face of the ledge about 25ft in diameter, and excavated a pit or crater about 6ft deep. Some of the fragments of rock from this explosion were hurled half a mite, one piece, weighing nearly twelve pounds, being thrown slear across the canal and lodging near a farmhouse. The other shots were similar in their effects. A large concourse of people assembled to view the trial, among whom, in addition to several officers of the Army and Navy, were the military and naval attaches of the German, French, and Italian legations, and the Russian Minister in person. The trial was regarded as a success in every respect, and as a conclusive proof of the destructive powers of the six-inch shells. The next test in the series was made with eight-inch shells, carrying thirty-five pound charges of nitro-gelatine. According to the Herald's correspondent, the members of the Foreign Legations present manifested great interest in the trial, particularly the Russian Minister and the German military who took copious notes of the proceedings. Some of the military and naval experts present expressed the opinion that any one of the shells fired would have completely wrecked any unarmoured ship afloat and seriously racked the strongest ironclad. The safety of the system of firing seems to be assured by the two trials that have been made, the shell leaving the gun in every instance as. safely as an ordinary powder charge shell could, do.