THE WELLINGTON FORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 8302, 17 October 1887, Page 5

THE WELLINGTON FORTS.

[Peb Pbkss Association.] WELLINGTON, per. 16. A party of visitors, accompanied by Sir G. Whitmore, Colonel Bailey, Captain Messenger, and other military gentlemen, went down the harbour 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 a supposed enemy. The direction was accurate, but one of the missiles proved recalcitrant, and eluded search for a long time; the other floated up at once, and was easily rejoined on reaching the surface. The composition of phosphorus on the snout bursts into a flame and guides the pursuers. After that four mines werelaid and fired with complete success, no hitch of any kind occurring. The visitors inspected the fort, which is now finished, nothing remaining but to clear some earth away outside the palisades. It is armed with two 7-inch muzzle-loaders, a 6-inch breachloading Armstrong mounted on disappearing carriage, and two 6-pounder quickfiring Nordenfeldts. Everything, is in readiness to go into action to-morrow if necessary. The work on Fort Halawell, nearer to Wellington, is not so advanced. An 8-inch Armstrong is to he mounted there in addition to the 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.