THE WELLINGTON FORTS.
[Per Press Association.,! WELLINGTON, Oct. 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 al ong 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 ocourring. 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 Halswell, nearer to Wellington, is not so advanced. An 8-inch Armstrong is to be mounted there in addition to the other gan3. There is also a powerful search light at Fort Ballance, and all the stores and electric apparatus necessary for a system of floating 1 and contact mines. The submarine armament of the Colony has so far cost about .£20,000.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18871017.2.49
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 6060, 17 October 1887, Page 4
Word Count
238THE WELLINGTON FORTS. Star (Christchurch), Issue 6060, 17 October 1887, Page 4
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.