A DYNAMITE WARSHIP.

Western Star, Issue 1573, 24 June 1891, Page 3

A DYNAMITE WARSHIP.

Nowt) from America states that the Ericsson Coast defence Company, Newhaven, Conn., has fcbo old U.S. warship Destroyer in hand, effecting alteration to ber'which are expected to render her the most formidable warship in the world. The vice-president for the company writes :—" AVe are fitting up the vessel for the purpose of testing a gun that will fire under water. Now, with the heavy nettings which the war vessels have for the protection, of themselves against torpedoes', the ordinary projectiles are almost useless. But with the gun that is to be tested on the Destroyer we can make projectiles penetrate any of the nettings that are in use. We are io use a 16in gun. That which we are to experiment with is being constructed, and is about half done. It is 35ft in length. The projectile is to be 25ft long and to throw it a charge of 251 b of powder will be used. The shell will contain 3001 b to 4001 b of nitro-glycerine, enough to blow up auy vessel afloat if 3truck right. 'The muzzle of the gun will rjrotrude 10ft under water and the projectile will be carried from 750 ft to IOOOfc beyond the muzzle.of the gun before exploding. We intend to try the gun for the first time at Newport in Julv, having obtained from Congress an appropriation for making the tests. With a few such vessels as the Destroyer will be when equipped with our gun, the armed Heels of the world could be swept out of existence. _ I believe this invention will revolutionise the naval gunnery throughout the world. One of our shells can be sent right through the netting and nito the side of a vessel where a torpedo could not penetrate. For the price that one of our big ships will cost wo could build and arm five smaller ships, which would bo ablo to sink the best navy afloat.