Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, April 30, 1898, Page 6

ROCKET TORPEDO GUN MOST DESTRUCTFUL IMPLE- MENTS OF NAVAL WAR. @eal Admiral Howell Has Made Somo Experiments That May Soon Be Tested —Effects of a “Sure Shot” on a Modern Warship. The awful destructicn of the battle- ship Maine by means of high explo- sives is destined to have an important influence in naval warfare. The les- son that it teaches will stimulate active experiment in new fields, which must result in important inventions of new death dealing instruments. That gun- powder has reached the greatest limit of its possibilities must be accepted, and the advancement of engines of war in the future must be along the line of high explosives, How to use them with safety and accuracy is the question. The guns of the Vesuvius type have not fulfilled the requirements by a great deal. The Sims Dudley dyna- mite gun, though an advance, has not answered the purpose. The problem still remains to be settled. The friends of the new gun which is building at the Driggs Seabury Gun and Ammuni- tion company claim that it will accom- 4 The decks of the enemy are cleared to fight the forts that mark the har- bor entrance, for the insignificant little pieces on the white sands of New York's pleasure ground have not en- gaged theericus attention of the com- mander. The great guns of his main battery, though pointed in that direc- tion, have not deemed them worthy of a single broadside. This he reserves for the more difficult task of silencing the forts of the Narrows. A report, little louder than that of a toy pistol, however, at last attracts his attention —and, before he has time to reply with even one of his rapid fire guns, a num- ber of steel cylinders are hissing and sputtering through the smoky atmos- phere. With accelerating velccity they rise as high as the foremast-head, then turn their noses downward, and, with unerring aim, one of them crashes into his starboard side forward, tearing away the armored plates and leaving a hole through which rush the waters of the bay. Another falls a little astern, too far away to do its work of destruc- tion, though the concussion shakes the ponderous fighting machine from stern to stern, disables her steering gear and puts her engines out of line. The guns from the forts at the Narrows now open fire at long range, and after a few well directed shots, a white flag is seen floating at the masthead—and New plish the two ends. Its tests as soon York is saved. FECT OF PROJECTILES FIRED FROM TORPEDO GUN. as it can be completed will be followed with great interest. The gun is the in- vention of Rear Admiral J. A. Howell, of the United States navy, whose auto- mobile torpedo was so effective and his name in conjunction with it cer- tainly insures a measure of success. Rear Admiral Howell has been con- ducting experiments for several years to improve the Vesuvius’ guns and ob- viate the difficulties which they pre- sent.. He believes that the only means by which a safe, accurate and effective gun can be secured is by embodying in the projectile the two-fold character of piece and projectile; that is, to have it receive impulse from forces residing within itself. Upon these lines he has worked until he has evolved a gun which will speed a rocket containing the explosive with the accuracy of a rifle ball. He believed the rocket must be made to revolve with the same ro- tary motion of a steel projectile hurled from an ordinary gun. To do this the enormous pressure of twenty tons to a square inch would be required in an ordinary gun. Such a force would de- tonate any mass of high explosive ai the instant of discharge. He therefore conceived the idea of revolving. both the gun and the charge. The projectile, consisting, in the 10-inch caliber, vi one hundred pounds of gun cotton, is incased in a thin metal envelope, the rear end of which contains rocket com- position and the head a percussion fuse which is set in action by the force of impact. This is placed in the gun, and when, by a mechanical contrivance, has been spun up to twenty-five hun- dred revolutions per minute, a friction cap ignites the rocket composition, and the banked up pressure at the base starts the rocket. This, then, begins its flight with a rotary motion corre- sponding to that of the gun. The fact that this motion is due to neither the resistance of the atmosphere against vanes nor to the escape of a part of the propelling gas from a number of vents, gives it great range, velocity, and, above all, perfect accuracy—while the absence of any initial shock of dis- charge renders it absolutely safe. The heaviest war rocket fired from the new Howell gun will weigh three hundred pounds, the range will be about three thousand yards, and its ac- curacy almost equal to that of a rifle prejectile. The piece, though it can not be called a high angle fire gun, nor one of point-blank range, is between ‘the mortar and the rifle. The new gun can be used in both offensive and de- fensive operations, ashore or afloat—in fact, the illustration represents a bat- tleship attacked by several of these guns and the effect of a detonation against her armored sides. The enemy is supposed to have been one of a large fleet that has engaged the Sandy Hook batteries, and, either through the smoke and confusion of battle, or some other chance of war, has succeeded in passing the fort, clearing the channel of torpedoes by countermining, and is speeding for the Narrows, from which point she ex- pects to make of New York a mass of smoking ruins. She has not reckoned well, however, for, owing to great draught of water, the battleship is «wompelled to follow the tortuous main hip channel, which brings her within range of the new weapons of destruc- 4ion mounted on the point at Coney fsland. The new gun may be briefly describ- ed as follows: The field piece consists of a cylindri- cal tube forming the main body, which is separate from the part containing the breech. The gun is supported by steel framework, the rear end of which carries the breech portion, and the front forms the forward half’ of the muzzle ball bearings, the other half consisting of a ring shrunk upon the main tube near the muzzle. Since the bore is perfectly concentric with the breech cavity the gun can be loaded without absolutely bringing the main tube to rest. In this type, the gun is rotated by means of gear and sprocket wheels— similar to those on the bicycle for mul- tiplying speed and transmitting power. A small bevel gear, which surrounds the gun, engages a larger one mounted on the trunnions. This large wheel carries on its shaft a small sprocket, to which it is keyed. A sprocket chain leads from this to a large sprocket wheel mounted on the trail. The latter wheel may be revolved either by hand or foot power, depending upon the size of the gun. The speed is so multiplied, through this system of sprocket chain and gears, that a velocity of twelve hun- dred revolutions per minutes is im- parted to the gun. Owing to there being practically no In the larger gun, used for fortifica- tions and cn board ship, the side frame which forms the trunnions of the breech is replaced by cylindrical cas- ing, which carries the trunnions at its forward end. From the trunnions the construction is similar to that of the field piece. The brecch mechanism and method of loading are practically the same. The transmission of the power, however, and the multiplication of the speed are quite different. COLOR IN CIGARS. A Light Wrapper May Not Mean a Mild Smoke. One of the most absurd fads of the cigar trade is that of color in reference to the Havana. The idea prevails that color is indicative of strength. It is no such thing, says the London Grocers’ Monthly. A light or medium colored cigar is not necessarily mild or medium in flavor, for the simple reason that the color refers to the outside wrapper only, which in itself is of very thin sub- stance and in ‘quantity is of very small proportion to the other materials that make up the cigar. Asa matter of fact, the fillers and bunch wrappers will de- termine the body or strength of the cigar. The actual strength, or, other- wise, of the inner body of the cigar— namely, fillers and bunch wrappers, is too often an unknown quantity. It is quite true that a statement may be made that these parts are so-and-so, or a mixture of this and that, and give a.certain ash, etc., but this explains nothing. Not only are there various grades of the same tobacco in relation to quality, but there are also a variety of grades that determine strength. With the exception that certain tobaccos have varying degrees of body or otherwise, a mild, medium or full cigar is largely a matter of chance. The craze for light colors or dark colors has, nevertheless, assumed alarming proportions. The manufacturers, particularly those of Cuba, are at their wits’ ends how to grapple with the matter. Nature is very impartial and quietly ignores the fads ana fancies of people in general. To- bacco leaves, like most things, are sub- ject to the vagaries of the natural ele- ments. A crop may give an undue proportion of dark, light or medium; except for color all may be equally good. What is the manufacturer to da if he can only dispose of his light and medium, and has to keep all his dark? He already threatens to raise the price on his lighter colors, in which case the public would be paying a higher price for by no means the best article. It might be reasonably assumed that, as possessing the essential qualities of a good cigar, the darker cigar is by far the best. It is about time that the re- tailer should take a hand in the mat- ter, THE WORD “YANKEE.” An Examination of Several Theories as to Its Derivation. As the word Yankee frequently ap- pears in the dispatches relating to the difficulties with Spain the Indianapolis News has been looking up the subject and finds that the common story of its origin is that Yankees is a variation of Yankies, or Yangees, or Yaunghees, a name said to have been given by the Massachusetts Indians to the English colonists, being, it is supposed, an In- dian corruption of the word English, or as some think, of the French word Anglais. The word is said to have been adopted by the Dutch on the Hudson, who applied it to the people of New England in contempt. The other the- ory is that it was derived from the Scotch word yankie, as applied to the English settlers, as if English articles meant necessarily excellent articles, and others see the origin in the appli- cation of the definition of excellent and smart to the English colonists. This application is held by good authority INTERIOR PLAN OF THE TORPEDO BOAT. pressure in the tube, there is no recoil, and, therefore, the carriage remains in position. The elimination of the strain due to recoil permits of an extremely light carriage, the weight of the 3.5- inch field gun and carriage complete being under four hundred pounds. The breech mechanism is extremely simple, and of the interrupted screw type. A copper gas check is provided, which takes the place of the brass carriage case in rapid fire guns, or the De Bange gas check in larger pieces, which pre- vents the escape of gas into the breech mechanism. The firing of the gun is readily ac- complished, as follows: The breech block is first opened and the projectile inserted. It is then closed and the primer attached. The gun is then spun up and when revolving rapidly enough and pointed at the target, the lan- yard is pulled, the primer fired, and the flame communicated to the rocket com- position in the end of the projectile. A certain amount of gas is allowed to escape around the rocket, so that no more pressure will be banked up than is sufficient to give the projectile a good start. After leaving the muzzle the burning of the rocket composition in- cre-ses the censity of the gas, thus imparting an accelerating velocity. to be untenable. James Fenimore Cooper thinks it came from the corrup- tion of the word English by the In- dians. At all events, Yankee has come to have an implication of smartness or inventiveness—as applie’l in Yankce no- tions, for instance. And doubtless there is some connotation of smartness as well as unscrupulousness in the term as applied to us. It is not altogether a simple appellation, as used today. It is something of a term of reproach; that is, it is not like the term John Bull, as applied to the Englishman, or Brother Jonathan, as applied to the American. Sane One “On Him.” “TI do not see,” he said, “how you can Possibly reconcile yourself to wearing the hair of another.” “You do not?” she answered, scornfully, pointing to her relative’s coat. “Any pray, don’t you wear the wool of another on your back?”—Youth’s Companion, Revision. Mary has a billy goat, its tail is sort of bent, and everywhere that Mary goes the goat is sure to went. He fol- lowed her to school one day, which made her hot as fire; for Mary rode ho her whieel, and Billy ste the OUR DOOM PRONOUNCED. French Statesman Foresees the Extine- tion of Native Americans. From the Washington Star: Sure- ly a Frenchman ought to be recog- nized as an authority on the question of a declining birth rate. France is the one nation where the birth rate has steadily decreased until at last the deaths outnumber the births. Since 1890 there has been an annual loss of something like 20,000 population in France. It is a Frenchman of science, Arsene Dumont, who predicts the de- struction of the American people. In the Journal of the Paris Statistical so- ciety he reports the result of his study of the vital statistics of Massachusetts. In spite of the efforts made.in New York and other states, it is an exas- perating fact that Massachusetts alone collects trustworthy and comprehens- ive vital statistics, and it is on these that foreign statisticians rely for in- formation as to the tendencies of American life. Yet Massachusetts is hardly representative. She has an un- common proportion of foreign born people, and they are more absorbed in the manufactures than the people of other states. The proportion’ of the two sexes in that state is unlike the proportion of the west and south, and many important conditions are pecul- iar. Mr. Dumont’s study of the birth rate in Massachusetts is not encourag- ing as to the future of Americans. He says that marriages among “American born” reveal a steady diminution of the birth rate. The cause of this he finds in the principle of democracy. ‘ This develops individualism—the de- sire of each person to live his own life for himself, to obtain all the pleasure there is in life, whether intellectual or material. He maintains that as they do not propose to miss the chances of personal development, Americans, or any republican people, will not burden themselves with children. He says there is a poison in republican civiliza- tion, and the more intense republican- ism becomes the more acute individual- ism is. Eventually, he asserts, this must destroy the race and its culture. He sa republics might escape this fate if they would submit to the rule of science. Perhaps it is this determ- ination not to sacrifice any of the pleasures of life for the pleasure of children that is the cause of the de- cline of the birth rate in France. It is more reasonable than the explana- tion commonly given—that in the ab- sence of a law of entail French parents e led to limit the number of their children. The code Napoleon does not allow a man to leave the bulk of his fortune to his oldest child, as in Eng- land. It is hardly reasonable to think that in order to bestow an estate on a single child a man would deny himself the pleasure of rearing a number of children. But in order to find a larger ameunt of liberty and pleasure for himself he might be willing to go child- less. It is strange that a French sci- entist should dwell on the declining birth rate of Massachusetts and make no reference to that of his own country. At the beginning of the century there were thirty-three births for each 1,000 of population in France. In 1850 it had declined to twenty-seven, and in 1895 to twenty-two. At the same time the birth rate of Germany and Austria remained at thirty-eight, that of Eng- land at thirty-three, and that of Italy had increased from thirty-seven to thirty-eight. The decrease is general throughout France, and Mr. Bertillon says it means the disappearance of the French people. Sun Spots. Sun spots occur in greater or less numbers; new ones forming and old ones disappearing constantly. There is a maximum number of periods about eleven years apart according to obser- vations made continuously during the present century. When War Was Declared. fle—“This pie is just like that my other used to bake.” She—“I’m so glad to hear you say so.” He—“Yes; that was what made me run away from home when I was a boy.”—New York Evening Journal, DEVIOUS DEFINITIONS. Millionaire—One man in a million. Coupon—The veal cutlet of the gold- en calf. Cynical—Milk that becomes prema- turely sour. Heat—The tailor that pants of a dog. Fable—An open-faced lie moral attachment. Hermit—A man who can get along without the world. Debt—An easy thing to run into but hard to walk out of. Experience—The strongest spoke in the wheel of fortune. Ignorant—The man who knows less than he thinks you do. Epicure—A masticator who appre- viates a master-caterer. Diamonds—The gems most peculiar to women. Twins—Two things in life for which no man is ever prepared. Monopolist—A man who tries to get a@ monopoly on monopolizing. Egotist—A man who can’t disguise the interest he feels in himself. Success—Something that often de- pends upon the box-office receipts. Astronomer—A man who always lcoks on the bright side of things. Energy—The ability to work given to otherwise perfectly harmless bodies. Hypocrite—A man who prays for something he isn’t willing to work for. Mitten—Something a girl gives the fellow she doesn’t care to go hand ir glove with. Marriage—Sometimes a success ‘sometimes a failure, but usually @ ‘compromise.—Chicago News. makes the with a of thought “Helen, what is the name of that handsome young man who called last evening?” “The lively one?’ “No; the one from Philadelphia”— Cleveland Leader. Don’t Tobacco Sp't and Smoke Your Life Away. ~ To quit tobacco easily and forever, be mag- netic, full of life, nerve and vigor, take No-To- Bac, the wonder-worker, that makes weak men strong. Alldruggists, 50c. or $1. Cure guaran- teed. Booklet and ‘sample free. Address Sterling Remedy Co., Chicago or New York. Silenced by the First Shot. “What made those noisy and loud- shouting men scatter and run so sud- denly ?” “They were talking about wiping Spain out, and somebody’s bicycle tire happened to explode in their midst.’ Piso’s Cure for Consumption has been a God-send to me.—Wm. B. McClellan, Chester, Florida, Sept. 17, 1895. A fair share of prosperity is often dimmed in luster by the fact that a neigh- bor has more. Sure Transmitter. “Mrs. Blinis, how is it that you know everything about Mrs. Sims?” “Oh, my hired girl worked for her three ye "—Detroit Free Press. The first theater in the United States in Williamsburg, Va., in the year Smoke Sledge Cigarettes. 20 for 5 cts. Slated. remarked the shabby- “This drink.” looking mun, “is suggestive of a school i slate.” “Why?” queried the bartender. use I want it chalked up.”— North-American. No-To-Bac for Fifty Cents. Guaranteed tobacco habit cure, makes weak men strong, blood pure. 50e, #1. Read the Advertisements, You will enjoy this publication much better if you will get into the habit of reading the advertisements; they will! afford a most interesting study and will put you in the way of getting some excellent bargains. Ou: adver- tiser: re reliable; they send what 1 the ob- but the upon it and call it —Detroit Journal. e's Great Nerve Restorer. DO trial bottle and trestise. 1 Arch St.. Philadelphia, Pa, Clear Dewn. tunning hair that girl over , and I think that when she would fall below her HWe— there undoes it it waist. She (jealous)—Yes; right on the floor.—Punch. During the past two months the Balti- more & Ohio Railroad company has re- ceived 1,110 new box cars, 1,239 double hopper gondolas and 224 coke cars of the order of recently placed with Pull- man's Pa Car company, the Michigan Peninsular Car works, the Missouri Car and Foundry company and th> South Bal- timore Car works. Deliveries are being made as rapidly as the cars are com- pleted. When a woman measures a room the paperhanger always falls short two or three rolls of paper. Kuhn's Rheumatic Cure is guaran- teed to cure any case of Rheumatism or we will refund you your money. Price, £1.00 per bottle. Kuhn’s Rheumatic Cure Co., 366 Van Buren St., Chicago, Ill. In this world nothing turns up without assistance except a folding bed. Coe’s Cough Balsam best. It will break uv a cold quicker Is the oldest ive. It is always raiiable. Try it. than anythin; Blind men outnumber blind women two to one. The gross earnings of the Chicago railway for the second 7, an in- Great West week of April were $88,690: crease, compared with $7: the same week last year of $9,162.14. The man who rides a hobby, uses ego- tism for a saddle. ‘All druggists. | ! “it looks like war, and I fear me kL | shall have to leave you and the muse Uncle 3am Says: This is America’s Greatest Spring Medicine. Take it Now to Sharpen Your Appetite, Vitalize Your Blood, To Overcome ThatTired G | Feeling. Go to your druggist and get a bottle of Hood’s Sarsaparilla and be- gin to take it today, and realize at once | the great good it is sure to do you, | Hood’s Sarsaparilla Is America’s Greatest Spring Medicine. | “The Poets Wite. “Maria,” sald the poet to his wife, in order that I may serve my country. It is a heart-rending thought.” “I know it, John,” she said, “but just think—we won't have to live on air and incense then, for you'll draw $13 each month of life!” “But,” he gasped—“if I should be hey’ll pension me, John,” she re- plied, sweetly. “Our only hope is war. In our particular case, the sword will be mightier and more remunerative than a box of pens.” Shake Into Your Shoes. Allen’s Foot-Ease, a powder for the ; feet. It cures painful, swollen, smart- | ing feet and instantly takes the sting j; out of corns and bunions. It’s the greatest comfort discovery of the age. Allen’s Foot-Ease makes tight-fitting or new shoes feel easy. It is a certain cure for sweating, callous and hot, tired, nervous, aching feet. Try it to- day. Sold by all druggists and shoe stores. By mail for 25c in stamps. Trial package FREE. Address, Allen S. Olmsted, Le Roy, N. Nothing Is New. When the dying Emperor Frederick said to his son, the present kaiser: “Lerne au lieden ohne zu kiagen!” (“Learn to suffer without complain- ing,”) it was thought that he had en- riched our Christian philosophy with a fresh maxim. But it would appear that he was only repeating the words of the French pcet, Alfred de Vigny, who, as quoted the other day at the Academy by M. Hanotaux, with reference to M. Challemel-Lacoar, wrote: “Seuffre et meurs sans parler.” It is so hard to invent a new phrase at this hour of the world’s clock. ‘To Cure Constipation Forever. ‘Take Cascarets Candy Cathartic. 10¢ or 25c. ItC. C. C. fail to cure, druggists refund money. They Knew Him. The speaker was lauding the politi- cian. “He is an exceptionally brave man.” he said, “I have seen him take his life in his hand—” “It must have soiled his glove,” sug- gested a man in the front row, whereat Unreasonable. “Jobbs, what’s the trouble between you and Mrs. Jobps?” “Oh, she makes me tired. The idea of any woman trying to hold a man to what he said while he was courtin’ her, She ought to have more sense.” MRS. PINKHAM TALKS ABOUT “CHANGE OF LIFE.” ‘Women are Urged to Preparo for this Wonderful Revolution in the Economy of Their Life Blood—Mrs. Watson Tells How She Was Helped. ti Read this letter from Mrs. Detia W. “Dear Mrs. Pincnam:—I have bee Compound for some time during the change of life, and it has been a savior of life unto me. 1 can cheerfully recommend your medicine to all women, and I know it will give permanent relief. to any sufferer.” At no time is woman more liable to physical and mental dangers with hours of suffering than at the ‘Turn of Life.” The great want in woman's system is ability to properly adjustitself to the new conditions. Theoutlet, monthly, of blood is now being diminished and carried into he body for the supply food of its later years. Daughters, you can now tosome extent repay your mother’searlycare. She must be spared every possible exertion. You must help her bear her burdensand anxie- ties. Thiscritical timesafely over, she will return to renewed health and happiness. That so many women fail to anticipate thischange thus happily, is owing not merely to lack of care, but to igno- rance. There is, however, no excuse for ignorance when experienced ad- vice can be yours free of all cost. Write to Mrs. Pinkham, at Lynn, Mass., she has helped great numbers of women successfully through the Change of Life, and she will help you. Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Com- pound is the best tonic for uterine changes. It works harmoniously up- on all these overwrought organs, in- vigorates the body and drives off the blues. ATSON, 524 West 5th St., Cincinnati, Ohio. n using Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable I would be glad to relate my experience Ask Mrs. Pinkham’s Advice—A Woman Best Understands a Woman’s Ills ws