I TERRIBLE DYNAMITE I
| CRUISERS AND BATTERIES, j
H WE OWN TWO SHIPS UNLIKE THOSE OF ANY S
5g OTHER NAVY. §|
With the incorporation of the Brazil
ian cruiser Nictheroy into the United
States Navy under the name of the
Buffalo that branch of the service will
have two ships that are unlike those
of any other navy in the world—de
stroyers on a huge plan. These two
ships—the Vesuvius and the Buffalo
—are throwers of dynamite. The ex
plosives which they throw do not de
pend, as do those thrown from the tor
pedo tubes of ordinary warships or the
missiie sent from a torpedo boat, on
any mechanical contrivance inside of
the missile. They travel through the
air, and their propulsive force comes
from compressed air, which is stored
in a tube that is more like a gun than
a tube. The shots have ranges far su
perior to those of the torpedo and ac
curacy which is almost perfect.
The one question is whether large
skips like these can get near enough
to an enemy to reach him with their
shot. They are not like torpedo boats
or torpedo boat destroyers. They are
large and noticeable objects, and while
the Vesuvius is armored, the Buffalo
has little defensive power. But if they
do get near enough to an euemy to
SANDY HOOK'S DYNAMITE BATTERY.
use their dynamite guns properly the
ship against which they operate is
doomed. No armor, no strength of
construction, no bulkheads can save
the warship that is struck by the tre
mendous charge of nitro-glycerine or
explosive gelatine with which the aerial
torpedo is loaded.
The Nictheroy originally was a
merchant vessel owned by the Mor
gan line, and her name when she
was in a peaceful occupation, was El
Cid. She was bought by the Govern
ment of Brazil in the time of the last
revolution there, and was to be used
against the insurgents, who had
seized the navy and were bombarding
the forts in the harbor of Rio de
THE THREE DYNAMITE CRATERS OF THE
VESUVIUS.
Janeiro. She was reiitted pretty thor
oughly as a cruiser, and her coal
bunkers were so arranged that they
protect the machinery and the parts
necessary to operate the gun. The
latter is mounted in the bow, and
projects through an opening in the
spar deck, giving it a clear range for
ward and permitting a free motion on
each side, so that it can be trained
either to port or starboard. The air
reservoirs of the gun are in the lower
hold, on the starboard side, directly
under the gun, and a central air-pipe
leads up through the foundations
on which the carriage of the gun
DYNAMITE CKUISEB VKHUVrUS.
rests. Shields protect the weapon
and the men who serve it.
On the way to Brazil the crew prac
ticed with it, using "dummy" pro
jectiles, and its accuracy was found
remarkable. The gun was so new, how
ever, that the men were almost as
afraid of it as the enemy was
expected to be, and there was consid
erable relief on board when it was
found C-TI arri\»l in Brazil that there
would be no need for firing it with
real dynamite, as the revolution was
over. Since then the successful in
stallation of two batteries of these
guns in United States forts has made
artillerists more confident, and much
reliance is placed in the work of both
the Vesuvius and the Buffalo.
One weakness of the dynamite gun
<<tfem is the fact that the projectiles
J discharged with compressed air.
i'his makes necessary a special plant
which, of course, means complica
tions of the kind that every naval
officer is anxious to avoid. It is riot
so bad on land, where the necessary
steam plant can be protected with
earthworks, but oo a ship the matter
is different. Against this objection
the gun offers these advantages over
the submarine torpedo: It has
greater range, is almost absolutely
accurate, and the projectiles cannot
be stopped in its course by torpedo
nets or exploded by rapid fire guns,
as it is too swift in its flight.
The aerial torpedo which is thrown
from the dynamite guns on these two
ships is shaped like the head of a
rocket and is about ten feet long.
FIFTBEN-INGH FULL CALIBRE DYNAMITE
PROJECTILE.
Spiral vanes guide its flight and the
explosive charge, consisting of from
200 to 500 pounds of nitro-glycerine,
is in the head and middle of the pro
jectile. When loaded the entire af
fair weighs 10(W) pounds. It can be
set to explode either on impact or by
a time fuse. A range of 2000 yards
with entire accuracy is attainable.
As said before, the question is
whether a ship carrying these guns
[ could get near enough to attack an en
emy. To approach an alert ship of war
close enough to use the dynamite gun
the Vesuvius or the Buffalo must steam
for several miles under fire, for the
ordinary powder guns of any warships
will throw shot at least three or four
miles, and the big guns will carry
seven miles with fair accuracy. The
dynamite throwers must rush at the
enemy under a storm of shot, there
fore, and this, at the rate of speed of
either these ships, would mean that
they would be exposed to it for fifteen
minutes at the least before they could
reply. But if they survive this fire
and drop one projectile within fifty
yjyds of the greatest battleship afloat,
tli« result will be the enemy's annihil
ation. No craft can withstand the
shock of an explosion of the amount
of gelatine or nitro-glycerine which
their projectiles can carry.
It is somewhat misleading to speak
of dynamite guns when referring to
the dynamite battery on Sandy Hook.
What they are really is torpedo tubes
that discharge aerial torpedoes instead
of the submarine variety. The tubes
are mounted like cannon, aud to an
extent look like them; but, exactly
speaking, they are torpedo tubes, and
nothing else. Like the submarine tor
pedo, they are of use only at close
range, or what is considered close
range in these days of high power steel
cannon which throw shot ten miles.
The dynamite battery has an extreme
range of only 4300 yards, a little over
two miles.
The accuracy of fire of the dynamite
battery is great. This is due to the
absolute evenness of the propelling
force. Compressed air projects the
torpedo. The best of powder varies
in pressure, while compressed air is
exact. The full calibre projectile
(called full calibre in distinction from
Jjie smaller projectiles, which ore made
to tit the tube by means of fingers)
weighs 1000 pounds, 500 pounds of it
being explosive gelatine, either nitro-
glycerine or guncotton, and it is fired
with an air pressure of 1000 pounds
to the square inch. This pressure is
exerted so evenly and gradually that
the explosive is not shocked into pre
mature detonation, and it is ao steady
that the unwieldy torpedo or projec
tile hits with remarkable accuracy.
The enormous charge would wreck the
hull of any battleship afloat, even if it
did not strike the ship directly, but
exploded anywhere within llfty feet of
it under water.
There are two dynamite batteries at
forts in this country. One is in Fort
Scott in San Francisco Harbor and the
other is in Fort Hancock, on Sandy
Hook. The Fort Scott battery con
sists of three fifteen-inch and the Fort
Hancock battery haa two fifteen-inch
and one eight-inch tube or gun. The
torpedo boat Vesuvius has fifteen-inch
guns.
A Kansas genius introduced a bill
in the legislature against snoring in
sleeping car», hotels, churches and
other places where the practice is
more or less annoying.
The Sonc of Hie Tub.
Scrub! scrub! scrub!
Hark to the Song of the Tub!
.Saturday night is the time 112 >r me!
Then is the time that yon oKuckle with glee.
Fill up the till) with the water so hot!
Never be sparing, but putin a lot.
Now for the soap and the flannel as well.
Oh, trow delightful! Its joys who can tell?
Scrub! scrub! scrub!
Hark to the Song of the Tub!
Scrub! scrub! scrub!
Hark to the Song of the Tub!
How you look forward to Saturday night,
Down by the Are so cosy aud bright;
First you must dip in that jolly old tub.
Then you must dry yourself—rub! rub! rub!
Scrub! scrub! scrub!
Hark to the Song of the Tub!
The Bi e Wall.
A story of the Chinese wall was
read to a class in composition. After
the reading they were expected to re
produce the story in original style,
aud they did so. Here is a sample:
"Once they was a man, and he was
the greatest man of any one there, or
iu the United States. And he had to
build a wall, so he built it. He had
a lot of Shanghais, and he built the
wall around the Shanghais. These
were all China people. Some of the
other people who were not China
people tried to climb the wall, but
they didn't, cause they were afraid of
the Shanghais."
TrinpftMake Perfection.
When Michael Augelo, the great
sculptor, was employed on one of his
noblest works of ait, a friend called
to see him, and during his visit ex
pressed great surprise at finding his
statue apparently no further advanced
than when he had seen it a few weeks
before. "Stay, my friend," said the
artist, "I can assure you that I have
beeu hard at work 011 it since I saw
you last. I have deepened the furrow
on the brow, and slightly depn s ied
the eyelid, while I have added another
line to the mouth." "Yes," said his
friend; "I see all that, but these
things are only trifles." "That is
true," replied the sculptor, "still.it
is these trifles which make perfection,
and do you call perfection a trifle?"
To Make a Combination Picture.
Have you ever made a combination
picture"? It is a splendid way to
putin loug,disagreeable eveuiugs. "A
Cluster of Babies," makes a good sub
ject for the giils, and "Football
Favorites" will do for the boys. The
pictures can be clipped from the news
papers and the magazines. After the
girls have a large collection of baby
faces the picture must lie neatly
trimmed and pasted 011 a big sheet of
paper so that the effect will be that of
a hundred or more babies looking out
of a window frame. Some are crying,
some are smiling aud some look pert
and saucy. If you are fond ot birds,
make a combination picture of them,
or you can have a flower garden if you
wish. Gathering pictures of public
men is a good plan, too, for it famil
iarizes one with celebrated faces.
The Emotion of Grief In a 1>»!C.
Dutch was a browu retriover of ad
vanced years. Curly was said to be
a Scotch terrier, but his appearance
suggested some uncertainty iu his
descent. Dutch was chained to her
keunel, and Curly, who eujoyed his
liberty, evinced his friendship by fre
quently taking bones aud other canine
delicacies to his less fortunate friend.
One morning Curly presented himself
at the house evincing uuniuitakable
signs of grief by lus demeanor and his
whines. A visit to the kennel, where
poor Dutch -was found lying dead,
showed tlie occasion of Curly's un
happiness. We buried Dutch de
corously under a vine in the garden,
and supposed that Curly would forget
the incident, but we were touched to
see him in the capacity of faithful
mourner often revisit the spot where
his old friend was laid, taking by way
of ottering choice bones, which lie
Carefully buried by the grave. This
practice Curly maintained for two
years, when we ltrft the house.
Two Wt»y* A Fnblo.
Two little weeds grew on a bank by
the roadside. All summer they had
drunk dew and sunshine, and had
been happy, but now autumn was
come, with gray skies, and winds that
nipped and piuchecl them.
"We shall die soon," sail one little
weed. "jf should like to do some
thing pleasanj before I die, just to
show what a happy time I have had.
I think I will turn red, and then people
will see how I feel.
"You will be a great fool to waste
your strength in auy such nonsense!"
said the other little weed. "I shall
live as long aa I can, and hug the
brown bank here."
So the first little weed turned bright
scarlet, and was so beautiful that
every one who passed that way turned
to look at it. By and by there came
along a most lovely maiden with her
lover; and, when the lover saw the
scarlet leaves, he picked them, aud
set them in his maiden's hair, aud
they lent her a new grace. This made
the little weed so happy that he died
for pure joy.
The second little weed lived on,aud
turned slowly brown, like th« bank
"He was a fool!" lie said, speikiui
of his companion. "He put all bis
strength into turning red, and so he
died."
"I was proud of him," said the
brown bank. "He did what he could,
and people observed him."
"Yes; but I am alive and stay with
yon," said the weed.
"Much I care!" said the brown
bank.—Laura E. Richards, in the
Church.
Do Your It -st.
A gentleman once said to a physi
cian, "I should think, doctor, that at
night you would feel so worried ovei
the work of the day, that you would
not be able to sleep."
"My head hardly touches the pil
low before I fall asleep," replied the
physician. "I made up my mind,"
he conHnued, "at the commencement
of my professional career to do my
best under all circumstances; and so
doing, I am not troubled with anj
misgivings." A good rule for us all
to follow. Too many arc disposed tc
say: "No matter how I do this work
now; next time I'll do it better." The
practice is as bad as the reasoning:
"No matter how I learn this lesson iu
the primary class, when I get into a
higher department then I'll study."
As well might the mother in knitting
stockings say: "No matter how the
top is done, even if I drop a stitch
now and then, I'll do better when ]
get further aloug." What kind of a
stocking would that be? As well
might the builder say: "I don't cnre
how I make the foundation of this
house; anything will do here; wait till
I get to the top, then I'll do good
work."
Said Sir Joshua Reynolds once tc
I)r. Samuel Johnson: "Pray tell me,
sir, by what means have you attaiueil
such extraordinary accuracy and How
of language in the expression of your
ideas?" "I laid it as a fixed rule,"
replied the doctor, "to do my best on
every occasion, aud iu every company
to impart what I kuow in the most
forcible language I can put it."
Pigeon** Devotion.
In the animal kingdom there are
many strong examples of mother love,
and the- birds are particularly noted
for displaying it. A remarkable in
stance of this maternal instinct was
recently noticed near Elwood, Ind.
A mother pigeon whose young one
had mysteriously disappeared searched
unceasingly for weeks for the little one,
and one day was seen Hying violeutly
against the side of a frame building in
the city.
Each time she came iu contact with
the house she chipped of a small bit
of wood with her bill. For nearly two
days the old bird kept this practice
up, often during that time falling ex
hausted from the repeated shocks and
fatig'ie. In the afternoon of the
second day she hail pecked a hole in
the wall, the wood of which was old
and soft from the weather. This hole
was large enough to admit a man's
hand, and through this the mother
bird went and came.
Every time she entered she carried
grain or seeds or grass. Some curious
people investigated the hole while she
was absent, and there they found the
little lost pigeon, just below the hole,
wedged in between the weatherboards.
For two days more the bird continued
to bring the little one food, and would
stay fluttering near the hole, chirrup
ing and trying to cheer the little
prisoner up. Many times it entered
and seemed to be trying to extricate
its young one, but it could not sue
cec d iu doing so, try as it would. The
prisoner had flown into the building,
which was empty, and managed to get
between the weather boarding, neai
the top of the inside. Falling a con
siderable distance, it lodged in the
nufrow space, which did not permit il
to use its wings iu rising again. It*
plaints had reached the mother, and
she, not being able to reach it from
the inside, had cut through from the
out. An admiring man thrust his
hand through the hole and brought
out the fluttering young thing, much
to the great delight of the anxious
mamma bird.—lndianapolis Sentinel
Tin- I.Mfisunge of Color*.
There is a language of color as well
as of flowers. White expresses power,
wisdom, purity, candor, chastity.
Bed is symbolic of power, passion and
riches. Kings and rulers on eartb
have always worn red mantles, and sc
have the executioners of o'd, so thai
this color also stands for cruelty and
hardness. Blue denotes fidelity,
sweetness, tenderness, loyalty.a spot
less reputation. Aeriel divinities are
invariably clad in blue. Theaucients
allowed yellow to stand for glory and
fortune. Now it is called the color oJ
infidelity and shame. Green is em
blematic of hope and joy. It is the
emblem of youth, because spring ver
dure is green. Jealousy does not have
any showing in discussing this color.
Black stands for sadness, for de
ception, for disappointed hopes. In
fernal deities are painted black. Le
gend says that Apollo turned thf
raven black because it betrayed him.
Hence the raven is called the bird of
misfortune. Pink denotes health,
love, youth, pleasure. Violet is the
tint allowed faith. Orange means
divinft inspiration and poetry. The
muses are represented as draped in
orange colored draperies. Orauge
was once the color of Hymen. Brides
in olden times wore orange colored
veils called flammeum, and they could
not pronounce their vowa uncless cov
ered with flammeum. Even now
brides wear orange blossoms on theii
wedding day.— Philadelphia Times.
THE CUBAN WATER MONKEY.
One Must ISe an Expert to Drink Fron
It Gracefully*
The Cubans harve a domestic utensi'
called a "water monkey," that is to be
found in houses, hotels aud ottices. It
answers the same puipose as the oils
in Mexico and the clay jugs of India.
It is made ot gray porous clay and if
manufactured in Malaga, "where the
raisins come from." By absorption
and evaporation a blanket of 000l ait
surrounds the jug continually and
DRINKING FROM A WATER MONKEV.
keeps the whter almost as cold as if it
contained ice. In a country where ice
is both scarce aud expensive these
jugs are indispensable.
The water monkeys have two aper
tures, one about the size of a dollar,
through which water is poured into a
glass. On the opposite side is a pro
tuberance with a small hole running
through it. From this the experienced
Cuban drinks without touching it to
tiis lips. When about to drink he
holds it two or three inches from his
mouth, into which the tiny stream of
water pours. Gradually and slowly
he lifts the monkey away from hkn
until it is almost at arm's length, the
water continuing to How from the
monkey down his throat. Occasion
ally the drinker gulps, aud when his
thirst has been satisfied he returns
the monkey toward his mouth, then
suddenly tips it up, shutting off the
stream. It takes considerable experi
ence to drink out of a water monkey
gracefully. The beginner sends a
stream of water down his neck instead
of his throat four times out of five,
until he has mastered the art.
FIRED FIRST SHOT INTO CUBA.
Cadet Cliarle* Hoone, of Dayton, Ohio,
Had That Honor.
Cadet Charles Boone, the Dayton
(Ohio) boy who sent the firt-t shot of
the war into Cuba from his gun on
the flagship New York, in the bom
bardment of Matanzas Harbor, re
ceived his appointment to Annapolis
through Congressman Sorg. He had
CADET CHARLES BOONE.
(United States Naval Officer who fired the
first shot into Cuba.)
been in the school four years and was
detailed on the New York a few months
ago. He is but little more than
twenty years old, but is spoken of
highly by his superior officers.
At once, on being transferred to
the flagship, he was placed in charge
of an eight-inch gun, with twenty
four men under him. \\ hen the or
der came from Rear-Admiral Samp
son to "cut loose," he sent the first
ball straight through and through the
walls of the Spanish fort, tearing
away everything in its path.
At the Soda-AVa'r Fountain.
Spanish Fizz—"What will yon
have?"
Commodore Dewejr—"l'll take Ma
nila."
A state lunch in Ghkia coutains 146
disheft.
THE FLAG.
Lo! in a night dry rods huve boomed
In flowers of red and white and bluet
On ev ry stuff the dawn's illumed
The new glorious banner waves anewl
No blossom this, to droop and fade
In sulph'rous smoke of belching guns;
Its roots were set, its tints were laid
In the best blood of Freedom's sons.
Across its hues the eyes of men
Flash each to each with patriot Are,
And heroes press its sacred stem
T'i lips that smile as they expire.
The sluggish blood, by commerce chilled.
Leaps to its fount with sudden pride;
And cnildren gaze, with bosoms thrilled,
At this their heritage and guide:
—Grace Duffle lioylan.
HUMQROUS.
Xewsbov (to distinguished author
just arrived) —Extra, sir. Full ac
count of your arrival.
The Rejected One—l a rival,
then? Thp Girl—-Hardly that; I have
promised to marry him.
Many a young man who has entered
on a career has been glad soon after*
wards to get a steady job.
Mrs. A.—Do you think Mary Oil
pert is as old as she looks? Mrs. B.
—My dear, she conldu't be.
Faddy—Are you in favor of a sin
gle tax? Ditddy—l go farther than
that. I would have no tax at all.
Teacher (showing off his pupils)
Now, Johnny, tell us how the earth is
divided. Johnny (vivaciously)—By
earthquakes, sir.
Clerical Friend--I hear yon are hav
ing trouble in your church. The Rev.
Dr. Fourthly—Not a word of truth in
it. The trouble is in the choir.
His Wife—They say a photographer
is to establish a place here soon.
The Suburbanite—How can he expect
people who live here to look pleasant?
Miss Blackleigh(looking at her pho
tograph)—l should like to know what
people say about my picture. Miss
Daisey—No, dear, I don't think you
would.
She—Do you recollect the night
that you proposed to me? I bent my
head and didn't say anything. He
Quite right; but you've made up for
it since.
Proud Father—My daughter strikes
Band is reaching for C. Friend—Oh,
but you can't really complain until
she begins to strike you for V's aud
reach tor X's.
Editor—Why don't you want your
article on "Advice to Housewives"
signed? Hack-Writer Because I
want my wife to take some of the
advice herself.
"Governor, the bicycle trade posi
tively refuses togo to the front."
"What's the reason* 1 " "They claim
that they would be at once disabled
by the hard-tack."
He—"ln the spring the young
mau's fancy " you know; the little
birds begin to mate—the— She—
Yes; in the spring, even the potatoes
begin making eyes.
"Pa, can Igo to the circus?" "No,
my son; if you're a good boy, you
won't want togo to the circus."
"Then I'd better go while I'm bad
enough to enjoy it, hadn't I?"
"Do yon think said the man who is
slightly superstitions,' "that a comet
pressages danger?" "Well," replied
Mr. Meekton, with the deliberation of
a mail who is accustomed to think
many times before he speaks, "it does
if I stay out hue euough to see it."
Pat was suffering dreadfully from
seasickness, and there was no pros
pect of relief, for the vessel pitched
and rolled without cessation. "By
t'under," he cried in his agony.
"Won't somebody second this motion
and let it be passed without debate!"
A teacher asked a little boy to spel)
"responsibility,"which be did. "Now,
Tommy," said the teacl e "can you
tell me the meaning of that, big word?'
"Yis, muni," answered Tommy. "If
I had only four buttons on my trou
sers, aud tWo came off, all the respon
sibility would hang 011 the other
two."
"Papa," said the youthful student
of history, "is an ultimatum the last
word?" "N*o-o, not exactly; that is,
not always," replied the old geutle'
man thoughtfully. "You see, then
are circumstances uuder wliich a man
may give an ultimatum to a woman—
his wife, for instance—but, of course,
that doesn't mean that he will have
the last word; not by a good deal."
Caught a Wit nous.
A man named Hogan was charged
with murder. A hat, believed to be
the prisoner's, was found near the
body of the murdered man, and this
was the principal ground for suppos
ing Hogan was the perpetrator of the
foul deed. O'Connell, who was rer
tained for the defense, felt the case
required the exercise of his utmost
powers.
The counsel for the crown made a
strong point on the hat. O'Connell
cross-examined the witness who iden
tified it. "Are you perfectly sure that
this was the hat found close to the
body?" "Sartiu sure." O'Connell
proceeded to inspect the caubeen.
"Was the prisoner's name> Pat
Hogan," (he spelled each letter slowly),
"in it at the time yon found it?"
'"Twas, of coorse." "You could not
be mistaken?" "No, sir." "And all
you swore is as true as that?" "Quite."
"Then get off the table this minute!"
cried O'Conneil triumphantly. Ad'
dressing 4fee judge, he said: "My
lord, there can be no conviction here.
There is no name in the hat!"
Antique Vegetables.
Asparagus was originally a wild sea
coast weed of Great Britain and
Russia, aud is now so plentiful on thv
Russian steppes that the cattle eat it
like grass. In some parts of southern
Europe the seeds are dried and used
as a substitute for coffee.—Philadel
phia Inquirer.