WELLINGTON DEFENCES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1689, 17 October 1887, Page 3

WELLINGTON DEFENCES

Wellingiok, October 15. A party of visitors, accompanied by Sir George Whitmore, Colonel Bailey, Captain Meutmger, and other military gentleman, went down the harbor to Fort BalUnce yesterday Afternoon to witness some experiment! with torpedoes and mines. Two Whitehsad torpedoes were fired between bnoys representing the Hue of advance of the supposed enemy. The direction was accurate, bat one of the missiles proved recalcitrant, and eluded search for a long time. The other floated up at once, and wai easily regained. On reaching the ratface a composition of phosphorus on the snout bursts into a flume, and guides the pursuers. After that four mines were laid and fired with complete success. No hitch of any kind occurred. 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 7in mozz^e loaders, a 6ln bresch-loading Armstrong, mounted on a disappearing carriage, and two six-pounder quick- firing Nordenf eldts Everything is m readiness to go into aotion to-morrow if necessary. The work on Fort Halswell, nearer Wellington, is not so advanced. An Bin Armstrong is to be mounted there m addition to other gnns. There is also a powerful search light at Fort Ballaoce, and all the Btores and elsctrlo apparatus necessary for a system of floating and contact mines. The submarine armament of the colony has so far cost about £20,000.