THB WOOLWICH INFANT.

Southland Times, Issue 1642, 1 October 1872, Page 5

THB WOOLWICH INFANT.

(From the London Times.) The *' Woolwich Infant " was confronted on the 20th of June by sucb a target as bas never been fired at before. In front of the old No. 33 target, assigned to test the utmost powers of the heaviest ordinance, was placed an extra 4-inch plate, held in a wooden frame, a space of six inches being left between tbe new plate aud target. Thus the mass to be fired at consisted of — first, 4 inches of iron, then an air space, then an 8-inch plate, next 6 inches of Indian teak, followed by 5 inches more of solid iron, another 6 inches of teak, — aud, lastly, a skin, tougher than tbat of a rhinoceros, an inch and a half of iron, the whole consisting of 13a- inches iron, 12 inches wood, and an air space. Let not the reader treat this air space with contempt • it helped to save the target. The trumpet sounded a warning-note and all sought cover in the splinter-proofs. There was to be one charge fired first without projectile to clear the baby's throat, and the tender solicitude of tbe nurses — tender and loving they are to their own babies, those grand bronze gunners — soon brought a soft dull sound from the young creature. After that, all breaths were hushed to hear what would follow, but again tbe baby only coughed. It was cold, they said, and needed more of its elixir before beiDg permitted to cry in earnest. A long interval succeeded, while its feeders were placing in its mouth 1101 b. of powder and a Pallieer shell weighing, with its small charge of 91b. of powder, a total of 7001 b., about tbe weight of four heavy men, or, shall we say, two or three Claimants ? At length the infant spoke in earnest, and literally the bomb-proofs trembled with the shock. A crash followed, and the air was fuli of hot, heavy fragments — so hot that they could not be held in the naked hand when tbey were picked up. Never has Shoeburyness seen a more eager rush to a target or blanker expressions on the face of the uninitiated when they found that the target had not been pierced. But the experienced ran first to the back and saw that the whole bulk — plates, heavy wooden foundations let into the ground, — in fact, the whole structure had been forced some three inches backwards. The 4-inch plate in front, too, had been driven from its frame and caused to lean for support against the main target. Artillerists kuow that the stored-up " work " in a projectile cannot push back many tons of metal and penetrate tbem too. So the effect was pronounced unexampled in the history of artillery. The shell had acted partly as a ram, partly as a punch. A ship is too heavy too yield so to a swift shot, and, besides, showers of bolt-beads had been sent flying to the rear, deadly as splinters of a shell. None the less was it deemed wise to try one more round on a new and souud place. This time the 4-inch plate could move no further, and as the blow was struck nearer the centre of the target, the mass was less moved. Through the loose plate went the point of the shell, through plates, wood, and skin of tbe target, and breaking from the base, which remained in the hole, point, sides, and pieces of target rushed shrieking in one wild ruin to what would have been the interior of a ship stronger than the waves have ever borne. Once more, spite of all the science of shipbuilders, the guns have it.