Battery Dynamite (1)

 (1891-1902) - Battery Dynamite (1) was an experimental compressed air 15 inch and 8 inch coastal gun battery on Fort Hancock (2), Monmouth County, New Jersey. Deactivated in 1902.

Endicott Period (1890-1910)
Originally built as an experimental concrete coastal gun battery with two 15" M1886 guns mounted on M1886 Pneumatic carriages and one 8" M1886 guns mounted on M1886 Pneumatic carriages. Electrical power was furnished by the emplacement power plant.

The guns were powered by compressed air that drove the explosive shells out of the gun tubes. The explosive used in the shells was dynamite. Dynamite shells could not be used in normal guns because the impact of the propellent firing would trigger the dynamite and the shells would explode while still in the gun tube. Compressed air drove the shells out of the gun tube at a lower velocity and with less impact. Because of the lower pressure and no explosive propellant the gun tubes were very thin and actually required a cantilevered support to keep the gun tube rigid.

Since the guns were experimental, the contractor provided the guns, carriages and the emplacements as well as the considerable amount of machinery necessary to produce the highly compressed air.

The Battery was deactivated in 1902 and the guns and carriages were removed and later salvaged.

In 1905 a dormitory and selector test room building was built for the mining casemate across gun emplacement #2 and #3. The 52' building was accepted for service on 29 Aug 1905 at a cost of $3,000 and was still in service as a dormitory during World War II. In 1921 a protected mining casemate and mine commander station was built into the 8" gun emplacement #1. That facility was accepted for service on 9 Dec 1921 at a cost of $37,500 and remained active throughout World War II. Both of these structures are still in place.



Current Status
No period guns or mounts in place.

Sources:

Links: 
 * New York Times 20 Jul 1893
 * New York Times 22 Oct 1893
 * New York Times 23 Aug 1894