Joe W. Vann III
Member
On page 114 of my old friend Chuck Jones' "Artillery Fuses of the Civil War", there is a USN Boxer fuze. The paper label is:
W.N.Y
Boxer Fuze
April
1892
C. ON
Boxer Fuze
April
1892
C. ON
Of course the "WNY" is Washington Navy Yard, where all USN fuzes were made during this period. The C.ON is the initials for Commander (Later Rear Admiral) Charles O'Neil who was Inspector of Ordnance at the Yard during this period. His initials appear all fuzes as shown in the attached drawing. The USN used this self-ignighting Boxer in shrapnel for the "new" breech-loading Hotchkiss 3" Boat Howitzer. I have found no references to the U.S. armed forces using this fuze prior to the 1890's.
