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Best School Excursion Ever!
Strange as it may seem to our eyes, in an era of risk avoidance, in 1907 it was apparently OK to take a bunch of school children on an excursion to a place full of explosive materiel. Here's the evidence, courtesy of Kogarah schoolboy Master von Koenneritz:
"A visit to the above islands [Garden Island and Spectacle Island] is not always an easy matter to achieve, so when our headmaster Mr. Wilson succeeded in obtaining permission to take with him a number of pupils, the announcement was hailed with delight by our whole class. ...
As all had been seen we were preparing to leave the island [Garden Island], when Mr. Johns kindly informed us, that we could have the use of the steam launch to carry us over to Spectacle Island. This naturally saved time for instead of going to the Quay, and then from there to Cockatoo Island, and finally to Spectacle Island, we could now go direct to the latter. So after thanking Mr. Johns for his kindness we left in a steam launch to go to Spectacle Island, which proved to be a very pleasant trip.
There we were received by Mr. Creber who willingly showed us through the building. The first thing we saw was the fire engine for it is a very important matter that an outbreak of fire should be instantly put out. Four different sizes of large guns and the Maxim gun were then seen. The Maxim gun fires 240 shots without once reloading. It does three different actions in one moment bringing the cartridge in line of fire, firing it and then let the empty one out. The old Maxim gun, with its five barrels, which was also seen, is now out of use.
The testing room, where the shells are tested (for it is necessary to inspect and test the shells) was also visited, as well as the stores containing the shells. The shells are marked with different coloured lines so that they may be recognised from practice shells or shells for smaller guns as the case may be. Instead of the shells being fired off with powder, cordite and gun-cotton are used. Cordite is of different sizes according to the size of gun.
Gun-cotton is made by the action of concentrated sulphuric acid and saltpetre, the cotton being put in to keep it together. If it is wet, gun-cotton will not explode easily, but if a small portion of dry is added to a wet part, the whole takes effect.
Before entering the ammunition room, great amusement was created by the fact that large size boots, had to be put on to prevent sparks, which might occur through the friction of the nails of the ordinary boots, against the floor of the building.
The laboratory, which we also visited is the place where the shells are cleaned, which of course is a very delicate work. Then we visited the store where some guns and other articles of warfare were kept in reserve, we were surprised to find a couple of rows of boarding pikes. Boarding pikes were used about the time of Nelson, but would be of no value now with the modern guns and rifles that we have.
The last place we visited was the mine store, which contains two different kinds of mines - floating and countermines. The countermines are used when it is known that there are mines near by, belonging to the enemy. The floating mines are very dangerous, both to the enemy and to those who place them ; for as they are floating about under the water, they can not be seen. In order to prevent the mines exploding before they are placed in the water, burnt sugar is placed between the metal contacts, which causes the explosion. When they are touched by anything and forced over to an angle of 70 deg. mercury in little tubes comes together, completes the electric circuit and causes the mine to explode.
Several heaps of cannon balls were seen, placed at the corner of a grassy patch, which brought back to the mind the days when muzzle loading guns were used. Each cannon ball weighed about 32 lbs.
And now our visit of inspection was nearing its end, but before its termination a last and by no means the least pleasing of all the pleasant surprises of the day, awaited us, for all of a sudden Mr. Creber appeared carrying refreshments, which needless to say, we heartily enjoyed.
We then took leave of Mr. Creber and after vainly trying to pull in a pulling boat to Cockatoo Island, were picked up and towed by the steam launch carrying Mr. Wilson and the fairer sex of the party. In this way we reached the Island, whence we took the ferry boat to Sydney and finally the train for home. Here, after thanking our kind headmaster, we separated. It being a fine clear, calm day, it naturally enhanced everything we saw, and I am sure, we all heartily enjoyed ourselves."(St George Call, Saturday 13 April 1907, page 7)
Master von Koenneritz seems to have been a good observer. He was likely a son of Leo Baron von Koenneritz who appears in the press around the time of the excursion as a representative of the German newspaper Frankfurter Zeitung. He obtained naturalization as an Australian citizen in August 1914, stating that he had arrived in Australia from Belgium in 1882 and was then residing in Kogarah (NAA: A1, 1917/3904). His newspaper appearances in Australia suggest he had a strong interest in scientific and technical matters, which he seems to have communicated to his son, whose first name was probably Karl, born in 1891 (NSW BDM 16957/1891).