The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-09 00:00:00

THE ARMSTRONG GUN.

(Prom the Mechanics? Magazine.)

We beg once more to refer to this subject. Our
readers will remember that, since the first intro.
duction of the Armstrong gun to the public, we
have endeavoured to supply a fair and impartial
criticism on the merits or demerits of the Arm-
strong system. In former articles we have pointed
out specifically wherein lay its inherents defects ;
and we urged, by every means in our power, that
the authorities should take proper steps to secure
the very highest opinion on the causes that led to
the numerous failings of the gun 'which incapaci-
tated it for remaining It permanent portion of the
.national armament.
On information received, we suppose from the
departments, the Under-Secretary of War, Mr. Bar-
ing, stated in the House of Commons that our in-
formation relative to the failure of the Armstrong
gun in China and elsewhere was not founded on
facts, and that the despatches to which we alluded
had not been received by the War Department.
What will Mr. Baring's successor say now in pal-
liation of his statements ? Not only have recent
events fully demonstrated the rectitude of our state-
ments, but they have placed the defects of the Arm-
strong gun in still more prominent colours. After
much urging; and at the request of the Admiralty,
the War Department at last consented that the
larger size Armstrong gun should
.' be put to some-
thin like a severe trial. For this purpose a certain
number of 40 pounders and 100 pounders were
placed en board the Trusty and Excellent, and
other guns were forwarded to Shoeburyness and
Woolwich marshes for trials of rapid firing. Onr
readers • must understand the significance of the
phrase—rapid firing. Heavy artillery, if fired with
deliberation, so that the gun never becomes heated,
and every care of skilled artificers be taken, is the
one condition under which the Armstrong gun has
been tried. But the effect of rapid firing—that is,
as rapid as the necessities of actual warfare demand
—is very different. In the latter case heat is
rapidly transmitted to the mass of the gun, the de-
licate screw arrangements and breech-pieces (or
the " gimcrackery," as Sir William Armstrong
termed them at one of the meetings of. the In-
stitution of Civil Engineers) no longer fit the one
into the other, and the consequence is that an
ienorrnous escape of gas takes place invariably
before the 20th round, and the gun is rendered
hors de combat before the 30th shot. We subjoin
a wood-engraving which shows the effect of fir-
ing 30 rounds from a 100 pounder Armstrong gun.
Figures 1 and 2 exhibit the front and side view of
the gun prior to firing. Figure 3 shows the front
view of the vent-piece after firing 30 rounds. Figure
4 represents the breech-screw. It will be seen that
figure 3 represents an oblate or oval form as the
effect of firing. This arises from causes to which
we have on previous occasions alluded. The vent-
piece shown in figures 1 and 2 is supported at the
rear by the annular surface of the closing screw of
figures 4. The diameter of the internal space is 7in.,
and the pressure of the gas on the vent-piece at the
discharge of the gun is so enormous that it exceeds
the cohesive strength of any known material,

whether it be steel, wrought iron, or any combina-
tion of them. Hence the results are precisely as we
indicated. The vent-pieces, if made of steel, are
broken and driven through the breech screw; or, if
made of wrought iron, they are bent up into an
oval form, as shown in figure 6, and jammed tight
into the annular surface of the closing screw. It
is with much regret that we have once more been
compelled to draw attention to this subject ; but we
feel that we should not be discharging our duty to
the nation at large did we not place the most reli-
able information on these points before the public.
We have other equally demonstrative facts to
confirm the truthfulness of our original statements.
During the experiments on board the Trusty with
Captain Cole's circular shield, no less than nine vent-
pieces were destroyed from one gun, and the gun,
as a matter of course, was rendered unserviceable
until repaired by skilful artificers. Under the direc-
tion of the Select Committee the heavy Armstrong
gun has recently been tested by rapid firing, and
similar disastrous results were obtained. As many
as four vent-pieces were destroyed from one gun
daritg 50 rounds; and the time consumed in firing
.these 50 rounds, with the assistance of skilled
artificers, was something like eight hours. Facts
like these require little or no comment.
We beg to draw attention once more to another
point of the Armstrong system. We have on several
occasions alluded to the principle in the conistruc•
tion of the shot and shell. We have shown that by a
delightfully ingenious arrangement every projec-
tile was nothing more or less than a voltaic pile.
Mark the result ! On the arsenal wharf at Woolwich
are stored some 40,000 shells. These are the pro-
ducts of the Elswick and Woolwich establishments,
and they have never yet left the Woolwich stores.
Let any gentleman possessing the slightest chymi-
cal or mechanical knowledge examine these shells,
and he will find the lead exfoliating from the iron,
demonstrating that this description of projectile can
neither be kept in store, nor transported without
essential injury, nor used over troops without seri-
ous danger of casualties arising as they did in China.
It will be seen in an extract we I'oave from the
dimes in our last number, that the Ordnance Select
Committee, presided over by Colonel St. George,
C. 8., have decided to make "some important altera-
tions" in all future constructions of the 12-pounder
Armstrong guns. "The breech tangent sight has to
be altered from steel to gun -metal," and " from a
rectangular to an hexagonal form ; the " upper por-
tion being at the same time completely remodelled,
including the leaf, cross-head, horizontal and verti-
cal derniers, elevating and deflecting screws. The I
ratchet has undergone considerable improvement ;"
" the trunnion-sight has been remodelled, while at
the same time it is secured to the gun, instead of
being let through the body of the trunnion. " Con-
siderable improvement has been made in the dispart
sight." " A change has been effected in the elevat-
ing eye." " The lever and tuppet-pins have been
altered." "The cartridges are in future to be made
up with lubricating wad inside, and the shell plugs
fitted with strong loops." The 12-pounder Arm-
strong gun is, in fact, to be regenerated, and the
inventor, in a short time, will scarcely be able to
recognise his own offspring. It will be like Sydney
Smith's carriage which the iev. wit christened the
" Immortal." Thiscarriage first had a new pair of
wheels, then new shafts, then new springs, then a
new body, and afterwards new fittings ; and in the
course of time all the various parts of the carriage
were renewed.

But reconstructing the Armstrong 12-pounder is
a small question compared to the importance of the
subject we have just discussed. Let us in all seri-
ousness ask to whom are we to appeal ? We have,
solicited the departments to undertake a stout
inquiry into this matter, and we have met
with a denial. Our accuracy has been impugned,
and our facts questioned. We now confidently
appear before the public with our facts supported
and our reasonable predictions verified. Let us
ask,—ls there no master-mind to control those de-
partments? Is it beneath the dignity of the Prime
Minister to take this matter in hand ? Will he
calmly look on while our soldiers and sailors struggle
under disadvantages too great for any valour to
overcome ? Are we tamely to pay any amount of
money for that on which we cannot rely ? And is
the honour of dear Old England to be unneces-
sarily trifled with ? These are questions we
address to the public, feeling assured that to its
solution, the necessity having been demonstrated,
the best energies of the nation, from the meanest
peasant to the highest in social position, will be
given with one accord.

• (..From the Times.)
In another part of our columns will be found
souse remarks upon a subject to which the attention
of our authorities ought to be immediately given,
and in which the interests of the public are deeply
concerned. It is maintained, as will be seen, in the
pages of a publication ation especially devoted to mecha-
nical scielaee,thathe Armstrong gun is by no means
so successful au invention as is generally believed.
Its "defects are
and
of . as " inherent," its
" failings"
serious to and its faults altogether
as sufficiently
ouisqualify it for permanent
'use in the service.
ai Consideringand
d how much has
been spent upon this
Powershow large a reliance
is now placed upon its
which we may well feel
of
arbtiAtere raised. The
uneasy at the questions
manufacture of this species
rrdaetsortbmsenatl!
the resources of a costly and elaborate
proaartion of
Armstrong guns now form the staple
our ships, and
our
Woolwich ; Armstrong guns are mountedue
fortifications, distributed among
served out to our field batteries. It is not to
much to say that we depend upon this invention
for much of the efficacy of our national defences.
For the last year or two we have been accustomed
to think that we have the most formidable artillery
in the world. If this gun, in short, is substan-
tially a failure, not only have we sacrificed a vast
amount of money, but an important element of our
national strength will suddenly disappear. These
considerations, however, only make it the more in-
cumbent upon us to investigate the facts without
hesitation or delay. We cannot mend the matter
by evading the question or postponing the inquiry.
On the contrary, if we shut our eyes to doubt we
shall be worse off than ever. By resolutely grap-
pling with the ease we shall gain one of two advan-
tages. If the gun should be found really effective
and valuable in spite of all said against it, we shall
!sco ver our confidence ; if it should be found un-
trn stworthy we can at once look about for a sub-
stitute. '
The
allegationse against the Armstrong
take a dist eannon
it i 3 said till',4!. and. specific form. Of the gun itself
u 4 liill not bear rapid firing, Its per..