The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-31
From the London Mechanics Magazine
TuE ADMSmp pnNH CIrN

1t was publicly stated last week, bv newspaper
correspondent, that the secret of this gun is out
and has been for weeks. But we have as vet
met with public detailed description of the Arm
strong gun; and if the writer himself had been in
possession OF 1T, ne would not we presume have
evaded 1t altogether. Judging from the refusas
we have ourselves metwith we believe no unofficial
person will have easy access to the information
in question. There are, however, means of nnne
trating all such barriers as government like orrs
can raise, and the following statement will show
that the precautions taken in this case have proved
insufficient.
Instead of being cast like ordinary cannops-or
formed of several longitudinal pieces like the Whit
worth cannon-or of a hooped or wire bound tuba
as proposed by Captain Blakely, Mr.. Maett, and
others-the new gun is formed of an internal
steel tube, bound over with strips of rolled iron
laid on spraly, somewhat after the fashion of small
arm barrels, the alternate strips being laid in op-
posite directions, that the Joints NAV cross each
other; in other ords so as to break Joint" This
system of construction is of course expensive but
gives great strength with a very small quantity of
metal: The internal steel tube is riaed in a verv
peculiar manner. Instead of having two three or
TOUR grooves, like ordinary rifed guns-or being
formed with an oval bore like that employed by
Mr.. Lancaster-or with polygonal bore, as in the
Whtworth system it has very large number of
small grooves close to each Oher-no less than for
ty, we believe, in a gun Of 212 inches bore The
shot or shell Mr.. Armstrong usually makes of cast
iron, OF about three diameters in length and covers
1t entirely over with thin lead that it
terror OF the bore when forced forward bv the ex-
piosion of the charge. Provisions for loading the
gun at the breech is made by cutting slot near
the breech end down from the upper side into tba
bore of a sufficient length to admit the eIonpatad
prolectlle and the charge of powder and of a
breadth slightly greater than the diameter of the
pore. The bore itself is also slightly enlarged
where it opens into the space formed bv emitting ont
t9e SLOT, IN order that the projectie and powder
alter being lowered into the slot, NAV be easily
pressed forward by hand other means into the
bore. In order to close the space formed by the
s.ot aiter the gun is charged, movable breech-
piece Is formed to mt into it, and is furnished with
Two handles, by means of which it NAV be lifted
out and dropped into its place as required This
breechpece has fitted to its front face facet of
copper, portion OF which projects slightly so as
10 form disc which, when the breech piece is
forced little forward, will enter the bore behind
the charge, and by its expansion at the moment of
explosion prevent all escape of gas. The slight
forcing forward of the breech-pece is effected hv
means or strong screw passing in through the ex-
IRENE breech end OF the gun, and pressing AGAINST
the rear end of the breech- piece This screw is
turned by hand lever. The fore end of the breeeb
piece is bored out at the CENTRE the bore extending
tnrough the copper disc, and into this bore is
placed, at the time ofloading, a small discbarrinr
cartridge. The ''touch-hole" or hold for the de-
tonating plug formed in the breech-piece passing
Gown rom Its upper side into its bore; so that when
the piece Is to be discharged the detonating cap
or plug is struck the small discharginr cartridge
Is thereby fired, and its fire is ananeously com
munlcated to the main cartridge in the bore of the
gun itself. With his shells Mr.. Armstrong uses a
percussion fuze of his invention, for causing the
shell to burst on striking an object in case the
striking takes place before the time the fuze has
operated This percussion fuze has been already
described IN our pages, but may ftly be again re-
ferred to here. In a cylindrical case within the
shell Mr. Armstrong fixes a weight or striker bv
means OF pin passing through it and the sides of
the case. This pin is cut or broken by the shock
whlch the proectile receives in the gun at the in
ind hn Cfr1l-n ~ IL
ted, recedes to the end of the case and there
remains until the velocity of the shell is checked
by coming into contact with some object When
tnls taxes place, the striker, not participating in
the retardatiOn of the SHE'LL advances in the case
and causes patch of detonatng composition to be
carried suddenly against fixed point, which fires
the composition and ignites the bursting charge in
the she'll
Experiments have already shown that a thirty
two FOUNDER gun, constructed upon Mr. Armstrong;
system, has greater range and fires with greater
accuracy than any gun at present in use in the
navy; and yet, while the former weighs but twenty
SIX cwt, the present 6S FOUNDER weighs less than
ninety-tve cwt. We may therefore at once reduce
the weight OF our naval guns by nearly three ourths
without impairng their range or aim. This would
enormously increase the facility of handling them
and therefore leave us free to greatly reduce the
number of men employed to work them Again
with the breech loading arm it would probably be
found possible 20 get rid of the running out and in
OF the gun while in action, by counteracting the
leColI III sOue suitable way; and for this
also the number of men required to work them
might be very much below the present staff Again.
both the bore and the thickness of the metal of the
gun being greatly reduced, the external diameter
OF the gun will be small that very small ports
only would be necessary, and this would add ma
terlay to the safety of the gunners especially in
close action. Another advantage might be gained
In the use OF certain guns, particularly the bow
chase guns, on board ship. 1t is always matter of
great difficulty to give such form to the ship that
the muzzles of these may, when the guns are run
out, project sufficiently far to carry the fire of the
explosion clear OF the vessel With the long slight
Armstrong gun this difficulty would not be expe-
rienced But on the other hand, the Armstrong
Shell is not to be compared for destructive effect
with the round shells now used in the navy The
charge powder which it contains is far too small
Tor this. Nor does the Armstrong proiectile pepe-
trate thick iron plates suppose. 1t is found
to have but little effect upon them and this is pro-
badly one reason why both the French and English
governments are just now so anxious for the con.
structon of ron-plated ships of war; if such can be
successfully devised. That the Admiralty have the
means OF penetrating iron plates we are prepared
confidently to state; but the Armstrong gun is not
the gun they would use for the purpose.
There Is no magic about the peculiar combina-
ton OF parts which we have explained in describ
ing the gun The success of the gun depends solely
upon the efficient manner in which the proiecte I.
caused to NIL and tit the bore of the piece Tbi:
accuracy can never be obtained in muzzle-loadino
cannon. With breech-loaders, however il is NOT
dlfhcult to secure. Any well constructed breech-
loading cannon would give good results; although
Nr. Armstrong; leadcOated projecte has undoubt-
edly great advantages. Whether the contract of
the two metals will deteriorate the proectiles if
Kept IN store long, has yet to be seen.
As for the Napoleon hed-piece, of which the En-
peror has 200 already completed for the Imperial
Guard, we do not believe it will at all approach the
Armstrong piece in merit Of any kind. 1t is mere
ly two grOoved, 4-pounder bore piece with round
shell made to fit the grooves.
WrUnp,rr oSt fall
cred in the yard of the Clinton prison of the pres
| ence of iron ore under the surface Excavations
were commenced, and have since been VIGOROUSLY
prosecuted, under direction of Inspector Everest
which have resulted even more favOrably than was
anticipated. vein of ore has been found crossing
beneath the yard, and apparently running in q
direction which carries it under State lands outside
the prison stockade The convicts have already
dug out considerable pile Of ore, which, on being
tested, proves of superior quality. The excavation
is about thirty feet wide and ten feet deep and
when carried somewhat farther, will decide precise
y the extent and direction Of the ven OF course
1t Is as yet impossible to say with certainty that the
amount of ore accessible may not prove to be
small, but all the appearances indicate the con-
trary. If, as is anticipated, the vein continues in
the direction of the lands belonging to the State
II VIII result In the saving of thousands of dollars
yearly, by furnishing the ore to the prison forges
Tor the mere labor of digging it, instead of having
to purchase the right to it from outside parties It
Will furnish also inexhaustible supply of labor
ConNlCls, anu as IL Is, In the lmme
date vicinity of their cells is in the right place to
lead to profitable results. We trust the anticpa-
tions in regard to it NAV be realized. The ore is
worth Is cents ton.-AU. Journal.
THREATENED MULTIPLICATION IN CALIFORNIA.-The
news of the failure of the Pacific Railroad bill in
Congress had aroused the liveiest indignation in
California. The San Francisco papers publish the
rejected bill in full, and add severe comments upon
the course ofmenbers who voted against it. The
Alta California says:
"Hang another chaplet of mourning upon the al
tar OF our hopes; ring down the curtains upon the
last sad act Of the great drama of the times in
which our own California plays disgraced a part.
Every man whose vote is recorded against this mea-
sure, lis a thousand fold worse than Benedict Ar
mold In treachery to his native or adopted land
be his political predictions what they NAV. In
regard to the final section of the Railroad BILL
which the Senate so magnanimouslv adopted. we
can only say, in the language of Senator Gwin,
little as 1t gives, it is all (we) ever expected from
the congress of the United States"
The San Francisco EUening Bulletin is even more
indignant, and holds out threat that California
VIII take measures to free herself from the oppres-
slons of Congress. 1t savs
'Contlnual neglect and injustice must deaden the
affection and allegiance which this State has ever
far, keenly felt for the Coafederacv. gene
ration is rapidly gro,ring up in this distant country,
who will be bound by no haJtof ioUe for the old
States but who will examine the question Of their
political relations, with respect to their advan-
tages, on their merits solely. And if Congress
persists in the endeaUor to estrauge the Pacific
States, that end will be suddenly consum,na-
ted than, perhaps, people abroad imagine Our
connection with the Union is all to the profit of the
other side of the continent now. Nothing but the
closest intimacy and the most expeditions iutercom
m ms ptoip oCr,1