Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1859-06-11

forward at the Woolwich Arsenal
gives the following facts in relation
to the celebrated Armstrong gun
which have never before been mad,
made public:
Each gun is made in about three
feet lengths, and on much the same
principle as the twisted gun barrels
Thin bars Of the best wrought iron
about two inches broad, are heated
to a white heat, and in this state
twist d and welded together in spi
raj rolls around steel bar or core
smaller in diameter than the bore
Of the gun. Over this, when cold
another twist Of the same kind is
made with the spiral running in a
c ntrary direction, and so, until
three or four layers have been put
on, according to the calibre of the
gun and the thickness required
The whole is then reheated and
welded together for the last time
under the steam hammer. The
edges Of the three feet lengths are
next planed down so as to admit
their joining and tapping over, and
over these edge are forced on thick
wrought iron rings, which, being
welded d''wn at white heat, Of
course CONTRACT, sosas TO make the
joint almost stronger tran if made
in one piece. In the preech an
opening is cut down int,. the cha.c
ber; but the breecL itself is sepe1-
ate from the gun, and is worked
backwards by powerful screw
When the gun is to be loaded, the
=breech is worked back, and wedge
shaped piece, fitting into the open
ing Of the gun, lifted out, but not
to admit of the introduction of the
charge, which is pushed forward
with a ramrod at the back, working
"l.'-e>>S1-*lAA largo ~~-2e9--' ilr--" h: X
the breccll turns into the chamber,
where the rihing begins. The
wedge is then replaced, the breech
screwed close by a single turn Of a
lever handle, and the gun. fred
The operation of loading and fir
ing can be performed, we believe,
three times in one minute. Apart
from the simple but effective nlec-
hanism Of the breech, the great
merit Of this gun consists in the
IN which it is formed in
spirals, OF metal bands, which give
it such an enormous increase Of
strength that one half The thickness
Of iron be dispensed with. THUS,
an ordinary long 32-pounder weighs
81 cwt., and requires 10 pounds OF
powder to throw a ball to its ut
most effective range, 5000 yards.
Sir W. Armstrong; 80 FOUNDER
only weighs 26 cwt:, and charge
Of 5 pounds OF powder throws its
shot 5 10 miles or ne@r]y 10000
yards. In a 32-pounder Of this
after kind there are no less than
Il rife grooves, having one pitch
n 10 feet, or making one complete
;wist round the inside in gun of
hat length. A greater pitch would
10 doubt give greater impetus to
he shot, brt the risk Of" stripping"
he lead was so great that it could
lot be attempted. The Shot used
IRE iron and cylindrical, and at
irst'were completely covered over
With lead; but this plan has Just
oeen altered, and the shot have
low only two rings of lead II inch
hick, and 1 1-2 inch broad, one at
he shoulder and one at the base Of
he cone. Both these rings are
'oveta'led, SO to speak, into the
ron shot, so as to leave about one
enth Of an inch = to fit the rifliny.
thus, when the cartridge is gnited,
he ball is forced forward from the
chamber into the narrow bore,
which it fills so Closely, being &C
ually too large for it, that there is
vindage whatever, and every por-
ion Of the explosive force is ap-
lied to projecting the ball. The
,un on which the Government ex-
,erimented tor months at Shoebu-
yness before adopting it, was ac-
ually fired $500 times, and yet it
) now as serviceable as the day it
eft the foundry. So perfect is the