The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1861-06-14

The Armstrong gun is a rifled cannon
of English invention, and is loaded at the
breech. AE accounts agree in represen
tin; it as throwing balls farther, and
more accurately than any other gun. 1t
! throws an explosive ball filled with per-
cussion powder, which explodes when TIE
ball strikes, tearing to pieces everything
near it. The British have introduced it
extensively into the army. In their re
cent campaign in China it proved to be
terrific engine Of death. A 600 yards
target no larger than mans hat, has
been struck at almost every discharge.
and at 5000 yards an object nine feet
square, which can barely be seen at that
distance, can be struck every other shot
The largest Armstrong guns yet made,
carry balls cishing 100 pounds. The
number of guns made last yeal was $50,
at an average cost of Sl,75o, 1t was
said the Charleston rebels had imported
several Armstrong guns to make sure OF
capturing 70 men in Fort Sumter, their
en..batterries not being enough with
out them. There are very few such guns
in this country, perhaps none.
The steam friyate Niagara is armed
with 60 Dahl5ren guns weighing nearly
Eve tuns each. Six of them carry Il, ,
inch ball Or she'll, the remainder 9-inch,
and will throw them from two to thre c
miles. This gun was eontrived by Capt.
Dahlgren of our navy, after multitud e
Of trials to determine the best form to a.
void bursting. As all guns burst at or
near the breccb, SLis is made of extraor-
diary thickness at that part, and foI
some three feet of its length, when it ia,
! pers down sharply to the muzzle. One
OF these guus has been made which
t weighs 5000 pound:, and will throw d
inch shell four miles.
: An embrasure is the small opening ii
t the wall OF a fort through which the gun;
project-the same as the port-hole of ;
t ship. Loop holes are small openings
S through which musketry is fred.
: A casemate is the stone roof unde
n which stands the gun, the roof being pl 90
y against shot and shell. The gun SO pro
y ected is cal led a easement gun. Blu
is bartette guns are those which are place.
e on the top of fort, without any roof O
other protection.
y The highest engineering talent, both il
: Europe and in this country, has been de
,r voted to the construction Of mproye'
=. ordnance. Science and mechanical nye
nuity combined with millions of money
! have been devoted to the business Of dis
v covering and remedying the defects {
;. these death~dealing engines, as well as c
, iuventing Others more destructive.
The Frerch have renoered the rifle te
q times as deadly as formerly, while tn
q English in the Armstrong gun, seem
= man as the rifle. Up to this time, expe
rience has demonstrated that there are in
:, superable obstacles to the formation {
l. casteir n guns of more that 10 inch cali
:, Der. Beyond that, SO many defects al
). liable to. occur in the casting, it is not sa
,s to go, though with mostars the ealibs
has been extended to Is inches. AS a
attempts to make castings larger lha
this have failed. attention has been turr
70 ed to wrought iroa. with the hope of ir
,. creasing the caliber. Yet thg use
j. wrought iron has proved to be almost t
re dangerous as that of cast iron. It is liza
ID bile TO many destructive casualties, eve
70 after perfect welding has been secures
h The huge wrought iron gun which bur
bs on board the Princeton in g 49, was pro
ID ed to have parted with one-third of tt
he original strength of the ror. by the inten
,r- heat used in forging it. Wrought ir'
nv guns of large caliber must be built up
nd seperate pieces, and only small amou
MS of heat and welding force employed.
II A stand Of arms is the equipment
bo one soluier, and consists Of the Weapo
in and accouIrements be wears, varying wi
%, his branch of the service. Twenty-o
,os housand stand of arms would equip t
same number of toops. The term stan
=; is often confused, and sometimes used
Il convertible with stack, the famill
,r. manner in which muskets are placed wi
ar bayonets interlocked. ~ Y. Tribune.
re- "
JEFFERSON AVIS.
the 80