Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-05-24

SiEAls ARrrLLEEY. The public have heard
something OF Nr. " inlus' centrifugal gun,
and about Its being designed to throw three
hundred shots per minute into northern
soldiers Mort 5rn men viii OF course be
sorry ID learn that Mr. Winans' cen triiugal
gan. luanely and even politely intended
q slaughter them, - some TecJmpense Ter
the money he has got cut Of them, Is not
very -.rd -Hn.
BuJ THIS does nos prove that good cen
trItuS1l gun :, IN imp0ssibllIty. We have
seen one IN operation this week, which was
certainly wonderful, and "a iar as we could
observe, P~actieuly perfect for the purpose
designed TITS gun Is the invention II Mr..
j NcClrtv, Of this city, gentleman well
known in sc.,ntifc and military circles. His
valuable invention is the fruit Of many
years study and experiment The gun we
have seen. fired ounce q Il inch diameter)
round, rough. cast iron shot, or shells, 0rer
mile. rs fQs, as heV c0uif be poured into II.
The gan itself i perfected, but the carriage
how Ia use Is temporary affair, not steady
enough o. allow the accuracy OF firing which
would otherwise be obtained. The gun c7n-
sists Of TWO discs Of boiler plate, some three
feet in diameter. and one and half inches
in diameter, and or aud q half inches apart,
with d rim between them enclosing a space
between the discs, in which IS the propelling
machinery.
The machinery We are not at liberty to
describe "a, present. \ spindle or shaft, en-
teging the centre Of the discs. Ike the arbor
Of circular saw, and driven from fifteen
hundred to three thousand turns per minute
Iy belt. moves the shot pr0pelling ma
chiucry. Opposite the shaft Is "a pipe, turn
iuE up To receive the balls, which are poured
in us ias. as they viii run. The inventor
/ thinks one thousand per minute can be fired.
+ As soon as the shots enter the gun, they are
/ fired from an opening Cr short barrel at
/ tlched % the edge of the disc, hut not tan
/ gent TO It's circumference, in 4 steady stream,
/ and thrown over a mile. 1T a short range,
/ the range at which 1t is designed 10 USE
/ them, they scat er little, Of course, which
/ Is the very thing required.
We DO not see why they will not NOW
/ down whole regiments OF infantry or cavll-
Ty. The power required Is not great i've
or six men working crank produce the re-
/ suits we have mentioned. The design Is 70
/ pu. q Icht three or four horse boiler,
ric.cd steam-fre-engine fashion, on the
| same carriage. This q lew men or horses
could drag about, after the manner OF flying
artillery \ dozen Of these guns would
certainly cut up regiments sent against
/ them. as fast as the latter could get into
range.
A gun for three-inch balls mas also been
experimental with very successfully This
gun is principally for shells. A large number
Of small balls are put into the she'll, which
fly in every direction upon the explosion Ot
the latter The range Of tho large gun /:
some two and half miles.
For service on ship-board, to repel board
ing parties, and for any service in clos
quarters-and that is what field operation
come 10 at last-there is every probabilit,
that this gun will prove the most formidabl
weapon known. Mr.. Winan5' gun is slid t
be abortlyc. We know Of no other arm o
this sort at the South. Il is to be earnestly
hoped that patriotic men Of means will de
yeope this important invention Withou
delay -Anlcrlc1n Rc,luay ReIie-o-