Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-04-18


structed and brought into practical use
the heavy Columbiad and Dahlgrecn
guns, which we will speak more particu-
larly hereafter. There are also used az,
32, "a, 1S, IL, and A FOUNDER guns of
brass and iron, some for sea coast and
field service, and others for naval purpos
es. The length of 80 FOUNDER gun,
used on the lower deck of line bat
tie ship, is 8 feet 6 inches, weighing 80
cwt., being about 1872 times the weight
of the ball. Founders, are rarely used
at the present day. II Founders, brass
field gun, are 6 feet inches in length,
weighing 18 cwt., with calibre of as in
diameter The length Of Is, 12, 9, 8, and
3 FOUNDER brass guns, is II calibre.-
About 8 calibres is the maximum of the
American service, while in the English it
is from IA to 16. Since the war in the
Crimea, heavy siege and naval guns have
been generally adopted, and have proved
by their great force and terrible accur-
acy to be invaluable. One of the most
excellent of these war implements is the
celebrated
LANCASTER GUN.
This large and effective siege gun was
invented few years previous to the late
European war, by Mr.. Lancaster, an
English gentleman. 1t is of great weight
and is constructed on the principle of the
application of rotating shot to guns of
eliptical bore, which causes the ball to
proceed like that from rifle. They are
used either for solid shot or shell. but are
more successful with the spherical solid
ball. Their range is from 4 to miles,
and they are said to be the most effective
( gun in use. At lnkermann and Balakla
va they did terrible execution, and also at
| the Redan made terrible breaches in the
works, and no fortifcation could stand
against them. They are, however, not
always to be relied on Tor accuracy and
strength, but whether it is owing to their
being too light for their charge and
weight OF the ball, or the tendency of the
ball to go straight forward, and thus
wedge itself in attempting to pass the
very gradual rifle bore, is undetermined.
One great objection to them is their great
weight, which is serious impeachment in
the transportation, of siege or a field
gum and another disadvantage is the cost
of sustaining them for each charge costs
at the lowest calculation EGO, or 500.
The average cost of Lancaster gun com
plete is about f200, or $10,000.-
Among the other riAed guns used in for
eign service, are the
| CAyALLI AND wAIIREND GUNS
These pieces of rihed ordnance were
tested in 1916, and found to be practical.
They are breech loading, but for long con-
tinued use are not as safe as other heavy
guns. That of Cavilli is, perhaps con-
sidered the best, and was invented by
Col. Cavalli of the Sardinia army, upon
pretty much the same principle as the
Lancaster gun, consisting of an oblong
form of cast iron, pointed at the top,
convex toward the powder, and having
two ribs running lengthwise to cores
pond with grooves in the gun. The Prus-
sian Ordnance Department have some few
heavy rilled guns, but, as yet, they have
not been sufficiently tested to prove a
perfect success. We now turn to the
1 ordnance department of the American
Army, and notice the great improvements
our scientific officers have made in heavy
ordnance. The most celebrated guns
used by our Government, in its fortitica-
tions and for siege and garrison purposes
is the
CoLUMBIAD GUNS.
The Columbiad is a recently invented
gun Of great range, combining the es-
sential qualities of the ordinary sea coast
gun, howitxer and mortar. They are OF
eight and ten inch calbre, and are capa-
BILE of projecting solid shot or shell
with large charge of powder at an angle
of from 5 deg. below to 35 deg. above the
horizon. In outer appearance the Co.
lumbiad is similar to the ordinary sea
coast cannon, but in internal shape more
like the howitzer. Its full range is about
two miles, with an extra range of three
miles. The eigh-inch weighs about o.,
600 lbs and the charge of powder uset
is 10 lbs. The weight of the solid shot
is 46 lbs, the shell 3S lbs. The ten-incf
gun weighs $4,000 lbs, and the charge
used is l6 lbs. of powder-the solid shot
weighing l2S lbs, and the shell 100 lbs.
In 1859, there were 2, 51aeight and ten
, inch Columbiads and sea coast howitzers
in e'in our Notifications, of which 6OC
We're Columbiads, and were informed by
an officer of the ordnance. that up to the
present time, there are over 1000 in use
and new ones being manufactured daily
Most Of our heavy Notifications from
Maine to Florida, have in use these terri
Bile guns.
y TIE DAHLGREEN GUN.
S Is used for ship service and naval batter
3 les, and is the most perfect naval gun
y ever constructed. 1t was invented b,
: commander John A. Dahgrcen Of TIN
r United States Navy, to be used eithe
t for shell or solid shot. It's merit consist
/ of reduction of the proportion of meta
S between the muzzle and its trunnions
d which is found in guns of the common
: pattern largely in excess, The create
a part of metal at the breech of q gu
: instead of at the muzze, not only give
n the greater strength at the part where tn
= danger of bursting is the greatest, but al
! so tends to diminish the force of the re
d coil. The Dahlgreen guns are and