The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-05-18

Its dimensions are as follows
Inches
Total length of gun, 100
Length of caliber of bore. 1856
Length of elipsodal chambtf, 9
Total length Of bore, l65
Maximum exterior diameter. As
Distance between rimbascs, 4S
Diameter at muzzle, 25
Thickness of metal behind the chamber, 25
Thickness at junction of bore with
49, chamber, 1912
Thickness at muzzle, 5
Weight of gun, 4Ol00 lbs.
1t is mounted upon an iron centre pin;le car.
riage, the top carriage Of which recolls upon
the rails of the lower one, and permits. by "a
ratchet cut ia the breech of the gun. an eleva-
ton of about 2S | 2 deg. The rails of the
lower carriage being inclined the gun runs for
ward Of itself. from the position Of recol into
battery, on rollers attached to the eccentric axis
easily brought to bear by two men with hand
spikes. Notwithstanding its great weight, it
was easily manipulated by firing party con
sisting OF sergeant with SIX men.
When fired horizontally, or nearly so, the
time of loading and running into battery was,
in one case minute and 10 seconds; in an
other, minute and 81 seconds.
When fired at its maximum elevation Of %
deg 35 minutes, the time of loadiog-including
depressing, sponging, loading, elevating again,
and running into battery-varied from min
utes and 10 seconds to minutes.
The shell is attached to an oaken sabot. In
loading, it is seized by nippers, the points OF
which enter small holes in opposite oxtremities
of diameter of the spherical surface. Four
men, with handsplke passed through ring
(of the nippers), and standing on c platform
no., A lo1> tbo ,.,
it. When opposite the muzzle, another man
turns it on the axis Of suspension, SO as to in
troduce the sabot into the bore. 1t is then cas-
lily rammed home.
The weight of the shells used during the fir.
ing made in presence OF the board of officers va
RED from 305 to 337 lbs Capt. Rodman pro-
poses to make them of two classes. The first
for use, properly speakiog, as shell, may vary
in weight according to the particular purposes
for which it may be required. Whelet the great
est possible explosive effect is wanted the shell
could be of the minimum thickness admissible
ito endure the shock Of the charge), which, if
supposed to be l-2 inches. wou make shell |
OF about 305 lbs. wei ght, containing from Is to
Is lbs. of powder. For battering, the shell
would have a wall of 5 inches thickness and
weight Of about 41O lbs. The windage is one
tenth inch, and a solid shot would weigh 1926
IDS. ~ Is not ueemeu pTactlcaoIe 10 cast SaC-
sfactory solid shot Of this diameter (for reasons
already mentioned connected with solid castings
of large masseS), and it is believed u shell of
this thickness would present the maximum re
sistence to crushing, while the loss of weight
by its fve-inch cavity is but trlalng.
The poost important results of the practice
may be briefly stated as follows In firing for
accu acy with the minimum charges mentioned
Mt a target :, 900 yards distant, with der, ell
ovation, the shot struck the ground (about s
feet below the level of the gun) at IS trals\ 2,
OH, ,937, 9O2, 800, 1873 yards The lat
eral deyatlons were |. B, % yards to right
and yards to l,ft showing. at this range of
| l-2 miles, very great accuracy as regards
horizontal deviatons, to test which the frIngs.
were made The vertical deviations were prob.
ably dus to varying initial localities or perhap
to some difference in the weight of The shells
fired. Had the shot been intercepted at the