The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-05-22
COLCNBIAD GUN.

The Coluinbiad is recently Invented gun Of
great range, combining the essential qualities OF
the ordinary sea coast gun, howitzer, and mortar.
They are of eight and ten inch calibre, and are
capable of projecting a solid shot and shell with
a lage charge of powder at an angle of from As
deg. below to 39 deg. above the horizon. In
outer appearance the Columbiad 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 niles
The eight inch weighs about 1900 lbs, and the
charge Of powder used is 10 lbs. The weight
of the solid shot is 46 To-, The shell 80 lbs. The
ten inch gun weighs IL, 900 lbs and the char4e
is lG lbs. of powder the solid shot weighing l2s
lbs, aud the shell 100 lbs. In 1859 there we're
2,5l9 eight and ten inch Columbiads. and sea
coast ho~itzers in use in our Notifications, of
which over 6OJ were Columb:ads, and we were
informed by an officer Of the ordnance that mp
to the present time there were over 900 in use,
and new ones being manufactured daily. Most
of our heavy fOrtifcations. from Maine to Flori
da, have in use these terrible guns
THE DAHLGREN GUN
Is used for ships service and naval batteries.
and is the most perfect naval gun ever construc
ted. 1t was constructed BY Commander John
A. Dahlgren, of the United States Navy, TO be
used either for shell or solid shot Its merits
consist of reduction of the proportion of metal
between the muzzle and the trunnions, which is
found in guns of the common pattern largely in
excess. The greater part of metal at the breech
of gun, instead OF the muzzle, not only gives
strength at the part where the danger of burst
ing is the greatest, but also tends to diminish
the force of the recoil. The Dahlgren guns are
and 10 inch cabre in the ship guns, and the
81, L,,, -
are used for firing schrapnell. and canister shot
So satisfied have been the Board of Ordnance
with the Dahlgren and 10 inch guns that all
our steam soops have been armed with them
They are similar to the Columoiads, and their
weight, range, charge, and weight Of shot a,e
nearly similar. They have stood severe tests Of
trial and proof, and are undoubtedly the best na
val guns used in the world. Rifed cannon for
field service are now sttracting much attention
among military men. About three years since
a new model gun was tested at Ames' manufac
tory, in Cobottville, Massachusetts,, called
THE JAMES RIFLED CANNON.
The new invention was patented by Genera
James, Of Rhode Island, in 1883, and is . bras.
ield.piece for light batteries, riaed and eliptica
bore, with a conicsl shot of curious construction
The great advantages claimed by Gen. James IN
sHAS ~ s"os, V"icS w s"S pSSA"os
construction Of the ball, its passage through the
grooved chamber of the piece saves the wind
age, giving to the shot a greater rotation, great
er force, and greater precision. Its range il
2 l.2 TO 3 miles, and in the experiments tried by
q board Of officers convened for that purpose n
1859, one shot was made with l-2 ID. of pow
der, which projected slug ball nearly 3 miles
The pressure, however, is tremendous, and it is
to be doubted whether il would answer the pur
pose Of firing shell without danger. 1t has no,
not been adopted by our government, We believe,
and We learn that the inventor il applying the
principle to breech-loadng gun OF six pound
calibre. The ball used is conica in shape, like
the MIME ball, Followed at the base, with Al
air chamber, in which are grooves, which press
es the air BY the force Of the powder On to q
lead and canvas covering, forcing the sheet lead
into the rifed grooves of the chamber and slrg
ging the ball. thus saving the windage and pro
duciug the effect az above described. Whethe
it viii be brought into use by our government
remains 70 be seen.