Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-18
EXPERIMENTS Win OR nNANCE.

EfFECT OF PR0JECTILES on IRON PLATES
tFrom the Pittsburg (Pa Chronicle, June ~
Some very interesting experiments going to
snow the effect Of prejectiles upon cast iron
plates were made at the proving grounds up
the Allegheny yesterday. l2-pounder gun
was loaded with charge of six lbs of powder
and II. pound ball, and discharged at plate
OF iron, furnished from the works of MI Sho-
enbergor, nearly FIVE inches in thickness and
about two feet square. The plate was made up
Oh SIX distinct plates, bolted together, manu-
factured from excellent iron. The effect of the
shot was almost incredible. The distance be-
tween the gun and target was not measured
but was probably nearly 100 yards. At this
distance the IL pound shot penetrated three
plates OF the Shoenberger plates, dished the
whole mass several inches, and partially broke
through the remaining three plates. The ball
tcdS crushed to rSgments, and the front hem
lSphere evidently had fused. The same effect
on the ball followed every shot. The second
plate tested was solid, four inches thick of best
Juniata iron The ball penetrated about one
and one-eighth inches, and .ishsd the plate
less than In the preceding experiment The
third experiment was with two-inch plate,
which the bail so nearly broke through that a
Light hammer would have removed the frag-
ment. The plates in all the experiments were
simply set on edge, with no other support than
was sufficient to keep them in that position
Inc SIX FOUNDER was proved by two charges of
solid shot and one and one fourth pounds of
powder.
While the experiments were going on, a
gang OF men had removed the Columbisds
from the cars and set the entire lot-ten in
umber-in order for proving. Two Of these
guns were trained by the same gunner, with
the same lack Of means, on a fourth plate of
iron, solid, about eighteen inches wide, three
feet long, and nearly FIVE inches thick The
guns we're loaded with twelve pounds of pow
der, solid, strapped shot, and wad. The car
trldges are carefully picked, fuses affixed, and
the lot touched of together, the heavy reports
following In rapid succession. A cloud of smoke
covers the muZxles, and q shower of sand the
banks where the balls strike, and when these
clear away, one or two heavy trees are found
to have been knocked down The lower half
of the iron plate Is half imbedded in the bank
with the half fused portion of the ball beneath
1t. The upper portion Of the plates, showing
an indention of about two inches and frac-
ture completely through, further up the hill.
The result Of all the firing proves that at short
range no ordinary or practicable iron SHEATH
tnS lcoMLd resist the po1eT Of Coimmbiad
shot The second shot was fired with fifteen
pounds Of powder and a shell, the guns were
were cleaned and inspected, and the day's
work was done. In firing the Colum biads the
breach was sunk in a slight excavation, in
order to level the bore, yet such was the force
OF recOil that several Of the guns Jumped
backward five or six feet. The work of iu-
spectiDg and proving the guns on behalf the
Government is now In the hands Of Captain
McNutt, who has been stationed for some time
at the Allegheny Arsenal