The Nevada Democrat., 1861-11-21
Improvement in Artillery.

many of the best scientific mechanics Of the
country have directed their attention to the
Improvement Of artillery. We find in late
number of the Utica IN. " Herald
lengthy description of gun invented by a
Mr.. Geo. H. Ferris of that place, which is
claimed to be superior to any now in use.
He has submitted his model TO many mill
tary men and practical mechanics, and
every examiner has given it his approval.
Measures have been taken TO build a large
gun upon the principle, to test its practical
efficiency. as preliminary to its use by the
Government.
The gun is constructed TO use q much
larger quantity of powder, in proportion to
the weight of the ball, than has heretofore
been used. 10 recent experiments with the
great Union gun, the powder of the charge
was about one-tenth the weight of the ball.
In the case of the WhitwOrth gun, the ratio
of powder TO the ball is from one-seventh
to ons-eighth; and for small arms, the reg
ular cartridge contains little more than
one.fifth the balls weight of powder. Mr.
Ferris proposes to reverse all this, and
to use powder not only equal, but nearly
double, the weight of the ball. II this can
safely be done, of course avast increase Of
power, and consequently Of velocity and
destructiveness, will be secured. II is
ClGmed that thus hundred pound bah or
she'll can be accurately thrown distance
Of ten milesl Strength, therefore, is essen
tial to resist the internal pressure, aud this
is secured by the mode of construction.
The core or heart of the gun is of wrought
iron layers or washers welded together.
This core is encased in rings of wrought
iron or steel, turned to mechanical acou-
racy; and several coatings Of these rings,
one about the other, may be added. While
this arrangement secures great strength,
the rings may be detached and the gun rem
dered portable. The gun is loaded at the
breech by an improved device, and the ball
is also new invention. The advantages Of
this gun over all others are thus summed
up by the inventor:
/. II will throw 100 ID. shot or she'll.
when properly loaded, ten miles!
2. Being constructed in part of lubrlca.
ted rings, which may be detached by the
same ingenious arrangement with which
they were placed upon the gun, the weight
of the "core" is reduced TO a portable
size.
g. The breech of the cannon can also be
detached ia few minutes, and The "swew
! plunger" quickly separated from that, aud
the whole gun thus taken apart, becomes
portable.
4. This cannon is constructed to use, with
perfect safety, nearly four times the guam
tity of powder lin proportion to the weight
Of projectie) ever used before either in this
country or in Europe. Thus, if the weight
Of the shot or she'll was 100 lbs the amount
of powder burned in the "cbamber" would
be nearly 200 lbs! and the gun is so con-
structed, and the charge so ignited 10 the
center as 20 insure the full amount of force
to be expended upon the ball or she'll at the
exact instant.
5. The charge being placed in the cham
Der, is secured by cylindrical steel plates
attached TO the end Of the 'plunger," which
is driven to its place by double threaded
"screw," passing through the "breech
chest" and the chamber Of the gun is
cleaned at each discharge, and all leakage
Of gas prevented.
G. These "steel plates" are separately
secured to "plug," on the end of the
"plunger," and can not only be changed,
if one fails, but the whole set can instantly
be detached and carried of. rendering the
gun entirely useless in the hands of an en-
emy.
Z. The ball is also new invention. II is
cast iron, with lead band cast around 1t,
in such manner as TO prevent its flying Off
the under side of the lead filling lOngitudi.
nal bevelled slots in the ball. II has also
groove forward Of the lead covering, with
holes in the bottom running to the center,
and these intersecting one from the base Of
the ball, which, receiving the beat OF the
burning powder, forces fabricated cloth
band covering (and filling the groove)
! against the inner surface Of the cannon,
and thoroughly cleans and lubricates ii
after each discharge. BY this perfect lub-
rication Zone of the great desideratums so
long sought for,) the ball can be much more
slugged than heretofore without "leadingn
the barrel, and much greater force OBJ
! tained.