New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-20

having tendency TO burt or separate iN particles,
"a 10, the metal in the caliber might he repre-
.o,ed bv another bar vVbich would offer resistance
ner cubic inch of ninety thousand pounds 70 any
force having tendency to crush it or separate It's
nsrcles in this anner these forces being qnescent
until brought into hctivity by rapid firing, and the
beat generated By the ignition Of the gases OF the
gunpowder.
NV argument was, that the rum Of the resistance
offered by cubic inch of cast-ron before it can be
crushed, which for the poorest qualities exceeds
90 900 b. mu,t of necessity be the exact measure Of
tie force it is capable Of eXertipg when caused TO
expand by heat. Therefore, that the caliber OF o
gun when 1t becomes hot has tendency to burst the
cold metal outside of it, equal to ninety thousand
pounds for every cubic inch thickness of cahber
heated to which the explosive force of the powder,
say fifty thousand pounds per square inch, has to be
added. Thus the caIiber of gun heated through
one inch of its thickness would require, TO prevent
explosion, a thickness of at least % inches OF cold
metal on the outside
The reason why howitzers and light guns were
comparatively safe, even under the most RAPID hrhg'
showed to be owing to the fact that east metal pos
sesses the properly, in small degree, OF eongahon
and compression before It's structure IA permanently
DESTROYED and rupture ensucs. Small thin guns be-
come heated entirely through before the limits OF
structural eongsuon or compression are exceeded.
In proof of the correctness of my theory. asserted
that it, instead of proving new heavy guns o0ad' Dc
At p,esent they were 10 insert red-bot bar OF iron
into the c.hber till it had become as not az ~ was
ever likely 10 be- during rapid bombaIdmenl, 40 az
Malvern Hill, that, in all probability not I'VE per
cent of the guns so tested would ever leave inc
n-nof house do not believe the explosive force Of
tho noxder alone. unasssted by the enormous forces
d..cribed ever burst even very ordinary gun,
mnch less the splendid pieces daily turned out OF our
arseLals.
Having given the scientific reasons for the failure
IF heavy ordnance, / submitted plan by which the
heating of the ca iber is arrested beyond certain
mint IL means of channels or waterways running
the whole length and surrounding the caiiber.
Indicated how these hollow tubes were 10 he Oh
tanned in cast gun without the necessity Of drilling
nv casting a thin hollow caber first, and then sur
rounding it with iron pipes filled with lead or si'ld.
The BODY of the gun being then cast over this, woud
melt the lead or other tusibe metal used to prevent
tie collapse Of the tubes which could be suffered ~
run out soon as the metal OF the gun mao U'rea o
be fluid leaving series Of channels for the passage
Of cold water from the breach toward the muzzle.
Finally, / wound up by showing that one OF .hese
guns was as serycesble as six ordinary pieces, and
was peculiarly we'll adapted for one-gun Mopltors'
seeing they could be fired continuously without heat
ing and bursting.
Now it il possible that the party referred to may
have followed out The same coune Of reasoning and
experiment. that did, the question then is only a'
to priority of invention. l filed my caveat On The
same day sent NY pagers TO Washington, namely
the 2stn of MAY Ny caveat for cssi-iron ioi's and
the covering Of old forts with blocks OF east IRON VA
hled ON the 9Th vi May.
BY inserting the above in Your widely-read jour
nal, you will afford me a hearing which should
ike TO get under the circumstance
J. WYATT READ, Mechanical Engineer.
Nele- York, Aug AZ 1882