Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-11-18
From the New York Herald Of sunday.
Final test of the Passaic's Gun
H. " " WRIGHT,
Major Gen, Commanding

IT'S unqualified SuccegB-phe f.un Uts
charged la the Turret without smOk,
ar Concussion+
The new iron-clad Passac went on n trip yes.
teriay for the purpose of testing the operation
of the iifteen.inch guns inside of the turret.
Men of scientific knowledge, military and naval
olhcers, had confidently asserted that it woull
be impossible to fire a gun so large with fall
charge inside Of urret without either killiuo
the guns crew outright or disabling them after
few rounds. Many said that the English
had tried heavy guns, but were obligedto give
up their use, as they we've not able to work
them But The results of yesterday have con-
vnced the most skeptical Of those who Wit
hesse the experiment. Of the feasibility. nnI
even caused these same men to he the most en-.
'hu7'Asue in their expressions of delight and
Ha'ohlshment at the success Of the experiment.
The passaic left the wharf ut the foot Of Thir
teenth street, between ten and eleven o'clock in
the morning, and steamed up the North river
against strong ebb tide and heavy uortherly
wind Her speed, from the start, averaged over
seven knots through the water. and her screw
making only ifty.eight turns, which is twenty-
two less than she has the power to give. But,
the boilers ioaming, it was not deemed advisable
to drive her to her maximum speed. the trial
being more for tho gun than the vessel. Her
speed was remarked by all on hoard, many think
ing She was going faster than she leay was
hut the log gave the true figures.
On arriving at point opposite Fort Washing
ton the Passaie was headed in towards the wes-
tern shore Of the river, under the towering cliffs
Of the Palisades, when, selecting an uuinhabited
spot it was determined to SEQ the effect against
the rocky bulwarLs of the noble Hudson. The
steamer was stopped, and the l5.inch gun was
loaded with twenty pounds of powder and hol
ow shot After the gun was run out to the side
oil me turret, and all was ready il was fired, the
ball rieocheting along the water few times. then
striking the rocks, causing them to fly like 80 I
much chan, followed by terrible echo. which
in its force, resembled the explosion of a powder.
mill. The noise outside of the turret was terri
bic, while inside there was no concussiou of anv
account aud the noise certainly did not exceed |
that which would have been produced by the
firing of an ordinary pistol.
SECOND FIRING.--The second time the oun |
was loaded with thirty-dve pounds of powder
and hollow shot. II was fired, recoilinr three
feet ten inches producing no unpleasant concus.
sion, and as before, there was scarcely any smoke
in the turret Several of the spectators who
were in the turret at the frst firing were ont-
side, this time, to see the working of the shot
which had been spoken of by those who were
outside at the time but the noise outside was
30 unpleasant that they preferred to be inside
the next time the gun was fired, and according
ly they went in and remained there through the
balance of tho firing.
THIRD FIRNd.-The third time the enn WAS
fired it was charged with thirty Gya hounds Of
powder and hollow shot The recoil was only
two feet eight inches. The same results were
obtniued without trouble; in fact, il was much
pleasanter inside than outside Of the turret.-
No noise was perceptible tending to discomfort
either on tue berth deck or in the engineroom.
FOURTH FiRNG,-The fourth and last time
the gun was fired it was charged with thiity.iye
pounds OF powder and a solid shot, the first one
fired from gun of this size with full service
charge The result precisely the same, the re.
coil being only two feet eight inches and no amoEe
OF noise in the turret
Thus ended the experiment with the gun.
which in every respect was satisfactory We
refrain from giving our foreign friends or the
rebels the slightest clue as to how this matter
ms Deen accomplished hut suffice is il to say
that this is the plan of Captain E,osaou, and
it no" is believed to he as near perfect as any
thing mortal man can make.