Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-01-20

WiAsDe sgEEL 9UEs- --lBlSrosting expert
msnta with tsSse gons, he Invention Of Mr..
Norman Wizard, Of New York city, were
made at Camp DonnisOn on Thursday and
Friday last. The ATSs Of these guns were
turned out in May last They were subject
Cd 10 the sevoEess tests at Staten Island and
Warrington; and bOIng found superior in
accuracy Of aim, sOughnsss and endurance,
and completeness Of equipments, q number
of batteries we're ordered, and 90 rapidly did
they rise in favor with artillsrists, that Mr..
wizards capacities Of manufacturing and
completely equiPping batteries. were taxed
70 tho utmost. The formidable batteries Of
The BuFnaide expedition are ell Of the Wizard
gun, and all Of the equipments supplied By
that gentleman himself -
Recently, through the exertiOns of Attor-
ney General WOlcOtt, who gave the subject
the most careful attention, four batteries Of
th0se guns were ordered for thiH State BY the
War Department, and the first Of them ar
rived al Camp DOnnison on Wednesday, and
were given into the hands Of Captain Bur
rowe company, which has been in camp
some months, waiting for their outfit.
The Cincinnati Commercial thus describes
the gun:
The gun has the appearance Of highly
poliShed mahogany, and in shape resem-
bles somewhat the Parrot, only not 50 long,
the metal above the trunnions being cut
away 90 that It gives the impression of q
band Bhrunk on. The base is oval and
smooth, without breeoh-ban6 o. any surface
projection ealculsted TO form re-entering
angles, which, experience has demonstrated,
are the snglss 70 which all guns break in
bursting. The form Of tha gun has been
the subject Of the incest calculation, the oh.
ject being to give the greatest possible weight
70 the base, which insures frmness and
steadiness, and by cutting away the metal
above the trunnions, not 10 make it imprae-
tiesbly heavy for transportation and ready
handling upon the field We remember in
praoticing IN Western Virginia the aftiller-
lists were very respectful to their brass pieces,
on account Of the tremendous recoil, the
weight Of metal in the projectiIe being out
Of proportion to that Of the piece. The
Wizard gun is considerably heavier than the
United States ordnance Of the same calibre
We do not remember the difference.
The target used on Thursday was eight
feet rquare, and sevsn-sights Of mile dis
tant, and though the practice was conduct
cd by unskillsd hands, proved highly salts
factory, and considerably above the average. |
On Friday they we're further tested, sphsri-
cal case shot being used, and the practice on |
that day is husdsScribsd By the CONNER
cial:
Amuslin tlrget was stretched on the hill |
side, and every preparation made for the |
experiments. By placing the trail under |
instead of over the axle, the gun can be de- |
pressed or elevated some thirtY-fve de- /
gressy q difference in its favor over ord
nance mounted in the usual style, of some |
twenty degrees, The experiments were
very interesting and satisfactory. Using |
but an ounce Of powder, charge 30 small 1
that sabots had to be inserted u the home
opathic doses, 10 make than ego down."
shell were projected to the prodigious
height Of q mile, and dropped be-
hind the target, where they exploded, in |
every instance. So slight was the report |
that many spectators could not believe there
had been an explosion Of the charge till,
after the lapse Of q few seconds, they would
hear the report of the shell exploding
ponlnu me Anh8lnRry enVrenchmen0.-l
With 8 charge Of two ounces, the shell
we're thrown completely over the hill, 3 dis
tance Of nearly two miles, air line. The
muslin was riddled By grape in way cal
culated to make one feel uncomfortable, nor
was there the least evidence, after repeated
trial, that the riaing Of the gun had been in
sny respect injured By the rather rough sx=
eroise. The precision Of the pisce In firing
was further demonstrated BY two she'll aim
ed ct an elm trse, both Of which took effect
and exploded II its Massive trunk, tearing
it intocsmithsreeps,B
The unanimous conviction Of the sFtillar-
lists in Camp D. nnison is that no such effect
I've weapon has hitherto been seen in the
West. Brass riAed guns are at a discount,
and they haysunited in letter to Gov. Tod,
recommending the exclu i've adoption Of
the Wizard Steel Gun, q conclusion we most
heartily concur in after examination and
trial. af.EE
The boys in Capt. Burrows company are
as proud Of their steel dogs, that will bite
Is we'll IS bark, as mother Of her first
baby and are anxious 10 take the field and
ny their virtues On the "secesh."