, 1862-05-02
GUNS, PROJECTILES, AND IRON
PLATED ARmOR.

GUNS, PRoJECT1LES, AND IRON
PLATED ARmOR.
As the sea-fsht between the Monitor
and Merrimac, and the reduction Of Fort
Pulaski, have awakened . great and gen
cra1 interest Oh the subject Of guns and
iron plated armor, We have put together
such facts and opinions as We could get
from the limited sources Of information
within our reach, hoping, imperfect as it is,
the attempt might aid our readers to some
better understanding Of this important
matter.
The Columbiad is an American cannon,
invented by Col Bo1nford, and used In the
war Of 1912, Of very large caibre, used for
throwing solid slot or shells, The model
Of this gun has been much improved aud
changed from those used in the war Of
1872 In 1860, the model proposed by F.
I. Rodman Of the ordnance corps, was
adopted for a1l sea coast cannon. The fact
that the ordinary method Of cooling cast
iDgs from the exterior, impaired the
strength CT large guns, and rendered them
unsafe, stood iu the way Of casting any
guns Of large size and calibrc, until Capt
Rodnsan conceived the design, which lit
has happily executed Of casting guns o.
large size hczEoac, and by means Of q current
Of water, introduced iu,o tile core, whict
forms the mould Of the bore. cooling it from
the interior, and this making the metal
about the bore the hardest and dcn$est
and giving the whole thickness Of meta
subjected to internal strain its maximum
strength
Af1er this new method monster gun
have been cast, exceeding in size and th
weight of ball THEY throw, anything befor
known or supposed possible, The 15-inc!
Columbiad is 4O0-poundcr. And one ad
vantage VIC have over the British just nov
is, VIC can make not only 4o0.pouuders bu
1000 Founders, Capt Rodman now Offer
to cast, by his ingenious process, 3,oo(
FOUNDER that is, 4 30-inch gun. The mo:
that we have heard of tue British doing i
this direction is the statement made by til
Duke Of Cambridge in Parliament, th5
Sir ". Armstrong would soon produce
60e-pounder which would do the sam
mischief at 2,o0o yards as his 300-pounds
had done ut 200 yards Capt Rodman hi
already cast q 15-inch gun, or 400-pounlc
and 20-inch is ordered, and probably :.
ready cast at Pittsburgh Fired with ligl
charges and low velocisics, shots Of til
weight will not penetrate, ha1t they vi
crush the fran!c and smash in tho side OF
Warrior. Capt. Blakciry, the inventor Of IL
gun that tears his name, writes to Il
London Tines, that he canIot ;t.licTt a'
shot less than 7G0 pounds, and that fir
with at least 50 pounds Of powder, can
This,
In 1886, iron ritled cannon were invel
cd. In 1854, Mr., now Sir William Gcor
Armstrong, invented ritled field piece
new principle, which ultimately led
the introduction Of tic weapon into t
British service Il is what is called
"bui1t-up" cannon, and Is made by WIZ
ping strips Of wroush, iron spiral1y arou
tube of the same material, which con;
tutes the sides ut the bore Tic strip
each layer IS welded together at its elg
and it moves in q c1oss-Hisc direction
the layer that p7eccdcs it. This meth
makes very strong, but very cxpensi
gun.
The Armstrong gun hss attained rar
Of nearly five and q quarter miles. T
conditions which arc chiefly conducive
all extended range, are small bore, ans
very heightened projec,ile; but the MOI
projcctile assumes the character Of b
the less suitablc it becomes fer shell.
William therefore derrecates any fur;
increase Of range at expense Of etficie1
in the shell; and indeed it may well
doubted whether au extension Of range
yond distance Of fyc miles would pr
of any practical utility.
Sir ". Armstrong has also very la'
achieved some successes and improyen1t
in his gun which have excited great in
est on both siGes If the Atlantic. ,
London Times Contains an account uf
pe1imen.s nt ShoebuVness, with gu
large size and great calibre, which sllp
atcyery discharge that our best and h
erto considered inrulnerablc forms Of /
sides were, so 10 speak, almost as &c
penetrated by shot as if the targets
been Of timber. Upon which an Eng
writer remarks
After Al our labor a1l al, OUT expense, afle.
1hs mace oeEcnd comparison the hucst
stionscsI a!on 'f:sates in the world, we now
the best Of our tronsides caa be r. easi1v
died and snrk az wooden sailing ye.se
This discovery IL due to the keen and vi
come rivalry between the Brfti.h w.
fee and the Admiralty, the former =, ;,
to devise ir7esir'ibie artillery. and tho lar,
bnild lnyIlnerahfe Iron rhaps There has
an immense variety OF experiments on every
combination Of iron ED wood, iron and j
rubber iron ard wire. ircn and hemp, aud
section Of the American Monitor has been ct
And tired at at SboebuFyness, an proved to
vulnerable a1lnost timber, and that
chance may. be neglected, target Is
made Of railway hare. doEctailed and ris
together in the Eapae ingenious manner .
coating Of the aerrimac, and this also WaN oe
In q few dA5.. and beyond doubt, with mue
same results that attended the Monitor t
During recent experiment, target e4ae
the same materials and strength IS the Wa
brpsdside. WIS subjected during the whole {
dsy 1nd part Of second to . Host IRENE
FIRE. but the concentrated volleys few off IN
Of iron tQlinte.e- The targets grew almost E
IN patte- bnt 10 missile passed beyond it, IT
!no. The Warrior. therefore. and iron ships