The New York herald., 1862-11-16
ANOTHER TRIUMPH or lRON.c[AOS. !
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The Final Test OF the Fifteen.
Inch Gum ON the Turret
of the Passaic
-r~c>~>~~-~>-~>>>>o-N~>~->~
ITS UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS.
~~~>>~o->~~>@~~~~--~~~>~~s~
The Gun Fired Inside the Turret With 10
C0nCussiOn or Smoke,
American Gums and Turrets Vic.
torious,
&s., Ae.s kss
IT'S UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS.

tho purpose OF testing the operations Of the teennoh
gun inside Of the turret. Men OF scientific knowledge,
military and naval officers, had confidently asserted sh
II would be impossible TO fire gun 50 large with full
service charge inside OF urret without either killing
the guns outright disabling them after few
rounds. Many said that the English had tried hsasy
guns but we're obliged give up their USE they
not able to work them But the results Of yesterday have
convinced tho most ssepcal Of those who witnessed tbs
experiment OF the feasibility and oven caused those Sums
70 be the most cnthusastc their expressions o
and aslonishmen al the Of tho experiment
The passao left tho wharf the foot Of Thrtoeath
sse between ten and eleven O'Clock in the morning sld
steamed up the North rivor against strong ebb tide and
heavy norihery wind. Her speed. from The srsrt,
averaged knots through tho water and her
making only ty eight turus. which twenty two
than she has the power TO give But, the boilers
loamng. il not doomed advisable TO drivo her
to her Inaximua speed tho trial bong more for the o
than the vessel. Her speed remarked by all "a
beard, many thinking she going faster than she ra
Iy was, but the log gave tbs true agures.
The air cold aud Tho breeze very piercing but ma
anxiety the result Of the experiment kept cvsy
deck.
On arriving at point opposite Fort Washington ,hs
Passac headed in towards western Of The
river, under tho towering cgs Of the Palisades whsn 50
!cctine uninhasited spot, 1t determined TO SOC
tho caeci against the rocky butwarks Of tho noble indsoa
The steamer stopped and the Gtseu inch gun was
loaded with twenty popns of powder and hollow s'ct
After the gun out 70 The side of the turc and III
was ready, Il was red the bal! ricooheting along the
water few times then striking the rocks causing tho 20
Gy like much chan followed by terrible echo, wich
h itsforce, rcssmbicd the explosion Of a powder mill
The noise outside Of the turret terrible, while inside
herc coacussion Of any account, and the aoss
certainly dd not exceed that which would have beeo pro-
iuced by the firing OF ordinary pistol.
Every surprised and unwilling at the first trial
70 say much all anxious 70 the effect Of fH
charge Of thirty tour pounds ofpowder The gun
only rccocd seventeen inches.
SxcosD FRN0-The second time the gun was loaded
with thirty sve pounds Of powder and hollow shot Il
fired, reooilng three feet ton inches. producing
unpleasant concusson and, as before thsre was scarcely
any smoke tho turret Several o the spectators who
were in the turretat the 6rst firing outside this
tue 10 the working OF the shot, which had been
spoken by those who outside at tho me but The
noise outside unpleasant that they preferred TO be
inside the time the gun fred, and accordingly
they In and remained there through the remainder
of the firing.
THIRD FrRno-Tho third tine the gun was fired It
charged with thirty Gve pounds Of powder and hollow
shot. Tho recoi only two feet eight inches. Tls
results without trouble in ct vas
much peasaner inside than outside Of the tnrrel No
noise perceptble tending to discomfort either on the
berth deck in the engine
FoUnrn FIRING fourth and last time the gun
fred il charged with thirty yavc pounds Of powssr
aud solid shot the nrst fired from gun Of ths
size with full service charge. Tho result was precisely
the same the recoi being only feet eight nche a0d
smoke noise 10 the turrct.
Thus ended the experiment with tho gun. which u
every respect satisfactory. We refrain from giving
foreign sndspr the rebels the slightest clue a. 10
how this matter has been accomplished but snice 70
say that is the plan of Captain Ericsson and now Il
believed 70 be perfect anything mortal aa
make
We wtl however, give sons Of the general points h
the workings OF these Monitors, showing their most
prominent features.
In the nrst place. their speed will bs sufficient foe
the purposes for which they were designed. There
is no doubt that they will 60 At the very ieAss
nine knots. Sccondly-A no time will the guns
Of tho vessel DO liable 70 any damage from the
pro'eeles Of the enemy; for the muzzles will mol pro-
trude outside OF their shield. ThirdyThe number q
to work Of these enormous guns is less than 70
work ordinary Glove n.lnch gun Marsiny carriage
Three men viii out tho hfecn.inch gun weighing
AZ 900 pounds (neasly twentyone tons), sasily
nineteen mon work esvcnnch pivot. The English In
Tended 70 put fourteen ton gun in cupola but Sir
Howard Douglass senuonsiy opposed suoh STEP as hs
believed that they would not be able 70 get enough
inside work IT, Therefore II attempted Ona
strong porson out the Aiteen-uch gun while hs
runs out the eleven. nch one, with perfect case.
In hose Monitor batteries give not only pro-
icotson TO The men but to the guns which, when the
vessel bss but two, u is very desirable should
be protected The appliance carry on the ccncussloo
smoke simple and ingenious, snd the governmeu,
should take let this secret get ont 80 a. TO
be used by other Powers. u is success only second 10
The conception Of the original Monitor Europe will again
ss,oni~hed and thinking, while America not
oy ihe work done but will ere long test the work.
ing her enemies Iue success Of tras monster a.
eepiuch gun instc Of turret adds another wreath ..
laurel. to Those already by the genius Of Ericsson
our country he proud OF his talents and
Al who witnessed the trials yesterday highly de.
gheo and although not present 10 receive their
qratulstoss Captain Ericsson will be remembered BY
them when the day Of os'e comes and they receive the
benefits this grand triumph Of mechanical skill Skeptcs
by the converted, and those who yesterday
morning, unhcsas,lngIy said rhe thing can't be dens"
are now the loades, in It's praise.
The passsc returned late In the afternoon 70 the Dsla
mater Iron Works where the finishing touches win b
put on her sas in few days she win be turned over 70
the Navy Department, ready for active service Admi
raj Gregory chef Engineers stness, Robie and Newton;
Captain Dra,t and al the ohceis OF the Fassac Mr.
Graud and others Of the Mouauk were present Other
wise there were no persons except these connected with
ronclads.
III. eleven. ipch gun was not hred On this trip, cell
vss NO, deemed necessary 10 use while the question a
The eenipoh would so,,le all ths points required. The
Of the experiment viii now lead 70 the placing
two fifteen inch e,ns each lurret Tbus armed iron
lad vessei yet bui BY any foreign Power withstand
.nch shock and crash two such terrible prcecties
would he able make. Two guns OF this large caliDre
can be- as readily dred tbe turret ., time one
40 ,has IN striking both guns being al the same
elevation, the effect would he fearfully destructive
and II the result Of this series of experiments shond
cause any wonder among the public, Il w wsi' tossy1
them chat of what Is come in the combination o' ram
turre, and gun, half not Accomplished for In Tho mon
sler ships We src building, in ratio to time 60 70 be