, 1862-05-02

the Admiralty and Val once The Hrst shot was |
:t6 pounds, WAS fred at distance Of 20 yards, |
cd al al dop6ts The iron mass va shattered into
crumbs Of metal and the teak epl1ntered into 1bres
literally as small as pins. An increased charge
though s hap ane1 ept e
buried itself II the massive ttmbera that supported
the target: These two sho:s were quite conclu-
rays that . GIN Of u tons weight, fred with :
the side Of the Warrior, OF the strongest ship
a1ost. The Times remarks that no weapon Of Of
feuse OF defense seems left to ua now 60 effective
ss large armoz-clad and very swift steam RAM
The Whitworth Gun, named after its in
ventor Of Manchester in England Is rifled
breach loading cannon He uses very
long projectile, upon which rapid spin or
rotation is impressed, by more than
usually rapid twist in the grooves ofthe rife.
The bore is what is called hexagonal which
is the best for communicating
rapid rifle motion to the projecdIe, but e1-
periments in the United States have not
shown it to be safe for ordinary cast-iron
cannon. Tests made Of Whitworth's hex
agoual 6opound shot, have proved its su-
periority to every other gun OF projectile
yet produced in penetrating power, unless
the efficiency Of the James projectile in
preaching the works Of Fort Pulaski show
that its American rival is still better.
The Parrot rifle, gun an American
| invention, is cast-non gun strengthened
by shrinking q band Of wrong ght~iron
around its breech.
We find no account fany james riaed
cannon, but ali cannon may be rifed for
the use Of James projcctile. This is Of
an elongated shape, and its leading feature
is the ingenious method in which its rota-
ton is secured; or the manner by which
it is made to follow the spiral grooves as it
passes along the bore of a rif1ed piece. Va
rious plans have been tried to attain this
end. One method is to have fanges or
projections on the shot to fit into the
grooves Of the gun in loading. But this
has not been found safe and occasions
other inconyeniences, which render it OBJ
jectionable. Another plan is to give 4
peculiar shape to the bore. The hexagonal
bore Is one OF the best for communicating
the rifle motion to projectile, as was
shown By the experiments Of Mr. Whit
worth in England. Still another is to con
struct the projectile on an expanding prin.
ciple The body Of the projectile is gener.
ally made Of cast-iron; and the expanding
portion is band or cup Of some softer
metal, as penter, copper, soroughtiron, o1
paper machie, which enters the bort
freely when the piece is loaded, but whicl
is forced into the grooves by the discharge
Under this head are several different pro
lcctiles, known as Parrot, Hotchkiss, Saw
ycrs, James, and others. The expanding
part Of James projectile consists Of ho]
low formed in the base Of the projecti1c
aud openings from this hollow to the SUI
face for the passage Of gas when the piec
is fred, which expands and drives into th
grooves Of the bore an envelope OF patel
made Of tin, canvass, and lead, surround
ing and fastened to the projectile. The 70
lowing extract from the n. 7. Tines, ful
,, thcr explains the subject:
| Inc real reason OF The rfGAL value OF 1uCt
, elongated projcctilcs is their greater momentum
concentrated upon smaller surfAcc Of resistanc
Momentum is The product Of velocity multiple
onE 1T the lnas rate Of FEET econ ha
greater momentum. and Is as destructive a. OF
|, weighing 80 pounds, moving 400 feet . =econ
But 8 long thot wei.h about t,cies G. much as
G round cne Of the came diameter, and il il drive
r. about ninc-teuths rapidly, therefore its
;, tuni is greater than than that Of round shot,
Il the 1alio Of Is 10 TO- And then its momentut
:, when it strikes, is concentrated upon small
IL GREG than the came an o2nt would be i carried
If round shot, and therefore il more eestrucsiy
- TEEs, II the momentum Of 100-Pound ELIOT VIC
= I'll II inch diameter bolt, it would 60 thron.
- any fort ut the first fire If the metal did n
- crush: but if The same momentum were ,spre
ct over surface Of ten square feet, {as it might
t. asainst stoac % walls. WhiiwortEs ) bolts IN IL
70 lard are made upon this principle, and arc ve
IL Effective against iron plates or stone work.
III E!EiHs GIN does lot increase velocity. but
1nini~llcr it; its value is that it keeps the pEo
iii Hing t VOLTA 1 y w %ia Ike n @ snye
~ by 3'sctoolboy ftosn the Free Academy and
hc eoqrse woud lose its velocity aud its directt'
ol Gen. James has eucceeded in imparting the r
mt me;tum ard rotation to these hcaxy p5oestl list
5f nis q The Ct # hs aa
-. iirs Of. all winda.e. and therefore his projccti
IN are immensely effective with amHll charges
M "dhit d Ills country ! Which arc good, bell
st, this principle. although nnne Of them,
~ my opinion, 6tt1lu the sauc perfection that
III original inventor docs in his, but all derive th
|i., value from his principle The French riftd 81
~ arc upon a different principle, and are very lnft1
in execution, and very much more dangerous Il
,o those made on Gen. Jan:cs' plan; and the sa
LIS remark is true Of Armstrong; and Whitwor
he eunp. which must be especially made fot their
jectilce, whereas Gen. james projcc1iles csn
>rc used in any gun without straining 1t as much
!ch 'oaia sho' "on'o Co.
ad- Ihe reduction OF Fort Pulaskl pro
ow very clearly the great Improvements t
,ut have been made in our guns and project
.rs both as it respects increase Of range, {
%. the penetrating power and efficiency
ost those Of late invention. Gen. Gilmore
in command Of our forces On that occasi
tne gives the following as results Of that
hat gagement, without going into details
T. y rcasons:-
mt l. Mortars, (even 1a-inch ecacosst.) arc unay
h1e lor the reduction OF works Of small area.
ueT Fort Pulaski. They cannot be fired with sut1lc
has accuracy to crush the easement arches.
might. after 4 long time, tire out any ordinary
Ter, risen;
a. ,s1;ii1 n 1ESn Tsr13s d;srancc -
rIf 4 few heavy round shot, to hiring down the II
- es ]ooseIed BY the rifed r1ojccties, are It
this service.
--:,, would not hesitate to attempt practis
y III breach in brick scarf at 1Ge0 yards distance,
Il q gurs Of my own selection.
8. No better piece for hreaching can BE- dc:
Inc than thu 42pounder James. The grooves, h.
tl,o er. must be kept clean.
4S.1ct :uls. throw ing much metal as
any JnHcs, would be equally good, anpposins the
lrcd ~ -l41os' ~ po0A'@'''
l Nv Politics in Indiana.