The New York herald., 1863-10-21

/
and ourselves in his own carriage TO the seaord station
| BIAcgnEATH, oct. 8, 1868. JAMES GLASHiER
Baf,ooning for military Purposes.
l From the London Post, Oct IL
| The members Of the Ordnance Select Committees with
General Sir David Wood. r. Az. Major General Sandham
Mward, and other officers assembled at the Royal Arse
nal Woowich, yesterday afternoon to witness ascenis
with MIR. Coxwell's large balloon. the War Department
having sanctioned series OF experiments IN order to
ascertain the value Of balloons when used to reconnore
nation as to the position Of an enemys forces The
whole Of the available troops In garrison had previously
u"1 an Sy to st.
and the Royal Artillery Commanded by Colonel Travers
The monster balloon having been Inflated with IS 900
cub feet gas at the Arsenal works was removed by
detachment Of royal engineers 70 the gun park and rope
guns. Mr.. Coxwel with Captain Beaumont and Lieute
Grover of the Royal Engineers. took their seats in
the and the balloon was allowed to ascend about
three-quarters Of mile At the expiration OF one hour
descent made, and Mr.. Coxwe presented the fol
ter 2s View to The coast clear for thirty miles very
hazy inland the river beautiful Gravesend and Purfeet
%e,er sSs Sigh, oscillation Tme as ermOme
ter, 81: barometer, 20.60 Clouds mist to southwest
| splendid view for ariel photography, 80,
Three subsequent ascents wore made with Captain Hey
man. Secretary Of the Ordinance Select Committee and
other officers and the troops we're seen whilst returning
home headed by the bands OF the two divisions Ulti
na,ely about i've O'Clock the balloon set free from
| the ropes and conveyed Mr, Coxwc and Mr. Giasher
l.
The experiments are considered highly satsfastorT
/ Great Guns and Great Failures.
h fFrom the birmingham Morning News, Oct. 81
IL would be well for thDse oc readers who have not
yet made their minds % the great guns controversy
much they have been bewldered by conflicting state
ments much they may have boen mised BY tho
gross unarDess of the Times their doubts and their
desons will take 10 flight they traverse the miles Of
factories aud workshops aud roads that lie alongside the
chief river OF Engand Facts are stubborn things and
when sees the much puGed Armstrong guns lying
about in every stage OF decaynot by dozens but by
| Tymes' reports is compelled to acknowledge that
al terrible mistake has been madc, that three mil
lpns Of money have been spent 10 no purpose, and
sttAery we are scarcely better Oh than we wore at
the revolution the science Of began It is almost
impossible TO convey 70 the reader who has visited
arsenal Outside factories lie scores upon SCORES Of
the once famous Armstrong; with broken Won't pieces
~n o.mssSC Win ia me nody o the gun rent and
factories few Of the less injured guns undergoing
alterations. These alterations. as we have said pre-
vious article Of the kind the alterations
which the freshman ordered when he directed the cutler
to repair his knife: by giving Il now blade and
handle. In OF the guns tho breech loading system
Is abandoned altogether and the pieces constructed
that principle being converted into leaders
r1ing Is bong introduced, in others the are
being altered and in others all these alterations being
Beau Brumme used say when he pointed 10 the heap
OF crayats which be had crumped IN trying to put on
/ 1.
ectc increased 70 100 lbs and the charge rs lbs
1 This gun was destroyed.
The usual projecte weighed 1883, bs and reduced
TO 9s lbs The charge was "a Y bs and this gun, which
cost about 81 900, was also destroyed
| 3. 120-pounder s'shunp gun, In. bore, and cost
81 o00-Ths piece was fred with 1857 ib projecte and
IS lbs Of powder. The breech wedges stuck, and
| ultimately destroyed. Tue On sent to Eswck FOR
repairs but afterwards woolwich where It
lies useless, after nring from IL to 20 rounds.
l5Opoundcr, 10 y in bore This gun, which Is gene
L rod
several charges and been paid fo The experiment which
esn PASSED a the
ing tried with so h. charges aud round ball. the breech
'bew out This piece wM repaired bu. has again failed
8. 10k inch shunt riaed gun TO re 300 h. procctes
This was much shaken In the brecch. and the mug
ze was nearly of after nine rounds with 4o h. charges
fred about three rounds Neither this class OF guns nor
the four last proved before being paid for Altogether
| Arsenal.
O. 2o0pouuder wedge breach leader on the shunt sys.
tenn This gun burst at the sixth round, and has
been brought up 70 woowich from shoeburyness.
s or sy
| nevertheless been returned, and are having twelve
inches ~, cut ,. on the mu1sc This change win DO away
/ Is said that the charge viii not be reduced eat
B.ssn ,saoss but s.y 70 ,s zee that ns gun
spouuder charge and epounder projectie. portion
Of the range and Of the accuracy win be lost On the
and upon the vent piece win be less and the gun viii
heat less Besides this very important alteration the
twelve-poundsrs are 70 have new breech screws,
Q. The 4op pounder guns--Thsse were too weak, and
mental service M shoeburyness. The whole which had
been issued were recalled and strengthened by which
Their weight was increased % thirtyone hundred weight
Even this additional strength was found 700 te, and
tns new forty Founders are being maae shirtynvs hun
O. IoO-poundsrs. year elapsed before
these guns could be eos 10 stand at all Several wsre
however, made seventy I'VE hundred weight and these
tweivepound ana fourteen pound red Dy he
hundred weight gun. These one hundred posnders win
Be powe!less against norclad ships There are about
FOUNDER Shot, bat requiring separate range tables.
10. The shunt guns-Thrce years ago Lord Paimensou
via france he suoossdsd 10 inpsrtIns Ss panic 70 Ia
colleagues, and the result was hasty contract for
1000 cast iron egps Of peculiar pattern. designed
and rned for the navy About 900 guns were suppcd.
and 100 hooped, when wss thouGht expedent to try
isss and they sow cumbsr the ground Il wocsssh
Besides oil these brsakdowns n his guns. SIR william
Armsircns has added liss Of scarcely lee mporiass
IL From f2o 900 to f25 900 worth Of round bossomsd
shell was supplied from Eswck before any suitable
NO. 90 straight, nor Sss any, plan or altering sSs ys
been successful They are s 10 The arsenal apparensy
useless Even good for anything they are worth -
ls4 100 poundsr steel vent pieces, wheh cost from
and unless some plan can BE- devised Cor making them
tough they win bs useless.
we're lined a shs Srsssh wsh brass IN thick and u
H. Fuses. s.-An immense quantity Of these have been
broken up OF condemned, and e In the arsenal
l5 Shot Of various kinds lead coated, stripped, but
toned straight groved, and twisted ssosedali these
ihe enormous the groove u tho rircd guns but
ihsn eau NJ siti 70 vc sdc e-sii rsey srelui