New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-01

Interesting Trial Of I'rc;eo lilies.

very interesting trial OF the suJ-Aslher
projecte in connection with new packing o. saoot,
poth tie invention Of SIR. Wilson H. Smith Of Derby.
was made by order OF the Navy Department lew doys
circe at Derby IN this State This tral was 'He con
Gliding one Of series, and was made hy Commodore
r. Hunt OF the Navy, and was in all rcipecis iaoss
decided succefs both regards the proocsle AID The
packing As mos; OF readers are familiar with the
sub caber principle. VIII not enter int leneihy
explanation Of IT, but viii merely saw for the Informs
ton of those who not familiar WITH The subject that
the principle is such that by means OF Jacket or case,
II ia rendered possible TO lire bolt OF less diameter
than The caber of tho guD, tins tightening the sho;
and giving with the same charge Of powder immensely
greater penetrating power and consequently nlues
k.oaer range with less strain upon TIC walls ot the
crn. Tie trial was made from lOO-pound ,Rcdman
rife which has been mounted at Derby iorthe purpose
OF these trials.
Gun and consisted of ANIMATED iron plates ioui-anG-a
Iaf inches in thickness bote1 10 backing o. eight
inches OF OAK aud four feet OF bemlock. Tls target
was three feet wide and foar foot IN length Besie hs
tergei there was screen Of boards about eig1t feet
SQUIRE on which painted bulls eyceg1t lnrhes III
diameter These two targets il vii! nc borne III Eiind
49, stTeen l. is Cred al rst with common shell
in order 10 test tie new packing O. sfsof me shss
were fired nj an elevation otsa trhe les than ialf
decree three OF which struck the eght men Dnis eye
one of the others about two feet above In me- aai
he other about three feet below, ltie 70 the ie is
raoiuary closeness OF the shooting show tb>; tie
packing must have taken the grooves with TIE utmost
cyactude tins securing the great object OF all pack.
| inr tho instantaneous and complete filling OF the
grooves preventing any loss Of force by the escape OF
grs by windGgc aud securing the rotary MOTION 10 the
proec.ile which ensures ts correct Hight.
Heretofore packing has eorp.eely attained al OF
these requirements on several accents al or wch are
obviated by this mode of packing. On the cOlnpio
ton the Trial OF the wooden target t'o sabcsiber
shots were fired at the iron target ct distance a enc
quar;er Of mile and the elevation o. tae gun haif
degree. The first shot struck the target about four
inches above the balls eye ana penetrated tie target
and the packing and buried Itself IN the hill side. The
second was attended with a similar result. The third
1sio talo
fourth md fifth struck and pierced the target and back.
ing tearing IL in pieces and destroying II entirely
The prpjocti!es used we're steel bolts four aad half
inches in diameter aud abou sixteen inches in eagth
atbcaded. ard kept in place IN the gun by means Of
sabot or jacket the packing being attached to tie base
of the case The weight OF the bolt end fired
was "a Iiac sixty pounds for oach shot, the charge
of powder being the regulation charge OF ten pounds
The penetratiye force of this projectle Is without
parallel in the history o. pfolectiles On previous
tial al the same place with the same gun az the same
distance and using the same charge OF powder two al
t,ese steel bolts fred at. and through target
composed OF eight inches OF ANIMATED iron latpes,
lively, inches OF oal backing anu oGr feet Of lcuocG
timber. Tie velocity 81 immense that the bolt rot
only went through tho whole mass but the ease went
through the eight inches OF iron aud into the wood.
where the bolt e,t IL. one other shot Id ar the
same target. rendering II useless for further trials.
few OF these proectos were made for the large Amcs
gun which has been on trial for so long time at
Bridgeport, by Gen. Gilmore aud scf and Commodore
Hunt, TEs gun is by all odds the best which In,
been made ana wing to tho immense charges of pow
Ger useu ~ proportion tnc gun. a.
most been On nPcssioity 20 get any projectle which
would bear tie sirais. six OF these proectes were
fired from the gun with charges ranging from twenty
to thirty pounds o. powder. with the most decided
success
We understand tia, the extreme range OF these pro.
iectiles was seven miles and quarter. q mile and a
quarter beyond the extreme range OF any other pyojec
tile fired from this gun The snbcaber princple was
discovered by Mr. Smith some years since but it has
only been possible by long and costly series of expert
ments TO reduce il 10 practical use The, this has been
ample testimony. 4 company has been formed for the
manufacture OF this proec,iic, undo: the title OF the
Bridgeport Steel Proiocte Company. with capital Of
$500 co., which is all taken BIZ q few parties. They
haze purchased the Crescent foundry at Bridgeport
and preparing for the manaac.rre of the pro.
jectiles on large scale. lNpw.Haven Jour-, Nov %