Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-08-30

Artillery Experiments in England.
lFy- suus tns the BRITISH Ordnauoe Department has
eseO csFJas on the most thorough aud ensiVe e1-
psFiasnts stshosbayness, chiefly "in order to decide
shstbsG tss Armstrong WhisvoFth principle be pre-
ssFabis icr artillery % Which end both breseh ard
nu1lls losdoss, sud smooth bored and rhsd guns Of
yssiOu5 o,libss, have been employed As yss 90 dsei
son hes hssn ssnOaResd AZ might be expected, iron
srsgs,s hsvs bssa essstay tested With restls Of in
ssss % our service in che poser shown BY heavy ord
rsnes to psrOo destroy iron plating heavy ang
gssd Tor toe aIROs Of vessels By The United States.
10 an experiment On she l7th Of June, target repre-
ssnuag ships side vas assd constructed as follows
'F,s1is tm5sEs l2 inches th,k Of oak with wrought
loo diagonal braces connecting thsm, inches broad,
y inshss thick So nEsF planking, Inches, Of oak
iollod iron skin Il inches, outside the frame bsss
~ outer plsnklng, - inches, Of OAK rolled amor
paiss A. inches hiek 40 feet long b. a fee. broad.
The bslls we're q inches 10 diameter four deck beams,
70 inches square each supported BY ron knee weigh
iag cut qFs. a gounds making thickness Of ships
sds Tor targsi) Of 20 inches Of solid oak wall Wih II
aeaes Of Iron asrpOsed between ths inner and Outsr
5snkinz be 5idss the cross brscss sud then inches Of
ison on the exterior, OF IS inches Of oak and non.
AGAINST this target I've or siI species OF heavy
ns we're brought " bear 81 the distance Of 400 yards
Nth the following results.
Al s.inch cast iron smooth bored 6s.pomder,
sighing % eWt, which, bred With 6 pounds Of pow
r ana spherical sssel sa0t Of Is pounds made isle
o. 10 impression.
~ inch r.Hsd muEE's.loadsr, Of tons II
O., with charge Of Is ponnis o. powder and Dol.
a. ia pounds, which Was buried in the target until,
=. poed By the i1Esr roa ssin. There we're 20 spin
ssrs IA the rear.
8 The came gun wa sssd Vith charge Of 20 pounds
81 powder, sn6 ssel shell o. III P0aods ADdN b1,ss-
- charge Of pouads. Ths ousss plate vas again
.snsFstsA the inner .kn nos. Tle shsll blew %
hssd and split in tso halves slightly cracking the
s. ID work And lifting she oaIeF plate bOaly By the
sIP'Osion.
At inch rasd muzzs loader, Of tons IA osf.,
lsl charge Of rs pounds Of powder and an elongated
ssof 100 pounds which pierced the cater plate near
,bs rght-hAnd top corner Of tArget aud glanced up
r,ri. dsodgag the outer laysr Of backing plank
Jog.
AlO{ iroh r.asd guo, Of Il tens IS cat, dis
oa.r ed wish so pounds Of PsWdes and 4ee shos Of
hes oands weight This shot failed 70 pierce tae sg-
-, he inner pAnkng gave way however, little, aud
sem, plnssFing occurred
q. 2 az inch riasd .lusEs loader Gun, Weighing 2
a., sw., charged with ~ pounds CT powder sad
- .el SEQ. Of 20 pounds, Wh!e1, striking ihs weak
90 o. Of the t-go. OeoE the uPP5r dscE bSsns went
,hrSu- and through via many s2ls.ess. o. second
round With the sane, charge 50 pounds % Posdss aud
s,ssl shot Of 2ll pOOldl the p:osgts gtz ss al the
foot o. the large. pierced the olisr armour and
sarEsi ITSELF Ia tie PalkiDs, v,5Ou, ppEn,srs
50 The ear
,ai t,.L -,,, -. e-,s .g,f- -. . 49,,
Of As rouuds Of powder aud stesl SHOT OF s0l pounds
Fhs s.fsos Was perforated entirely tbsouga, covering
as dsck rt1 spHners aud breaking o-e Of the heavy
IN kns,,, buried the large fragment soCd way Of.
sEeol ssl complete.
g. TIE 70 ton eHt. 922 i5eA gun, vas again 6fsd
-s with 80 pounds Of powder and steel cha. OF AZ
IL weight, striking either diEssiy or partially in
7us ossnlng made a. the previous discharge 0; the
. qlo, sad wsnt through the target.
lighter ~ inch gun Ess taios sa1d with
Of IS pounds, sad in one instance chilled cast
lOs Of les pounds, and in the other a spsrical
ifou sAOs Of loo pounds; In the ars. o,ss the
.srosd he outer srmor and buried itself in the
III d, without spiDtsr5 In the rear In the second
rt % $40. broke, bg; pierced the QUEER iron plate
tsfgst bad now become a wreck, though the
pa ussd sefs the best yes tried, they we're not shot
pro s1d toe 500 pound sho. Wens through backing,
bflo s15 sil.
A. Interesting pSrt q thaso experiments was III,
sslsss u chilled 0lst-i'oa sh9s5-ths eonri-
YaEle e 0sr,an PAllser, sn clhess OF the 18Th Hls
s-s= Ia.ss y olsng tdem ia cold iron monaa instead
81 In ss1i-a ps5ctss which ehs o. case.aafdeDs tie
hs,a; e a. Cheap a. ordinary oassrOn, and although
tos saos broks the aS, yst they penetrated though
So sfreuI.
Psrvsss 10 these sEpsrimsats e. saosburynSsa,
very Interesting Trial Vas ads near L VoFp0O Of gun,
tas Invention Of Mr.. James Alekly which Is Of forged
500 slss ~ isss long with bore Of 81 inches diane
ser aad We gbog g tons. l. vas forged solid and sub
ssolsnli, sored-sas breach having been closed By
rrs1iuE IN the cascade pece Ther5 Is great Weighs
o. natal s tAs brescb shich is a. least leet IN d
suslsr Smooth steel cylindrical shot we're uasd o.
dirsfsut lsrgihs up 10 $ ealbFs and = hal aud ihe
novelty u tbs very great rotation impaired 70 tnsss
saosth ssot b. lhs igaiOn u she pOsdeF ara mere
s.ssps OF the ssssss saIoaga hs ahal0s grooves of
sas slug in she suua rOiaiofy mOdoa qliss a. salts
tssory A. wish shs usually arranged shot tor ras ord
Eaa0a
fbs t,rcst ~ Of - l10hss eKiosiOE srnoa, OF
Ion al,b.. on bsosiag o. inches Of teak dn6sE-
sao,hsr iasb 81 iran pl.e sDd sita sngs oFse3s d
tfsu Ve,gaiug IONS sAsb b5si on 70 strengthen sna
Sc he ron plstss toseass. sss thsa supported n
a. upr.zbt p0si.oa b. tso enormous pssaa Of timer
L. dosp iuto NE gsoaad aud shaed aP Vi 40 oshsE
Ispss logs 81 a sass o. 80 degrees ssih the ground
saa a. basksd W nth sand
The sbOs s1Pslimanlsd slih HsislIag les psan1.
ant aEsd wish charge Of Is to 50 polnta Of posdsr
stsds sues u 200 yards. Wons tbroaga ihs SacuF,
hsesl8s, interior irO0 pais aud aags soDl. and
through the tnbsr Seaport, OvsTsareE ths sa shFos
ina bsavy fragments Of wood and rJ0 SOFAS husdfsd
ysrds 20 the rear, and irgatia iragm nts Of ragged
i.,c 200 yssds; altar which, ths shot poksd up