New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-18

Parrot became part owner Of the patent OF all
elongated shell invented and patented by Dr.
John W. Reed now a fighting traitor, of Mont
comery. Ala, to which he has since added some
slight notifications. He has also constructed
the rife gun which bears his name, several OF
the caliLers Of which slightly vary from those
of all other rifle guns. Thus it would seem that
Mr.. Parrot had well-laid scheme to control
the entire manufacture of rifle guns Tor the
Army aud Navy, and to furnish all the pro-
iectes TO be used in them-an item yielding a
much larger profit. with little or no risk, than
could be realized on the guns clone.
The third cause named is keeping the gun
loaded too long" Not single instance is
specified in the Report where this cause was
ever known to burst gun.
The last cause enumerated in the list li stated
TO he 1.-The neglect to lubrGate the projectilcs
! according to ordnance Instructions" Ih'-
might possibly have q tendency to wear the
gun more rapidly, and 10 retard slightly the
velocity Of the prcjectile, where there was but
: XII ,.1,tle or no windagc and the grooves Of the
rAing were shallow. Mr.. Parrot had provided
for this contingency by adopting deep grooves,
| few in nlmber with considerable windage ana
hard metal expansion base rings; but unior-
tunatcly his projectles were not considered,
even 10y the naval ordnance authorities, equal
to some others used in the service, aud protests
Of Mr. Parrot against projectiles other than
his own repeatedly occur i'll the records Oh lhe
Navy and War Ordnance Bureaus. The other
shells used in the service are seil-lubrlcating.
A few words in reiercDce to other causes oil
bursting of guns, apparently unknown to or un'
recognized by the makers Of this Report may
not be uninstructiyc.
Very long rifle guns would be likely to be
injured and broken at the muzzle from rccoiling
in line DETECTING from the line of the shot,
which gives very heavy and sudden strain TO
that part of the gun, especially when there is a
very great prrpondcrancc ut the breech, % Is
the case with the Parrot guns This danger
would be- greatly increased by the unequal ex-
pansion of the metal Of the gun by heat, from
rapid firing, by increasing the elevation, and
by defective cooling at the time OF the cast
ing of the gun. This latter defect would be
likely TO essentially contribute TO the failure or
bursting of thick walled aud heavy guns under
almost any condition ofiiring, and instances are
on record where such guns have actually burst
in the mold from this cause.
The unequal expansion of the inner metal OF
heavy guns, by heat in firing, is unqucstionably
ia the minds of many careful, practical, scien-
tifc observers, paramountcause of bursting OF
guns.
Again, the two stcreCtypcd causcs of bursting
heretofore mentioned demand parting word.
Shells are usually loaded with much finer and
quicker burning powder than is used to charge
the gun. The explosion, then, OF she'll, ii 1t
burst from the alleged cause named in this Re
port and especially insisted upon by Mr.. Parrot
N his letter appended to the Report" friction
of the longer and heavier powder charge against
the inner walls OF the cavity of the SHELF
must take place the very instant that the pro-
jcctile takes motion near It's seat against the
cartridge. and necessarily burst the gun, If ut
all, at the brcech rather than the muzze.
Shells may possibly burst in guns in rare in
stances near the muzzlc, from defective fuses,
from very small openings through the walls Of
the shells. from imperfect casting, or from im
perfect persuasive appliances short. cheap.
and easy method of settling the mooted points
involved in these two alleged causes, wonld be
"a, 4 10 ~ la. al
bors: select number of shells for each gun,
which should be prepared with small vent.
charged with percussion powder connecting
with the charge in the she'll and the powder in
the gun; load each OF the guns. say from
one TO SIX times with these shells.
placing The first she'll against the cart
ridge. and at each subsequent discharge, in.
creasing the distance equally, until the last
shell should be on line with the end OF the
muzzlc in the bore. This would burst the shells
exactly ut the point Of depi.turc-at the very
instant of taking motion, and demonstrate at
small cost just what the "stercotypod alleged
causes amount to. II further demonstration
be desired iii the case of the shot not
being raInncd home" take unloaded shells or
solid shot and subject them TO the same practice,
and AN absolute demonstration in both eases
can DE arrived AZ in single Summers day at
onc.filleth OF tn" cost OF putting q single new
gun TO the first proof q, 900 rounds, the test
always demanded by the Ordnance Bureaus.
The fact, also, that powder burning in twice the
space it occupies before combustion can have
but half the pressure that II would exert if