The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-23
AMERICAN ORDNANCE.
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From the London Pail Mall Gazette June II
Several months ago announced that IL had been
determined to purchase a large American gun, with a.
view to practical solution of the eunncry questions
which we ara at issue with our friends across the
Atlantic. The gun, called by the Americans "diteen
inch monitor gum has recently arrived. Il Is cast
iron smooth bore gum intended to throw spherical cast
iron shot of about four hundred and fifty pounds weight
with q charge OF fifty pounds OF (Amercau) powder
The gun Is made on tho Rodman system VIZ, cast hol-
low cold core. by which means the interior becomes
chilled hardened and Q character Ia impaired
the metal IL Is fine shapely piece OF ordnance not
unlike huge opaque soda water bottle, weighing n,ne
teen tons The preponderance, about six hundred
pounds, H greater than We were prepared for in
American gun.
The gun is at all points a complete exponent
Of the American, as opposed TO the English
system Of ordnance and say plainly
eInbodss nearly every element which wo have de-
liberacly discarded Thns Ia smooth bore instead OF
rined; Is Of instead Of wrought iron; throws
spherical sho, instead Of elongated Psser
or steel proectile and finally, the charge excessively
small IN relation 10 tho weight OF shot.
The points at issue between the Americans and
mented upon the Pal Man Gasete that 1t is
sary recapulate them Bat will be Interesting TO
observe now lar pears out theory IN the matter,
In Captain Mobiles "Rcport the Penetration OF Iron
Armor, which was published last year. Il may DO
worth while, In anticipation OF the forthcoming expert
meut to refer to those passages in which he calculated
the probable efect-or power so TO express ito this
the ,ncdus operandi by which the value OF any gun
for against any particular target Is estimated Ia
follows Reference made past experiments TO dis
cover the amount Of ris Mira, energy which
suced to carry shot OF particular diameter through
this target data which easily obtained the rira
impact bong merely I'll. weight OF the shot multi
pcd by the square of Its striking velocity BY simple
equation the amount Of energy which would be needed
to carry another shot the particular shot under
sidcraton, through the same target obtained. Thus
desire 70 know what the fifteen inch gun will do
against tho Lord Warden target II has been expert
menaily demonstrated that steel shot Of g. IA inches
In diameter striking with stored up work OF 2642
shot from the fifteen inch gun being taken at IA IS
inches (which 10 slightly under the markl have tho
represented by the Following equation 20 IL: , s4S
1885 and "a 292 tons 1t would therefore require
force or vis pira, OF 4asa tons 20 send steel shot
Is tho first data which we require. We need to
know whether the fifteen inch gun capable Of striking
blow Of A2s2 TONS and, If so, at what range. Cap
tain Noble assumed the weight to be 4l
pounds (which the mark and he has apparently
made the calculation OF the velocity a,tanabs on the
basis OF charge OF 80 pounds OF English powder which
Is considerably stronger than the American powder II
we take bis figures We have the following tablet
Gun. Is inch.
Charge English powder ................ so pounds
Weight Of projectiles asa pounds
Diameter OF proIectiles. IS inches
Rsmairtng vs,ocity. VS. r,ra
Al zoo yards i, O2S feet 3,547 tons
Al Soo yards ................ so9 feet 3lo2 tons
Al 1, OOO YARDS $50 leet 2,JsS tons
Comparing the figures in this table with the force
CURED for the penetration OF the Lord Warden with
IA SO shot-viz 4,202 tonswe find that the fifteen
inch gun Is unable to accomplish ',his =.
Of two hundred yards; and Il Is further very doubtful
whether this gun. fired with fifty pounds OF powder
which is as heavy charge as il wll stand and solid
steel shot Of Asa pounds would penetrate the side OF
the clad ship Lord Warden, the muzzie
OF thu gun touching the iron plates Of the vessel
Or let take the Warrior weaker target. We ind
by similar calculation that 2 53 tons Of energy
needed TO carry fifteen inch shot through 1t, result
aansbc apparently tsee table sboye) with the fifteen
linen gun up to ave hundred yards, but not Up to
thousand yards There is always element OF
n MY In these calcuatons-vz the precise quality OF
the sho; and The amount Of work which II absorbs in
breaking 'set,iny up" But in tho main they are cor.
rect enough for practical purposes These are the conciu
sions which look to the experiment either to verify
dsprovc For part we await the result with no
anxiety Indeed Il Is almost certain that with the cast
iron shot witch have supplied from America tho
gun will produce moderate elects than those
OF which, with steel shot y Il theoretically capable for
absorbed IN breaking up the shot than ~ lost Ia good
steel proccte. But even the above results, accom-
plshed with nineteen ton gun, should inspire no I'M
casness, when u is recoected that with twelve ton
gun have driven shell after smell through plato
eight inches thick and with a massive saoking and
/ al about n mile and half range
This interesting aud important experiment. will prob
ably take place shortly, the gun having already under
gone proof America With ten fires OF atty pounds Of
| powder and four hundred and hfty pounds OF shot
We should mention thai. with view TO making the
comparison bctSecn the English and American systems
OF heavy ordnance ~ complete possible, American
powder will be used in addition 10 American prcieces.
| There Is point In connection with the American
system OF smooth bore guns which does appear To US
70 have been sufficiently dwelt upon With such gunsit u
impossible TO use PaIiser proeces. The paliser pro-
jectile we have more than explained, Is not
merely chilled iron shot, but chilled iron shot with
particular pointed form OF head Thus spherical
/ chilled shot m more Palliser shot oglvai
/ headed steel shot would b. But = smooth bore gun
cannot be used 70 project any but spherical shot, and
spherical chilled shot, although superior probably g
ordinary iron, " inferior 10 Steel and enormously
inferior TO . Palliscr proIccs proper Tho American
system thus precudes the use OF the most effective
steel which Is tho only alternative that We have already
| M shown BY recent parliamentary return, savet
Sli2,ooo BY iis adoption