The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-13

motion and kept In motion shoes fessuIe
| hundred and City thousand pounds 70
| the square inch. The work imposed upon me
| piece il not only that dae TO the inertia OF the
| proiecte bat also that Of constantly varying
fretional resistance OF many hundreds Of pounds;
| or in other words, the whole force Of the dis
charge being exerted in one direction TO keep the
shot in the gun acting as powerful brake upon
| velocites are obtained under the most extraordi.
nary pressures. The effect Of this ID to detan the
shot in the piece and 70 continue the pressure of
the discharge upon it . small particle Of time 30
that when . more instantaneous relief would save
the piece its continuance the time indicated would
result in rupture, or, In the language Of General
Rodman, 1.-The gun in one case does not break be-
cause 1t does not have time to break. and in the
other it does break because it has time" The in.
Simultaneous relief Of the piece ID Of the
nrss Importance; % also 10 the highest
pressure; and when these two results are Sc
cured in the highest degree there ia not only
the greatest safety as respects the gum bat the
highest efficiency as respects the projectils. The
proJecule then, that under agiven.pressure, shows
the highest initial velocity viii be most consistent
with the capacity of the piece. But it is Of the
hrst Importance, at the Same time, to have accu
racy OF tire, and this depends upon that harmoni-
cation Of centres which is uniformerly secured
with the small arm where there is no windage.
Aanestly, any projectile, under the influence OF
powerful brake, actuated by the whole force Of
the discharge, is not likely to obtain that velocity
due to the pressure; but when it also fails 10
secure those motions essential to accuracy Of fire.
It cannot be regarded IS seeking results in the
proJcctlle it is claimed that the expansion is Sc
cureds by longitudinal movement of the sabot
and 30 limited that under q minimum pressure
all the expansion desired is obtained, while
under maximum pressure no more
than this is possible that At the instant Of motion
the projecile will occupy the position of short
piston rod, supported in the cylinder by brass
piston, SO that the whole force Of the discharge
will be acting on its head only to drive it out of
| the gun, and that the FRACTIONAL resistance hence
| will depend upon the weight of the shot, which
| 10 limited and constant, and in no manner upon
the force Of the discharge, which is indefinite and
lnconstant. These conditions are OF course rest
| ing at present mainly upon theoretical observa.
tlons, but the practice in the experiments thus far
gives the highest possible evidence Of the sound
| ness of the theory presented. have no DISPOSE
ton or desire to write partially Of any given gun
or projectie, but write OUT impartially the facts
they show the mseves In the results. The subject
in connection with the Importance of the decisions
arrived at, and their bearing on the means and
appliances at our command for future war; il one Of
| immeasurable interest to all our people. 1t il q
satisfaction to know that subject OF such grave
Importance has been intrusted to the oversight
and arbitrament Of some of the most competent
gneer officers in our army, and who 30 patient and
studious research and the severest test OF expert
ment unite that patriotism and honest mpartiality,
enforcing confidence in the justice and wisdom Of
their decisions.
The following are the officers constituting the
Board, glance At which list will show that my
encomiums OF their capacity and trustwortbiness
are not at all exaggerated Colonel Henry Brew
erton; Colonel J. g. Barnard, Brevet Major Gener
Wright, Brevet Major General United States
Army Major Quincy A. Gilmore. Brevet Major
General United States Army Major Henry L.
Abbott, Brevet Brigadier General United States
Army. Captain c. b. Reese, Brevet Brigadier
General United States Army, is the recorder of
the Board.
Far more extended preparations have been
IN 10 ha fnrfh
made last year. and with these more exte nded
preparations far more definite results are " ltci.
patsd. Instead Of the section Of one fort. last
year. there have been erected the sections Of three
torts viz, fac SMILES of three classmates res pect-
lively OF Fort Monroe, Fort Carroll, and Fort Wool
on the Rip Raps. As is well known, the forts
named are our strongest national fortifcs tons.
Exceeding accuracy has been preserved " the
erection OF these classmates the varieties Of stone
and cement in each being used and their
various formations exactly initiated. The
walls have been built with the most
scrupulous care as regards the mason work,
and with all the strengthening auxi laries
Of grders and iron bolts to intensity their str ength.
The walls vary from about seven to twelve feet in
thickness, and the average width and height Of the
surfaces fronting the guns to be fred the m but
IN reality the rear OF the classmates, are about
twenty-four feet each. Plates of wrougb It iron
like those used in the former experimental firing
are to be placed ON these fronts to recei We the
shots. As will be SEEM the erection Of thes case
mates has been no slight as well as no incl Il ensive
job In addition to these there targ ats for
getting the range OF the guns and electr c tele
graph for aseertainng the initial velocity Of the
various shots. There Is also . heavy Gel mented
stone wall, two feet thick and To feet
high, with eighteen feet Of sand in front,
to show the resisting power OF such q efence,
against the same guns fired at the sections Il case
mates The guns are already mounted and facing
the Classmates and wall ready for action, and II
they could give any expression to sentent feeling
IT doubtless would be an eagerness for Il le fray.
Mounted on their monster iron carriag es and
oil nth hair onfl al 49,.
certainly have this look, and the environ nent Of
Hammers and sponges and all the appliaI ices for
working the guns and the huge projeclles, spher-
cal and elongated used in them laid oaat in careful
rows on either side, give speaking and enliven-
ing interest TO the picture. The locality OF these
preparations and place OF firing ia the same
IA last year, in the rear of the fort, and
where, by tine way, used 70 be conducted the
nrpg by the school Of artillery practice
established here before tho war. The only feature
OF weakness in the whole Arrangements is the stu
pid endeavor TO prevent any description of what
has been done, 10 dong and ia TO be done getting
into the newspapers II seems that ahe lengthy
and infinitely accurate account Of lssi years
firing, given In the HERALD, called for, q note of
inquiry from the War Department an 10 how il
was such an account should appear In the HERALD
before the official report was received at the de-
pariment. During the progress of tile present
preparations stiff and stately sold ess bear
ing bayoneted muskets have be,n keep
ing daily and nightly guard all .tbout to
prevent the approach Of any ostraci ted out
the HERALD representatives, while in the ischarge
OF conscientious duty to get news OF intere to the
public, and especially where there are no official
orders making the same oontraband, ~ is bs case
in tie present instance, laugh to the toutest
OF sentinela the most stubborn Of stone wallis and
fences.
The early part Of the week was the time fixed
for the experimental firing to begin. &c ueral
Barnard. = member Of the Board in additt N to
General Beaverton, who is here, arrived on Tues
day, but for some unexplained reasons no tbsr
members, thus far, have put in an appearance. /
Am told, however, that the others hi we
been notified not to come yet q while,
owing TO the incompleteness Of The prepa y
tons. All the mason work on the casemates IL
not finished the iron plates TO be placed in front Ct
the three forts have not yet been adjusted, snGA
there have recently arrived . variety OF new pro-
Jectles designed by Mr. Taylor, mentioned above, \