The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-06-16
Guns VS.. Amor.


The contest between the manufacturers
Of heavy guns and the manufacturers Of
armor plates for war ships, which has been
carried on for several years in England,
has reached a remarkable result. Some
time ago the guns had been made 50 power
ful as to be more than a match for the
heaviest and strongest armor afOat and
now, their progress to greater power still
continuing, they have become stronger
than any projectile in use. They now not
only crush the armor, but also shiver the
projectile they hurl against it. The in.
genuity Of the gunmakers, therefore, must
for the present be directed to the fashion.
ing of a new and more tenacious proiec.
tile. The celebrated 'S1-ton gun" of
England, when tested some time ago, sent
against the target at Shoeburyness, pro.
jectile weighing 1900 pounds, which was
fired by charge Of $40 pounds Of pow
der, aud had an initial velocity Of 1900
feet second. The target consisted Of
four eight-inch iron plates bolted together,
with intermediate layers Of teak, so that
the whole mass, inclnding the thirty-tWo
inches of iron had n fhirkna1s 81 5ort,,-
seven inches This ,.raat i yosv ~ .s.cL r
thicker than the armor of The Tnaox;hlo
or of the Italian ships Dandolo and Duilio,
which bear the heaviest and strongest
armOr in use, being twenty-five and TWEEN
ty-four inches Of iron, with teak filling
and backing making a total th;oknass of
the shin's wall ahout fortv.ono ;nebos
When fred tho nro;ect;lo Az No, 80 oIi
the wav tbrouob the fortv-sevan-; -;ncS ,sr.
Get. bnt did nenetrate Il and sbat,or h 70.
degree IN show tbat the ann ;s mucb moro
than n match for The forn;dahlo armar or
the vessels inst reEerred 10 which are tho
strongest IN their defensive works IN or.
istepee
The punmakers then conce;vsa the ;doo
that If tbev s,chambered1 tba onn thov
could drive the proiectile entirely tbroug6
the target This wos occord;n1,r Sosa
The bore of the gnn AT its base was on.
larped from 6ftssn N e;gbtoen inches
diameter. 40 that tho cbarge of gunnowder
copld be increased from ava 40 A3s aonnJs
The nro;ect;le and taroet rem.;ned ,ho
same and when tho net4Iv cboD,horod o,,n
was fred n WAS estimated tbo, ,ho ;n!,;al
velocity of the nroiect;Io was ;ncreasod
100 feet 4 second q that Il re.ohod 1eoo
feet Rut tbiq ;ncreased voloc;,v ma
force did but litt,o odd;t;ono, dsma9o g.
centino n the nro;ectile itself Tbe non
etratio1 into tie torget was bn, I;ttIs nor
than AT the forrer ,r;al tn boaJ 80 a.
bol, which is PaII;ser sbell y m.do of
chilled cast iroa went tbrongb three ~
Tho o;gbt-;ncb iron nlotos anS nona,r.,oJ
about two or three inchss into tbe fonrtb
bnt the hinder mart ~ tbe sbell wos sh;v'
ered into anal, fraomonts s. a. sooand o
stem of the gunnerv nrotl.r, i ro.ohaJ uuS
Armor has como 10 ,ho hoav;as, ,ha. !
considered nracticable q, ssa-.nro;eot;los
have reached 4 nresent Gn;t of ,anso;tnN.
and still the guns CROW laroer anJ n,o.o
nowerfnl
Il is tbougbt noss;ble that nro;oo,;Io
can bo made er,;rol,, oF .toal ,ha, rYI T;iI 49,
creator tensc;tv and ros;st;no nowar th"n ,o
The paIliser shall oF cb;Ilod oas, ;ron h.,
This is a subject vet 10 he exnor;mentoJ
mon AZ the mater s,ands ~ nnnsa.o
masters &c ,bo s;,nn,;nn -. 80 - - 81 ~ .o.
only for the aTmor but also Sor ,he sbot I
thew burl And vet tb;s I onlv ,Le
achievsman, of i;rh. ,ro.no. ~ az
81 ton gun whom ,be It.l;sns h.vo w."
yided 10O-ton Guns for their two banse
irop.clads and tbe Eno,;sb arc moL;Tr
ready for tbe manus,c,n7e of : mnns.as
weicbipg 200 tons Tf ,h;s ooos I on ar
gun1ers NAV moi be abls ,e 80 1ot = sh;ns @
stropg enonob n w;,bstand ~ sooo;l pe
the cnps 10 saw notb;ne of the hoss % ,hou
drive The Ry;tish ;ro1 .ci.d Tnaa~;hio e. NJ 2
to be armed with four &c ,hase 81 49, !.
guns and the ASm;raI,y orc snro A.,
NOTHING can he bn;lt 10 w;,bs.anS j bor I anS
that II e ;mnoss;hle 70 aoa. : ra..nl ~ n1;.S asS
snf;cient amor 10 roS;st ,ho shot 90 s.or, ~ ~.
batteries But then sbs : bsrsSle s l,O iiahSa ~.
10 he strnct bv hi, from a. I.a,;"s
1OO,top pun and tbsre conld be : neat naa.
nroblem worked on, ~ .ho ar,;Iior;.,s 90. ~
10 which shot m;oht 5s S-ed srs. Tba1
mpst aIso direct tba;r s,,ant;oa E :, ;..; n
I'M, new nro;ect;les Cor ;f ,ho 81 ~ ~ ,'en 'n.
is loo mpc5 far 10Th .rmo, anS A .so. s
whore i ~ ho sounS ~ .,,h..an"a aa .los' .-.S