, 1880-10-23

and the novelty as well as the Importance
of the occasion created considerable inter
est, as was manifested by the large num-
Der of officers and other visitors present.
The great gun, whose actual weight is 1Oi
tons, was half hidden behind a parapet
which appeared to be masonry, but proved
on examination, to be built of concrete.
The parapet was loft. high, but as the gun
was elevated upon its slide and carriage
with an under trolley on racers to assist in
turning it upon its axis, a portion of it was
always visible above the works, over the
whole circumference of which, had they
been complete, it would have swept en- bar
bette. The sham fertilization, was. how
ever, but half constructed, principally in
order that it might be seen i'll sections, and
the apparatus, which will be hidden i'll
practice, be open to examination. 1t was
explained hat The we 1OO-ton gun pur-
chased of Sir William Armstrong some two
years since are to be mounted on the
defences of Malta and Gibraltar. and that
as it has been considered desirable to load
them by hydraulic machinery. this expert
ment had been proposed i'll the hope of
gaining some experience before proceeding
extensively in permanent preparations
General Gallwey wiz proceed to the Medi-
terranean stations very shortly to superin-
hNAiNt hbo 1lto bSCn SlllCtLNS ONS0u lIC1tN
and an officer of the same department, with
copies Of the plan of tho Woolwich model,
has preceded him to set about the founda-
tons. Elevated as the gun was, and
pointed over the glacis of the parapet, it
presented q most commanding aspect, and
has probably never appeared to such adj
vantage. More than 34ft. long. with o
diameter at the brcech Of CIT. 6in., tapering
gradually off to Oft. Gin at the muZzle, it
had a more slender and less sturdy outline
than that of the natural system of heavy
ordnance, but lis admirers praised it as the
combination of strength and elegance, and
claimed for it the advantages due to the
saving of weight and metal. Size and
weight appeared of no consideration at all
when n lever was touched, and the bulky
breech rose and fell as the muzzle was ele-
waited or depressed with nc more apparent
effort than a %9,pounder requires at the
hand of q gunner; and the admirable adj
justment OF the machinery when the whole
mass swept grandly round TO the opposite
point of the compass was unanimously
confessed. Then the order was given to
load. A small elongated carriage or cradle
stood on q miniature railway close at hand
and upon this were placed two cartridges
and the shot. The charge was 425ib of peb-
BILE powder. and it was made up into two
cartridges for convenience of carriage; but
a tube ran through both and just at the
point of communication q small primer of
small grain powder had been inserted for
the purpose of igniting the charge in b
centre. The projectile was a huge bolt
173 in. in diameter, and nearly 3ft. long,
it's weight being, with the gas check at
tached, 0 COB, or nearly a ton. The cradle
with its burden ran along the rails. and
entered q turret about LIFT. in breadth
One side was an open port, to which the
muzzle of the gun, on the outside descend
cd. On q turn-table in the centre OF tho
apartment the cradle revOlved, bringing
the charge close up to the muzzle OF the
gun, when out from tho other side rose the
head of tho rammer and drove cartridges
and shot into the mouth and rammed them
we'll home. The rammer. which was a Gin
piston oft, in length, is moved by hydrau-
lie rams with a Aft. stroke and multi
plying gear, and it descends through
a tube into the earth. The monster
gun. as soon as it was loaded, was
elevated clear Of the parapst. and trained about
15deg. 10 the left, which brought 1t exactly
opposite to one Of the saudbags at the butts,
the aot # moving the gun at the same time au-
tomatically closing the iron door of the loading
port, which is in like manner opened BY q re-
turn motion. The gun is to be fired through
the axial vent, and the electric wire is passed
through an arrangement of copper discs which
have been ~contrived with the l0ng-desired OBJ
jeot of effectually closing the vent and saving
the evil consequences which arise from the
escape of powder gases. The spectators with
:>-o 81 nfkap an iutayuaI