Morris tribune., 1884-08-06
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
a New Four Inch Gun Which rs to
RevOlutionfze Warfare.

A New Four Inch Gun Which rs 60
RevOlutionize Warfare.
New York SUM-
A machine that looks like forty-foot
brass pipe mounted on a steel girder
such as lie on the elevated railroad
pillars, rested in the center of the
machine shop of the Delamater Iron
works. The machine is the barrel and
carriage of the new four-inch dynamite
pneumatic gun, which, when completed, is
expected to sink, on occasion, the largest
man of-war afoat and annihilate its crew.
The gun is constructed of brass and steel,
fitted in the most accurate manner at the
joints, and capable of sustaining pressure of
1000 pounds to the square inch. 1t weighs
but ton, and may be carried by small
gun-boat.
The projectile is nothing more nor less
than dynamite cartridge encased in soft
metal within a shell of brass and fitted with
a wooden tail. 1t weighs about 100 pounds.
The soft metal filling protects the dynamite
from ordinary accidents. But when the pro-
jectile, flying at speed, STRIKES head on,
against resisting surface, hard metal pin
embedded in the soft metal and not touching
the dynamite is forced into the illuminate at
the head of the cartridge and discharges the
dynamite.
In order that wind currents may not inter-
fere in the precision of the firing, the center
of gravity is near the forward end Of
the projectile. The wooden tail acts as a
rudder, the wind veering the tail around and
throwing the head into the wind in proper
ton to the strength of the current, thus main
tanning an absolute straight course.
The gun is constructed with powerful air
chamber, capable Of storing animmense force
of compressed air. The gunner sights with
telescope sights with hair lines, and with the
pressure Of finger discharges the compressed
air into the barrel, and starts the projectile
on its flight. The great length of the tube
is required to economic all the force Of the
air, which is less rapid in its action than gun
powder.
"This gum" said Mr.. Hinsdale, who is
experimenting the construction, "will throw
the cartridge three miles with precision
never attained with gunpcwder. An ordinary
projectile loses power with each yard it
travels from the gun. This cartridge ar
rives ready for business, no matter how Tar
it goes"
Suppose cartridge landed on the deck of
the Thunderer, what would happenW
"The vessel would be shattered and sunk by
Jne explosion, ana every living pelng upon
the deck would be blown to atoms Whether
any one below the deck would live to drown
in the sinking vessel cannot say"
Suppose shot from the enemy struck the
launch carrying the dynamite cartridgeW
swell, the. boat might be sunk by the shot,
but unless cartridge was struck so as to ex-
plode the illuminate the dynamite would not
explode. The government is experimenting
at Fort Hamilton with two-inch gun, and
some wonderful execution has been done.
The guns may be manufactured in any we'll
equipped machine-shop, and cost but a song
| in comparison with the enormous guns
| turned out by Krupp and at Woolwich The
same principle is applicable to field guns to
be used in land engagements. A few dyna-
mite cartridges exploded in a brigade would
have the effect Of powder-mill explosion
upon the troobs.