Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-20
IN GUNS.

We deal with admitted facts alone,
facts which every citizen should know.
facts which every citizen should care.
fully weigh, if he has amy regard what
ever for the safety and welfare of his
country.
At the end Of Our war we were pos.
sessed OF the most powerful artillery
had ever seen.
ina condition of repose IKE sank int
demanded after the fearful strnn ia'af'
nau "aged Tor so man, -,.ure.
But 1t was not 50 with other nations.
ilie lessons OF II war they took a,
once W heart, and one and aIl strove tc
improve their means of attack ard de.
tense in ever way they could devise.
ounpowder was no longer used in com
paratiyely small grains, bat in com
pressed masses as large as q child's
list. Nor was improvement copliuedto
form alone. OF TO increase in density.
Changes in its composition were also
introduced, using less sulphur, and a
charcoal which, compared to the for
mer practlce, was much under-charred,
mus producing the so-calied s'brown''
or "cocoa" powder of the Germans.
h powder is said to give less smoke
man the ordinary variety, and. while
possessed OF abundant energy, to de-
velop the same gradually, and IN %
manner most favorable to the INTEGRITY
of the gun.
That portion of the bore of capnon
which was TO receive the powder was
heightened, and given Il diameter GREAT
er than that of the remainder al tha
pore: The important principle of ..air
spacing" was discovered; that is, but
partially filling the powder chamber,
nus leaving q vacant space therein
the an space.
Sometimes the powder charge is in
troduced in two or more separate par
GELS, but n OF which is ignited by the
act OF discharge, the subsequent com
oustlon OF the others successfully add
ing ther impulse to the already moving
projectile. BY thus, through these
various devices, starting the proiectile
with a moderate pressure, and follow
ing II with persistent energy until it
leaves the bore, it is found That while
Inc strain upon the gun is at all times
moderate velocities can be impaired to
the shot before unheard Of. No %lonrer
Is the charge for riiled guns confined to
one-tenth the weight of the shot, as
was the rule during our war; one
fourth, one-third, one-half that weight,
u even more, is now employed with
and with an advantage apparent
at once upon consideration of tie fol-
towing rough-and-readv rule for COM
putting the penetration of iron arinor:
~ pointed shot OF proper construction
will perforate its diameter OF iron for
every thousand feet per second of its
velocity at the moment OF impact; i. e.,
feet a second velocity will perfor-
ate a thickness of twice the diameter Of
he shot.
Thus Il thing reacted on another.
III 1t has eliminated in the production
If a gun OF 10 tons, ~ inches cali
1Ie, 50 feet length Of bore. burning
30 pounds of powder behind a PHO
'ound p~roiectile, which is estimated to
'e able to pe1forate thirty and q half
llches OF iron al l00o yards.
Excluding those Of the navy. of heavy
'lins' we have, it is believed, but two
o-lnch guns, both muzzle-Ioadino
lnooth-bores of cast iron, 3l5 15-incR
uns OF the same description, and $40
luzzlc-lcading S-inch rifles altered {
ON l0-lhch cast-iron smooth-bores Iy T;
re Insertion of a wrought metal tube, |
Wo l2-lnch and II l0-inch rifle are t
nder contract. Our other guns if c
'nsldered as a defense against modern t
are beneath notice.