Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-27
FIRING THE GREAT GUN.
Experiments with ,he LarEsa Cannon Ever
Msde IN This Country.
New York World

Experiments with the Larsa Cannon Ever
Msde IN This Country.
New York worid.l
The congressional committee appoint
ed by the forty-eighth Congress to OBJ
. tain information concerning the manu-
facture of ordnance and armor plate in
this country went to the proving
ground at Sandy Hook yesterday 70
learn what success had attended the
ordnance corps Of the army in
its experiments with the twelve
inch, fifty-four-ton gun that was
eleven months in building at
the South Boston Iron-Works. In
addition to Messrs. Samuel j. Randall,
Frank Hiscock, William Walter Phelps,
II. b. Reed, aud Charles F. Crisp, who
represented the committee, were Colonel
T. G. Baylor, Major George W. Nc
Kee, and Captain Charles Shaler, of
the ordnance corps, with their assist
ants, Captain Charles Whipple and
Lieutenant Metcalfe Lieutenant Ia
linsky, Fifth artillery, of dynamite
fame Colonel Gates, retired and VII
liam P. Hunt, Of the South Boston
Iron Works.
The gun that was the centre of at
traction is one of the largest ever made
in the United States. II is constructed
Of cast-iron. measures one foot at the
bore, is thirty feet long, is breach
loader, weighs fifty-four tons, cost
500 coo, was eleven months in build
ing, carries charge of 265 pounds Of
powder and an s00-pound projectile,
contains French interrupted screw or
French fermeture. can penetrate at
LOCO yards an armament of twenty
one inches Of wrought-lron, and costs
the Government every time the lam
yard is pulled s64 for the she'll
and $50 for the powder, or sll6 a
charge, outside the interest on the in
yestment and the labor that handles
her. The powder used is a slow-burn-
ing powder called the cocoa, owing to
its close Resemblance to that article.
This powder was invented by a German
five years ago. who impaired the secret
Of its manufacture to his Government,
which kept It secret for three years,
and sold the patent to Great Britain
for 100000. One Of the United States
ordnance officers bought few grains a
few years ago, and in experimenting
upon it actually improved upon the
original.
Seven shells, weighing 500 pounds
each, lay behind the great piece yester-
day waiting to be fired. Two sacks Of
cocoa powder, which required the mus
cles Of two men to lift through the
gaping breech Of the gun, formed the
first charge. Under the direction 'of
Colonel Baylor the distinguished repre-
ssntatiyes Of the Government were con-
Quoted to the parspet of the old stone
fort at the Hook.
lis there any danger Of her burst
ing" asked Congressman Frank His
cock. looking obviously at the gun,
which, about 200 yards distant, was
being sighted by Captain Sinclair.
Watch Colonel Baylor" remarked
lieutenant Borup, Of the ordnance
corps. who stood near, land if you
gee him jump hang on to his cOat-tails.'
A moment later there was fash,
crash. and the s00-pOund projectile was
shirling through the air at the velocity
Of l,7S3 feet q second, and dropped a
few seconds later far on. AZ oys, Throw
ing up water five feet high.
The huge gun recOiled only six feet
one inch, with a motion that swan
might have enVied, and then stood still,
as if proud Of her achievement. A sigh
OF relief and an expression Of thankful
ness went forth from the laymen pres
ent, while the ordnance officers looked
delighted. In the mean time twenty men
skurried forth from the bomb-proofs, to
which they had hurried. Two Of them
carried long swabber covered with
grease, another had unlocked the ferme-
ture and was removing the pressure
gauges from the breech: two more were
h?ls'!.:ss another sO0-pound shot in po-
sition, two others were carrying the
canvas sacks which contained the cocoa
powder for the second charge. Again
all was ready; again a slight delay oc-
CURED, owing to vessels coming within
the line Of range; and again there was
fash and crash aud the experiment
with the great gun was over, and the
projectile dropped far out to sea. The
pressure pounds per square inch At the
base Of the bore was $4,000, against
200 for the first round.
Two rounds of mortar-iring which
followed, with q shell weighing Gle
pounds and . charge Of twenty-six
pounds Of powder, aroused the admira-
ton Of the committee. An examina-
ton Of the building where the Hotckiss
nagazine-guns and Calling guns were
stored closed the commission S labors Of
thu day