Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-16
A Submarine Great Gun.


The special wonder at the royal arsenal Mt
WOolwich IS just now monster weapon in
tended 10 fire proectiles or torpedoes under
water. Ii Is the invention of Capt. Ericsson
the weii-hnown scientific America n, and it was
made in the United States, partly under the
supervision OF Lieut. Gladstone, of her majesty s
navy, who was sent over for the gun and has
now brought il To England. Ii reached the
arsenal only this week. and now lies at the in
sPection branch of the royal gun factories,
whence, after some preliinin tests 1t will be
sent on board ship, probably at Portsmouth, for
trial at sea. Inc cannon and the projectiie are
almost Of equal length. and as they lie side by
side, painted bright red, form liable objects
10 look at. No fewer than 40 tons of steel are
used in the construction OF the gun, which is 81
ieet long, and has a bore of 1SI; inches II is q
bTeechloader, and closes at the stern by an ar.
rangetnant oil very simple and effectual char
actcr much resembling that of the great guns
which were displayed at the inventions exhibit
/ ton. The vent, which is axial, is sealed and
said 20 be efectual in preventing the escape of
which is only feet less than the gun, and Is
gagged TO pass freely along the bore, which is
Unritied. 1t is hollow, and Notwithstanding its
great length, weighs only one ton. The pro-
posaI Is TO fit the gun in the bow of a ship 8
feet under the water line, to fire Strai" Int
ahead from the cutwater. A diaphragm of
] india rubber Is fixed over the muZZle 10 ex-
J clude the water, but is blown away at the first
| puff OF the discharge. The projectile is in
serted from the rear and is stopped by a pin a
4 lew inches short OF the diaphragm for IL has a
short rod projecting from its nose, which is to
/ act Dy percussion on the charge within. and
must be protected from all risks OF premature
explosion. Its safety at this stage is however
| TO some extent guaranteed by the action of a
strong spring which prevents the rod from be-
ing driven back by any force short of thousa nd
pounds. \ charge Of 20 pounds Of powder is
| all that Is thought necessary for propulsion.
and. this being placed behind the proiectiIe
! the breech is closed and the gun is ready
| for firing The only other requisite is some
/ thing To aim at; and when a hostile ship can be
got within convenient distance, the monster
| gun lets hy. IL Is asserted that d range of 400
/ yards under water may be relied upon but IL is
/ considered doubtful whether the shot can over
/ come the resistance of the water and retain an
| effective striking power for half the distance
| The inventor, however, has tried his device
and he says he ought 10 know. To preserve the
| lateral position and uniform depth OF his sub.
marine missile he has weighted IL TO the gravity
OF water. and, while he keeps one side Under by
| the preponderance of weight, he has q steering
| plate on the upper side which opens only after
leaving the mouth of the gun, and acts as a rud.
| der in keeping the proectIe In It's course Until
the gun Is tried the authorities are 10th to ex-
press an opinion upon IL, but 1t Is regarded at
| Least as an honest attempt to establish q new
principle in gunnery, in which IL is quite unlike
the wonderful breech-loaders which were OBJ
tanned from America during the Crimean war.
which were contracted for at SO much per
pound, and sent in with such a mass OF metal
piled upon them that they were too heavy to
be moved OF TO work, and have never been fred
this Gay