The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-02-05
4 susAaAR,ME GUN.


Capitals Ericsson Attempt - Establish
New Priseiplsin Guaasry. I,
The special wonder at the royal mr.
senal at Woolwich is q monster weapon
intended to fire projectiles or torpedoes
undo water. It is the invention of
Capsain Ericsson, the well-known scien-
tiiic American. and it was made in the
United States, partly under the super.
vision of Lieutenant Gladstone, of her
Majesty's navy, who was sent over for
the gun, and has now brought it to Eng
land. II reached the arsenal only this
week. and now lies at the inspection
branch OF the royal gun factories,
whence, after some preliminary tests. it
will be sent on board ship, probably
at Portsmouth, for trial at sea The
cannon and the projectile are almost
of equal length. and. as they lie side by
side. painted bright red. are formidable
objects to look at. No fewer than forty
tons of steel are used in the cOnstruc-
ton of the gun, which is thirty feet
long, and has bore of eighteen and \
half inches 1t is breech-loader, and
closes at the stern by an arrangement
of very simple and effectual character
much resembling that Of the great guns
which were displayed at the inventions
exhibition. The vent, which is axial. is
scaled, and said to be effectual in pre-.
venting the escape of powder gases.
The projectile measures twenty-five
feet, which is only five feet less than the
gun, and is gaDged to pass freely along
the bore, which is unritied. 1t is hol-
low, and Notwithstanding its great
length weighs only one ton. The pro-
posal is to lit the gun in the bow of a
ship nine feet under the water line, so
as to fire straight ahead from the cut
water. A diaphragm of india-rubber
is fixed over the muzzle to exclude the
water. but is blown away mt the first
puff of the discharge. The projectile is
inserted from the rear and is stopped by
q pin few inches short of the dia-
phragm, for it has short rod projecting
from its nose. which is to act by percus-
sion on the charge within. and must he
protected from all risks of premature
explosion. Its safety at this stage is. how
ever. to some extent guaranteed by the
action of a strong spring which prevents
the rod from being driven back by any
force short of a thousand pounds. A
charge of twenty pounds of powder is
all that is thought necessary for pro-
pulsion. and this being placed behind
the projectile, the breech is closed, and
the gun is ready for firing. The only
other requisite is something to aim at;
and when a hostile ship can be got
within convenient distance. the mon
ster gun lets fly. 1t is asserted ihat q
range three hundred yards under water
may be relied upon, but it is considered
doubtful whether the shot can overcome
the resistance of the water and retain
an effective striking power for half the
distance. The inventor. however, has
tried his device. and he saws he ought
to know. To preserve the laternal po-
sition and uniform depth of his SUBJ
marine missile he has weighed it to the
gravity of water, and. while he keeps
one side under by the preponderance of
weight. he has steering plate on the
upper side which opens only after leav-
ing the mouth of the gun. and acts as
rudder in keeping the projec,ile in its
course. Until the gun is tried the au-
thorities are loath to express an opinion
upon it. but it is regarded at least as an
honest attempt to establish a new prin-
ciple in gunner.s. in which it is quite I'M
like the wonderful breech-loaders which
We're obtained from America during the
Crimean war. which were contracted
for at so much per pound and sent in
with such mass of metal piled upon
them that they were too heavy to be
moved or to work. and have never been
fired to this day.-Loudon Ners.