Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-06
THE BIG GUN BURSTS.
Unable to Stand the Test e Explodes
at the First Discharge.

A test Of the six-inch breech-loading rifled
cannon made BY the Pittsburg steel casting
company Of Bessemer cast-steel, took place ct
the government proving grounds, opposite An
napolis, yesterday The gun, which weighs
1850 pounds and IL 16 feet long, was cast last
January, and arrived at the naval experimental
station several weeks ago. The testing was
under the direction Of Lieut.. Austin N. Knight,
inspector Of ordnance, assisted by Messrs. Will
mer, Gleason and Dashiell. Of the navy, The
representatives Of the Pittsbure steel casting
company present were W. g. Johnston. presi-
dent; VIM. Hainsworth, superintendent; John
Irwin, jr., treasurer; Chas. Bailey, assistant
superintendent; Joseph Mullanphy, foreman;
Stewart johnson. civil engineer. W. 7. Sanger,
Geo. Bailey. VIM. Hainsworth. jr.. and B. kremer
test was made preliminary round, with
. reduced charge, was fred for the purpose Of
fitting the gas-check pad and of raising the
temperature Of the gun. Fifteen minutes later
the regular test was begun. it being proposed
TO fire ten rounds as rapidly as possible. The
charge used was the regular service round for
the 6-inch gun. 4SA pounds brown prismatic
powder. This charge should give to the pro-
jectile weighing 100 pounds an initial velocity
OF 1900 feet second, with q pressure In the
severe test At the first round with this charge
the gun burst, scattering fragments in all
directions.
The breech-plug and rear portion Of the
gun were sent to the rear about 100 feet,
| and the muzzle and chaise about 20 feet to the
front. All the intermediate parts Of the gun
were broken into fragments varying in weight
from few pounds to several hundred pounds.
The shelter for the gun and platform on which
the gun was placed were completely wrecked,
many of the huge logs Of which the shelter
was composed being cut entirely in two.
Inc pressure gauges were recovered in
tact, and showed the pressure to have
been slightly over fourteen tons to the
square inch. 1t was said the construction of
the gun carriage and other preparations for
the test cost the government between 5000
and 81, 900. Naval officers who witnessed the test
said the experiment proved that Bessemer cast
steel has not the elasticity nor the tensile
strength necessary for great gus 1t was said
the Pittsburg people who carried away a frag-
ment OF the steel for analysis have not been en-
tirely hopeful Of the success Of their gun. and
that the recent test of the steel casting in
Washington, where it was finished, did not
come up to their expectations as showing it to
be capable OF resisting the pressure to which
they knew 1t would be subjected. At the pre-
| linlnary test the gun behaved splendidly,
which greatly encouraged the visitors. II car
ried III tons pressure to the square inch, with
an initial velocity Of LOO feet second. No
10" ""S ocsea|So IL 'ehe Hiebai. VIZ iaAiWe "a
the gun being attributed to inability to with
stand the immense strain placed on ii. Mr..
John Irwin, treasurer of the company, said he
thought the Standard steel company's gun
which is shortly to be tested at the proving
ground would meet with better results This
gun, which was made at Thurlow, Pa, is of
Open-hearth steel and is 2 tons heavier than
the Pittsburg gun, and in his opinion may
stand the pressure required in the test
OFFICIAL INFORMATION.
The only information of the accident re-
ceived to-day at the Navy department was an
official telegram to Commodore Sicard chief of
the bureau of ordnance, briefly stating that
the gun burst in the first round, but nobody
was injured. Commodore Sicard estimates
that the actual loss TO the government will not
exceed $4,000. The government will lose all
the work expended on the gun at the Washing
ton maynard as well as the gun carriage.