Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-19
GUNS OF THE yEsUvIUS.
Preparing for the Trial OF the Great
Pneumatic Cannon.
New York TribInol

Arrangements are nearly completed Tor
the official test OF The new lj.inch pneumatic
guns designed for the cruiser NesuVius. The
nayr-yard steamer Nina was placed yester-
day under the orders Of Lieutenant Bradley
A. Flske for the purpose Of laying out the
rlnge-buOys TO be used In the official firing.
Lieutenant Fiske. who is member OF the
official board. was engaged throughout the
morning with the laying on OF the range by
accurate calculation. Al l 7. NJ. all was
ready for the planting OF the buoys. The
spots at which the buoys will be anchored
are the centres Of The rectangles in which, AZ
The various ranges, 80 per cent. OF the shells
tiled must be- dropped.
The range. a. laid out. comprises three
distinct firing distances the rectangles into
which the proiectiles must be dropped al
each distance, being, respectively, from the
muzZle of the gun, 200 yards, 1000 yards,
aud mile distant. The dimensions OF the
recJtng'e on each ~ the ranges - 30 feet by
$50 ieet. This area IS even less than the sur
f,ce exposed by tbe deck aud side OF 4 YES
sci of war OF the average aTm0red type. A
vessel whose beam j. 80 feet would be de-
cidedy out Of proportion II possessing a
length over sll q less than 22j feet.
Throughout the dly The work of iling the
shell, " ith The dynamite and explosive gela-
tine disks went steadily on. This work was
done i'm the magazine under the cascmate,
Mr. Bachelor being ia charge. On the open
sea wall-mCn we're buslly employed m i0ad-
ing TIE plugs, or shells, with with sand, the
weight oi the latter being made to CORE
spond os ncarly A. possible 10 that OF the shell
lo.dfd with dynamite and XplCsiye gelatiue.
These sAnd-shel's will be used m The trial
which precodcs the official test, aud will also
be fired over The different ranges for prcimi-
nary shots on the day Of the hnal ana Official
trial. Their Use serves 70 rectiiy any error
arising from deviation, atmospheric changes,
and yariou, other causes. They are tbe shots
which r.tleman uses In feeling bis targets
| before opening mp the record firing.
The main body 0f the shell, which il brass,
| or rather Of d composition metal tue greater
por.iop Of which H. brass, i, over six feet lu
! length. II is fifteen inches m diameter. "a
porinc, however. IN the form Of an ordinary
/ ordnance projcctlc NJ ~ forward end. TX
| tending - about six feet IN tie rear OF tht
shell is sha'', flied on It's extreme base end
/ with flnees Of The diameter Of the piece
/ This rail piece corresponds to the stick OF s
rocket and serves % balance the she'll IN it'
/ Hight, thus preventing what IS known a
/ Ualofiug or tumbiug.
The she'll is made In two pieces 20 facilitate
/ loading, the explosive sub,tauce being fitted
/ In ulsce in the form OF disks, each ot whici
IN the main body oi the she'll is about fou
/ inches thick. Through the centre OK the lln'
OF disks runs the core OF dynamite. and sur
rounding TINS core ia the body Ot explosive
r.lltinc. The whole weight Of The shel
} when loaded and ready for firing Is G0
/ pounds. The cost Of each she'll is 5000.
The requirements oi the guns mounted on
the Vesiiyius is q rapidily oi fire OF not lee
than one shot in every two minutes from
each gun. II is hard TO imagine the tremen
dou- powers % destruction OF which th'
/ guns OF the Nesuylus are capable.
TIE Official ooard detailed by the doplr'
mant consists OF Commander Goodrich
rs president, sna Lieuienants Scatou
Schroeder. and Bradley A. Fiske, rs mem
bers. These officers are known throuyhou
thc service as gunuery experts, and cef'aini
have few peers in thl. peculiy. Lieuten1n
schroeder and Lieutenant Fsse were a>so
cia,c members u The board detailed for tn
Ve.uyius >pced trial, ot which Leutenan
C0vles was president. They will both sery
on the cruiser Ne,uyius as soon as she
finally accepted and put in commission, Lieu
tenant schroeder being her commanding
officer.
The trial OF the guns Is looked forward t
with the kecnost interest In not Only mill
tarv ard nsyd but civil circles; and a,id
from those doughty commanders who ar
| biased and prtjudced against every lnroyl
ton which they fear may tend 10 detraC
/ from the importance OF their past achieve
ments the success Of the l5-Inch pneumati
Guns /, earnestly wished by all who have IN
service and the strengthening OF their cOun
| try aL heart.