The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-02-20
RAPID-FlRE CANNON.
Remarkable Success of john Bulls Latess
Instrument of Warfare.

country through military chanhelS VI
the complete success OF the trial OF the
new English Armstrong 6-inch rapid
fire gun. This gun is development OF
the Armstrong 4. 72-inch rapid-fire gun,
which succeeded in throwing in l min
ute and 40 seconds 10 projectiles, each
capable of piercing 8 inches of iron.
The wonderful success Of the latter
gun commonly known as "the rapid
firing 36-pounder," gave the British an
advantage in naval warfare which for
eign officers were quick to perceive.
1t was found that the projectiles which
could be fired with such extraordinary
rapidity weighed no less than 40 pounds
and had a velocity OF 2,073 foot seconds.
and were capable of penetrating 9
inches of iron and 2 feet of oak and
teak. The whole weight Of the gun is
only 4 200 pounds.
Notwithstanding the efficiency of the
472-inch gun, it was decided by the
British Ordnance Board to construct q
6-inch rapid-ire gun on the same plan
as the former. The question imme-
diately arose: viii a 6-inch Armstrong
resist the heat resulting from a fire of
such rapidity? As q result of the trial
it has been found that the gun has
stood intact the enormous pressure to
which it has been subjected, and in
stead of fortyfve pound projectiles the
British now have a gun which will
throw, with almost the same rapidity,
projectiles weighing 10 pounds, with
u penetration of ten and half inches
of iron and four feet of oak and teak.
The powder charge is nearly forty-two
pounds in weight and the chamber
pressure over seventeen and half
tons.
The great advantage possessed by
these British rapid-tiro guns is the
rapidity with which they can be load
ed and fired. For some time past the
1,700-ton class of British cruisers have
relied upon them almost wholly for
their arma nents, avessel of the Garnet
class, for instance, asking for no better
battery.
The new torpedo cruiser Rattle
snake, of the British service, carries
forward on her forecastle her only gun,
which consists of a rapid-fire gun hav-
ing a range of five miles. The Rattle
snake, which has Il speed of twenty
two knots an hour, is able to work this
gun, in an ordinary sea way, while
running at her highest rate OF speed.
In no particular are the rapid-fire
guns so advantageous as when en-
ployed in repeling torpedo-boat night
attacks or in clearing a beach of an
enemy sheltered behind intrenchments
and earthworiSs. In the engagement
at Suakim the other day the Racer and
Startling used their rapid-fre guns with
more than usual success. and were in
strumental in contributing not small
part to the victory of General Gren-
fell.
Several attempts have been made to
introduce this British gun into the
American service, but so far nothing
exactly like it has been adopted. The
American service is depending in
! the main on Hotchkiss' revolving
cannon, Hotchkiss' quick-fire guns,
and Cuttings for its secondary
batteries. A rapidity OF ten
shots in one minute has been OBJ.
tanned from the thirty-three-pounder
HotchlSiss, with penetration of eight
inches of iron. This is a good result,
but officers doubt the ability of the
Hotchkiss to stand the same heat.
strain under continued fire as the Arm,
strong rapidtire gun.
The tive-mile range of the rapid fire
guns makes it extremely difficult fol
the swiftest torpedo-boat to approach
a vessel armed with these guns with
out being torn to pieces by the inces
sent rain of solid shot they are capable
of throwing. They are breech-load
ing, and are worked either by steam
or hand brakes. Six men only are re
CURED to work them effectively
These guns may be said to be an i'm
provement on the Hotchkiss in the
same way that the Hotchl1iss is an inn
provement on the Calling and Gard.
ner. The superiority of the rapid fire
gun is in its ability to throw heavy
metal at q rate which exceeds any
modern gun of single-f firing capacity
The Hotchkiss can throw ten shots pei
minute from the 33-pounder, but The
accuracy with which ten shots in one
minute and forty seconds can be
thrown from the rapid-shotgun, to say
nothing of the increase in metal, far
exceeds the rain of lighter projectiles
from the Hotchkiss. However, judg
ing from the familiarity with which
the details of the British rapid-fre
gun are being discussed. it need no
cause surprise if an improved type o
the piece is seen aboard one of the
new American cruisers before long
N. Y. Times.
Experimental Engagement Rings.