Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-06
Test Of First Twelve-Inch Breech-
loading Rifle Ever Built
in America.
With Small Amount of Powder a
Heavy Prejectile Attains Ex-
traOrdinary Velocity.
Experts Very Enthusiastic, land Declare
Themselves More Than Satisfied
With the Result.
New York Herald.

this country, was offered for the first time
, at the Sandy Hook Proving Grounds Fri
day July Oath. A board of expert army
officers witnessed the test from the para
yet of the fort and were enthusiastic over
this new piece OF modern ordnance, which
is destined to play an important part in
the future defiance of the sea coast.
With a reduced charge of $50 pounds Of
German prismatic powder and a projectile
weighing 1000 pounds an initial velocity
of !, Alb feet per second was attained
with a pressure of 10000 pounds to the
square inch. The range of the new gun
under these conditions was FIVE miles, sc
that it is fair to presume that the ordinary
service charge of 440 pounds a range Of
twelve miles or more will be reached.
Among the army officers who were pres.
ent was Captain L. L. Bruff, who is
known as the father of the 12-inch gun
and who superintended every detail of its
construction from start to finish
81 am more than satisfied with the re-
suit, " said Baptain Bruff to me, as soon as
the interior of the powder chamber haG
been examined. at show that our system
of making built up guns, is beyond per.
adventure, success, and that we can now
compete with the best of European manu-,
facturer. A Krupp gun of the same cali,
bre fires a service charge of only 357
pounds, while ours can stand no."
Were the other IL inch guns that were
tried few years iago considered a
success as compared to the present gun?''
| asked.
"We have built only few other guns
of this calibre," he replied, "but they
were all cf only medium power, with
about one-half the muzzle energy of the
present gun. This is really the first high
power piece of ordnance of this calibre that
has ever been blllt in this country, and I
consider that to-day it has settled the
question whether or not we can
make heavy gun. 1t is true, the tube,
jacket eand two parts Of the forgings were
procured in France from Schneider & Co.,
but the behring's were made and the jacket
was shrunk on at Watervliet; hence con-
slider the weapon an American one. When
we undertook its construction there was
no plant in this country thon to furnish
the large steel forging, so that we were
compelled to go abroad Since that time.
however. the works the Bethlehem Iron
Company have been enlarged under ex-
Lieutenant William H. Jacques, and car to-
day supply all that we need"
Lieutenant W. W. Gibson. of the ordn-
ance corps, superintended the loading and
firing of the gun during tests, with Ser.
geant Joseph w. Warwick as gunner. The
experiments for determining the initial
velocity by means Of the Boulanger chrome
graph were conducted by Lieutenant
Wheeler. Captain Frank Heath, who is
in charge of the station, was present, and
formed one of the board of experts, which
also included Captain L. L. Bruff, Charles
S. Smith and B. Brine, Jr., all of the ordn-
ance corps. During the morning Lieu
tennnt Lissak fired charge from the new
8-inch steel rifle to ascertain its velocity OF
recoil with new smokeless powder
When the large forgings for the 12-inch
gun were, sent to the Watervlile foundry at
Troy they were In rough and unfnish-
ed state. There they were bored for the
desired calibre and the Jacket shrunk on
the tube After the hoops were completed
the gun was rihed.
It will be principally with guns Of this
callbre that the sea coast will be defended.
In fact, the plans of the fertilization board
allow only forty four of the 16-inch guns,
thirty-six of which are included in the de-
fences of New York, Boston and San Fran
cisco.
In the different European navies there
are l39 heavy guns Of greater calibre
than the l2-lnch gun, besides those In the
land service. Of this number thirty
eight, all of which are 16-inch calibre and
upward, are mounted on armored sea 60
ing ships. 1t is thus imperative that our
land armament should include few guns
of Is inch calibre if we wish to cope with
the pondeTous ordnance of foreign govern
ENnOonoro1 4lo g.
similar calibre, the same length, but the
number of grooves will be seventy-two
for the land gun and forty-eight for that
of the navy. The latter will fire a charge
of 425 pounds of powder, a proiectile
weighing $50 pounds, with a muzzle veto
city of 1000 feet per second, giving an
energy of % 500 tons. The army gun
weighs SO tons is IS feet long and fires
a charge Of 440 pounds of powder. An
initial velocity of 1910 feet per second
will be impaired to a 1000 pound pro-
| jectile, giving a muzzle energy of $4,000
foot tons. This would penetrate three
feet Of wrought iron at the muzzle; twenty
eight inches at distance of one mile and
| twenty inches at two miles.
Few realize what an expensive luxury
Uncle Sam INDUCES in each time one of
these steel monsters opens its mouth
Every fire, including powder charge and
projectile, cost from $3.50 to $780, As the
regulations require three hundred or more
shots before the range penetrating power
and durability can be ascertained, this
| little experiment with the new gun will
| foot up $50, 900 to the debit of the War
Department.
Another item of expense to the govern
| ment was the transport alton of the big
gun from the factory at Troy to Sandy
Hook. A large barge brought the ponder
Gus mass as far as Brooklyn, where it was
| transferred to a hoating derrick. The lat
| ter was towed to the government dock at
Sandy Hook more than month ago. As
| this Anticipated structure was too weak to
support ftty-two tons of gun metal it was
dashed to a cradle between two scows.
These were beached at high water and the
| gun and cradle were drawn ashore by the
aid Of rollers, blocks and tackle. Once on
shore. a captain placed some distance
ahead was used to warp the gun from
point to point.
In addition to the great Pinch gun
! there is also a Pinch mortar ready for
triai at Sandy Hook. The number of guns
that will be completed by the end Of the
year 1892 is nine 9-inoh, five 10inch and
two Pinch guns, the total cost OF which
will amount to sl22, 900. Besides this
| there will be considerable additional work
done On other guns in various stages of
construction.
The 16-inch gun. when completed, will
be brought to Sandy Hook and tested as
to the type. This monster will fire 1000
pounds of powder and a projectile weigh
ing over one ton. 1t will be 1917 feet
long and weigh 125 tons. It's estimated
muzzle penetration in iron will be four
| feet and its maximum range about fifteen