The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-14
TESTING Bic GUNS.
The Largest Charges Ever Fired in
this Country.
-FOUR HUNDRED and FORTY POUNDS
OF Powder Used at one Discharge in
the Monster Pieces..-A Huge Pro-
jectile Sent Far out TO sea..-TestIng
The French snokcless Explosive.

NEw York, Aug. 13.-A number of
further tests were made yesterday with
thetwelve.inch gun at the government
proving grounds at Sandy Hook. Tho
testing was witnessed by the staff Of
General Howard and number Of artil-
lerymen from Governors Island. The
tests made some time ago were not sat
isfactory on account of the high pres
sure Of the powder used. Sufficient We
locity could not be acquired without too
great strain upon the gun. This was
due to the fact that the powder ignited
80 rapidly that the strain caused by the
explosion was, to great extent, con-
fined to the breech OF the gun. The
powder used yesterday was sample
IRON Dupont & Co., OF Wilmignton, Del.
The former tests were made with Ger
man prismatic powder. The powder
sent by Dupont 4 Co., proved to be
more suited to the gun than was the
German powder. Other samples OF Du-
points powder will be tried in few
days, and it is only question Of few
trials before the proper'powder for tho
gun will be found.
The gun itself has so far acted admir-
ably. As for the powder, the officers in
charge OF the tests say that there ie al
ways more or less trouble In finding
kind just suitable for new gun. Tho
main interest OF the experiments OF yes
terday centcted in the fact that the
charges OF powder were in several in
stances the largest ever fred in this
country. The gun is built to fire $50
pounds OF powder, and this charge, with
a 1,000-pound projectile, should give a
velocity OF 1850 feet a second, with a
pressure on the gun not exceeding 35,-
00pounds square inch.
AS the force OF the sample OF powder
sent by Dupont & Co. was not definite
ly known, the first charge put in the
gun was only 260 pounds. This sent a
l,000-pound proiectilc at velocity Of
lab feet n second, with pressure OF
$4,000 pounds square inch. The tests
were all with the same weight OF pro-
iectile. In the second test $50 pounds
0fpowder were used, and q velocity of
1851 feet a second was secured, with u
pressure Of $4,000 pounds. In the third
test 400 pounds OF powder were used.
Tho velocity obtained was 1880 feet,
and the pressure was %, 700pounds.
In the fourth test 440 pounds OF
powder were used. The velocity OBJ
tanned was l.702 feet, and the pressure
was "a, $40 pounds a square inch. THIS
was the largest charge OF powder ever
exploded in gun in this country. The
detonation was loud and rumbling. 1t
was not a sharp explosion. The sound
seemed to grow steadily until 1t reached
its fullest tone and then to die away.
The gun was buried in a cloud OF
smoke, and after few seconds, far out
at sea. an enormous pillar OF foam was
seen to rise as the projectile struck the
water.
Then the flying missile rose, making
a leap in the air, and second later an
other great splash was seen as it struck
the surface second time. Once more
itrose, and again it raised splash, and
the men who had strong glasses said
they saw it rise again before it finally
buried itself in the sea. The gun can
do effective work at a range OF twelve
miles, and can even send shots fifteen
miles.
After finishing the experiments with
the big gun, the French smokeless pow
der was successfully tested in a three
and two-tenths inch steel breech-load-
ing field-gun. The French powder comes
in strips about three inches long. These
are tied in punches, resembling small
bundles OF kindling wood. In making
cartridge the necessary number OF these
punches are Joined end to end and in
closed in a bag. A small disc Of mpsket
powder, weighing about one-half an
ounce, is placed at the base OF the bag
to ignite the smokeless powder, which
does not catch the fire so readily. The
proiectile used in the experiment weigh
ed thirteen and one-half pounds.
With one and one-half pounds OF
smokeless powder velocity of 1,42l
feet second was obtained, with a.pres-
sure OF 1880 pounds to the square
inch. With two pounds OF powder the
velocity reached 1850 feet, with pres,
sure OF 22,950 pounds. In number OF
tests made with thirty ounces Of pow.
der the velocity varied from 1880 feetto
1850 feet, and the pressure from 10000
to 81, $40 pounds. The three and one
halfpounds OF black powder would give
a velocity OF from 1870 to l,70Ofeet a
second. The same velocity, with q
greatly reduced pressure, has been OBJ
tanned with thirty ounces Of the smoke
less powder. The value OF the smoker
less powder is apparent. Further ex-
perinlents will be made, and the charge
will be increased until the pressure
reaches the limit OF the gun, $4,000
pounds.
The French smokeless powder, so
called, is not entirely smokeless. A
cloud OF light smoke rises after the dis
charge, but it is thin, and vapory, and
q, ..s,,,H =, = fn,u snaor,d,