New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-12
RIG CHARGES OF POWDER.
THE LARGEST EVER FIRED IN THIS
COUNTRY.
-FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY POUNDS OF 1T
SEND HUGE pRoJEcTILE FAR OUT TO
sEA-TEsTING THE FRENCH
sMoKELEss EXPLOSIVE.

SM0KELESs EXPLOSIVE
number of further tests were made yesterday WIN
the twevench gun at the Government proving grV"iue
al Sandy Hook The testing was witnessed by the stan
~ C,eneral Howard ana number OF arttlerymen from
Governors Island The tests made some time ago were
moi satisfactory on account Of the high pressure OF ue
powder used suicent velocity could not DC acqureO
without too great strain upon the gun Inns wa" uue
10 the fact that the powder ignited so rapuV ona ~
strain caused by the explosion was to grea. cA'o.
,onen.a 40 the hreech Of the gun. The powder used
yesterday was a sample from Dupont d. Co., OK VIII
mington Del. The former tests were made win ger
man prismatic powder. The powder sent py D"poi' "
Co. proved to be no suited TO one gun 'n'n "''
the German powder. other samples OF DupohVS pow.
der will be tried in few days. ana IL Is only que'
lion q, few trials before the proper powder for inc
gun win be found
Tho mn itself has so far acted Admiralty. AS Tor
The powder the officers IN charge Of the tests say Una,
theue 4 always more loss trouble In nnoihs MINI
inst suitable for a gum The main lhUoicso VI o
experimen.s of yesterday centred IN tho 1ac1 "a' '
charges Of powder in several instances the ase'
ever red IN this country. The gun Is built to re 44o
nounds ~ powder and this charge, with 1,ooopouno
rro,eotiIe shond give velocity OF 1,Soo 1eet
,,cona with pressure the gun not exceeding 3oooo
pounds square inch' g.
Az The force of the sample of powder sent by
Dupont q Co. not definitely known tne nrs.
charge put in the gun was only 300 POUNDS Tbs eH'
n L.
a second with q pressure Of 24'ooo POUNDS SQUIRE
,ncb The tests were all with the same weight OF
proiectle In the second test $50 POUNDS OF Po"uer
we're used and O velocity Of ,531 feet second was
secured. with a pressure Of $4,000 pounos' III v"0
third test 400 pounds Of powder were useo' INC
velocity obtained 1690 feet and the pressure
was 2s,700 pounds.
Tn an. sourth test 40 pounds Of powder were used
The velocity obtained was 792 feet ana the pressure
was "a 40 pounds square inch THIS was inc n's
charge of powder ever exploded IN gun III ."'
country. The det0naton was loud anu ruiion"e
II was not a sharp explosion tho '
seemed TO grow steadily until it reached Its fullest tone
80 ,h. 20 a,o auax The gun was buried in cloud
of SMOKE and after few seconds lar out az 0' "n
rormops p,IIar NJ foam was to rise as the pro-
jecte struck the water
Then the flying missile rose. making leap IN 'he
air and second later another great splash was seen
as Il struck the surface second time. once more !.
rose and again II raised splash ana the men VINO han
strong glasses said they it rise again before u
som h,,r,ed itser in the sea. The gun can do
elective work at range of twelve miles, and can even
SEMI shots fifteen miles, ,,,o
After finishing the experiments with the Dig gun 'ic
French smokeless powder was successfully 'esVu III
threa and two.tenths inch steel breech-oadng helu
oun The French powder comes in strips aoouU tIieo
inches long These are tied IN lunches resembling
small bundles of kindlng wood. In making car
,o,ncd end TO end and inclosed in a bag. small
disc Of musket powder, weighing about onc-hah al
ounce is placed at the base of the bag to ignite 'e
smokeless powder. which does not catch the fIc 50
readily The projectle used in the experiment
weighed thirteen and one-haf pounds
With one and one-hal pounds OF the smoheiess
nowder velocity of 421 feet second was Obtained
ri,h measure OF 14l4O pounds 10 the square inch
With two pounds of powder, the velocity reached
1870 feet With pressure Of 1890 ponnGs ov I'd
nnmbcr Of tests made with thirty ounces OF po"oei,
he Velocity viSf,d from $50 feet to 1863 feet ana
the pressure from 10000 to 3o1O o 9Cpn Wous give
a velocitv of from $40 TO LOO feet second inc
same velocity with greatly reduced PTeS smSeel.
noyyder The value Of the smOkeless powder Is ap
parent Further experiments will be made aIn W:
Charge will be increased until the pressure reetohoS
the limit of the gun, $4,000 pounds. til, :. moi
The French smokeless powder 50 cse rses IS aft
the discharge but it is thin, and vapory ana Is son'
In few seconds.