The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-05-07
ARMY AND NAVY.

Experiments arc being made by the Esvy
Department with new system OF protection
for Eunuers In exposed places on men-ot- war
during action. From a Pennsylvania factory
has been procured a peculiar description Of
wire webbing made OF interlocking steel
spirals, which j. remarkably flexible and strong
IL bears some resemblance to old-fashOncd
chain armOr, and IL is proposed to use curtains
Of this material 10 protect gunners behind
shields from fragments Of exploding shells
The resisting quality Of the netting is believed
to be equal to a solid plate Of steel an inch
thick.
The Ordnance Bureau OF the Navy Depart
mcnt hes just completed, at the proving
grounds nc Indian Head. point p miles down
the Potomac River from Washington, the final
test of the tbId l0-inch steel riiled gun for the
dOuble-turreted monitor MiantOnOmoh. With
23g pounds Of Dupont brown powder and 10
tons pressure the proiectile attained n muzzle
velocity of 2 10 feet per second, probably the
best result on record for this bore Of gun,
using brown powder. The fourth and last Of
the Miantonomohs l0-inch guns is about
finished, and will be tested at once.
The Secretary Of War has approved orders
for general transfer of United States troops
Among the changes OF stations which will take
place under these orders will be the transfer Of
Troops B, Ith Cav, and b, 9Th Cav, from Fort
Myer, Va, their places to DO supplied by Troops
A, Ist Cav, aud X. 9th Cav The latter troop
is colorcd. Maj. Guy V. Henry, 9th Cav, will
relieve Maj. J.. II. Carpenter. 9th Cav, Of the
command Of Fort Myer.
Lieut.-Col. John J. Coppingor 18th U. s.
Inf, son-in-laW Of Secretary Of State Blaine
has returned from n visit to Europe, and. with
his two little boys, will spend few days in
Washington as the guest Of Secretary Blaine
before Joining his regiment.
The NagaZine-Guu Board is at last ready for
final work, having been supplied with the
necessary cartridges made Of WettereH smoke
less powder. After waiting for years to get
thoroughly satisfactory American powder for
smaii-CaiibnT repeating rifles, and finally i'm
porting this Belgian powder for experiments,
the War Department has had some promising
American made powder offered to them. One
Of these, used IN the new small-borc rifle OF 30
caliboT, has attained muZZle velocity Of 1000
feet per second with charge Of 30 grains.
The WettcTen powder, in a recent trial, gave
about 1900 feet muZzle velocity per second,
with 1900 pounds pressure, SO grains being
used, aud 10 is evident that this American
powder is promising, even when compared with
the Belgian, and has less OdOr than the latter,
and its power in imparting an initial velocity
Is also very satisfactory. its interior pressure
is greater than that Of tho Wctteren powder,
still 10 makes 4 gain over that OF some other
powders. Both % and the Wctteren far sur
pass in power the ordinary powders now in use
in our regulation smallarms, as the latter with
a charge OF - grains, only reaches about 400
feet initial velocity, with pressure Of $4,000
pounds.
The 30 caliber has been fixed upon for the
Army rife, and tho Mauser rifle will be sub
mittcd for trial. The weight OF the new Mauser
magazine gun, on the bolt system, adopted by
Belgium, is about eight aud one.half pounds.
Ii has detachable magazine, carrying five
cartridges. placed forward Of tho guard, which
can be filed by hand while attached to the
rifle, and single cartridges can also be replaced.
II is about 50 inches long without the bayonet.
Another rifle is the Lee-Speed, which has been
adopted by England. IL weighs q little over
nine pounds aud has a detachable box maya
zine FOR eight cartridges This gun has already
been tried at Springfield. Several other maya
zine guns Of foreign make will DO tried by the
Board, and our own inventors will have a
chance TO compete with the foreigners, the
Board, Of course, preierring American arms If
they will come anywhere near showing as good
results as the others. At the last meeting Of
the Board no American rifles had been sub
milted, although the Lee-Speed gun is really Of
American origin in its most valuable features.