Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-08-08
Test Of First Twelye-lnch Breech-
loading Rife Ever Built
in America.
With a Small Amount of Powder a
Heavy Projectile Attains Ex
traordinary Velocity.
Experts Very Enthusiastic, and Declare
Themselves More Than Satisfied
With the Result.


TINS country, was OUeTeu IOr the lTsJ Time
at the Sandy Hook Proving Grounds Fri
day July oath A board Of expert army
officers witnessed the test from the para
pet of the fort and we're 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 90 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, so
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 l2-inch gun,
and who superintended every detail of its
construction from start to finish.
- am more than satisfied with the re-
suit, said Baptain Bruff to me, as soon as
the interior of the powder chamber had
been examined. ut show that our system
of making built up guns, is beyond per-
adventure, d 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 440.
Were the other l2.inch guns that were
tried a few years ago considered a
success as compared to the present gun ?'
asked.
ave have built only a few other guns
Of this calibre,' he replied, but they
were all # 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 blIlt in this country, and |
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 borings wers made and the Jacket
was shrunb on at Wateryliet; 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 20 abroad Since that time.
however. tn, works the Bethlehem Iron
Company have been enlarged under ex-
J.
day supply all that we need
Lieutenant w. w Gibson. of the ordn-
snce 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 1rdn-
ance corps. During the morning Lieu
tennnt lissak fred a charge from the new
S.inCh steel rifle 10 ascertain its velocity of
recoil with new smokeess powder
When the large forgings for the l2inch
gun were sent to the Watervlie foundry at
Troy they were in a rough and un6nish-
ed state, There they were bored for the
desired caibre and the jacket shruuk on
the tube After the hoops were completed
the gun was ritled,
1t wall be principally with guns Of this
Calibre that the sea coast will be defended.
In fact the plans of the fertilization board
allow only forty-four of the l6,inch guns,
thirty-slX of which are included in the de,
fences of New York, Boston and San Fran
cisco.
In the different European nayies there
are l39 heavy guns of greater calibre
than the l2-inch gun, besides those in the
land service OF this number thirty.
eight. all of which are l6-inch calibre ana
upward, are mounted on armored sea GO
ing ships. 1t is thus imperative that our
l.. n. % l.. 4
of b inch Callbre II we wish 10 cope with
the ponderous ordanCe Of foreign govern
ments Compared with the navygun Of a
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 projectiIe
weighing $50 pounds, with a muzze veto
city of 1000 feet per second, giving an
energy of 23 500 tons. The army gun
weighs 80 tons Il 36 feet long and fires
a charge of 440 pounds Of powder An
initial velocity of l,940 feet per second
will be impaired 10 a 1000 pound pro-
jeetile, giving a muEzle energy of $4,000
foot tons. This would penetrate three
feet Of wrought iron at the muzlle; twenty
eight inches at a distance Of one mile and
twenty inches at two niles.
Few realize what an expensive luxury
Uncle Sam INDUCES in each time one q
these steel monsters opens its mouth.
Every fire, including powder charge and
uroJectile. cost from $3.50 to $500 AS the
regulations require three hundred or more
shots before the range penetrating power
and durability can be ascertaiued this
little experiment with the new gun will
foot up $50 600 to the debit Of the War
Department.
Another item Of expense to the govern.
ment was the transportation 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 10 floating derrick The lat
ter was towed 20 the government dock al
Sandy Hook more than a month ago a.
this Anticipated structure EaS too weak &c
SUPPORT tifty-two tons ct gun metal ii was
Iashed to d cradle between two scows
These were beached nj high water and the
gun and radle were drawn ashore by the
aid If rollers, blocks and tackle. Once on
shore. a captain placed some distance