The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-25
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
BITS OF CURIOUS KNOWLEDGE
FROM MANY SOURCES.

Progress and Prospects of the New Coast
Armaments-Big Bell Of the WOrld-The
Earliest That Were Castillo secoud
Largest in the World In China:
The longest recorded range Of any foreign
gun Is Just over twelve miles, which was
achieved with an English gun. The long
est recorded range OF an American gun is
about six and one-third miles.
The Government now owns but one steel
Sinch breech-loading rife and one steel
breech-loading lO-inch rifle. These are at
the sandy Hook proving ground, and have
not yet been fired to ascertain how far they
will carry.
The new l0-nch guns are expected 10
range 1860 yards at - degrees elevation.
Toe Pinch guns will range II, 700 yards at
~ degrees elevations.
The Sinch b. l.. gun at Sandy Hook
weighs about ~. ions, and has length OF
bore Of - Calibrcs. II is made OF steel and
bound with steel hoops, The riiling curve
is part Of semi-cubc parabola, aud in
creases from ono turn in 30 cilihres 10 one
turn in p calibrcs. With a load Of 40
pounds Of German prismatic powder this
gun sent a 3OO-pound projectile with
muZzle velocity OF 1851 feet in second, al
pressure Of 1000 pounds 10 the square
inch and with muzzle energy OF 1913 foot
tons. About equal results were obtained
with DupOnt's American powder The gun
has been fired seyeniy-siX rounds, and Is IN
an entirely sound condition. This gun has
been fired for accuracy az 1000 yards. Tue
mean YeTticle deviation was l.94 feet. the
mean lateral deviation was 2.l9 e.
Inc Sinch gun is made entirely Of American
steel.
The lO-inch Is. l.. steel rifle gun weighs
about - tons and has a length OF bore OF -
calibres. It is partly OF English material.
The riding is similar % that OF the o-lnch
rifle. When fired with 20 pounds OF Ger
man prismatic powder IT sent projectlle
weighing 81 pounds, with "a muzZle yelo-
city of ,9js feet per second and "A mulzle
energy OF bib foot tons. The distance was
not measured.
Recently the lO-inch brecch-0ldine> cast
iron wre-wrapped gun at sandy Hook was
fired with 2Gj pounds oi powder and pro-
ieclile weighing so pounds. The carriage
broke and the tests were not completed.
One Pinch breech-loading rifle, cast iron.
iubed with steel. has been completed and
turned over for trial, but II has not been
tested.
Il costs abOut$l00 for the powder and ball
alone 10 fire one Of these big guns.
When the new guns are tried for range
and accuracy it is expected that az 10000
Yards about - per cent OF the shots Med
will strike within a space Of 4sl1X9 30
Yards. Very m ch will depend upon the
powder. Extreme accuracy Is not expect
I'd with long ranges. II is calculated that
the range Of the lNinch gun at 100 degrees
elevation will go 5000 feet up IN the air.
one Of the new ll-inch m0rtars, which Is
about i've times as long as tao nid m0rtars.
mas been fired 1t sent prolectile weigh
ing $50 tons over three miles up into the
air. and the range was about q miles.
Tie Board Of fonidcations reported To-
Congress in 1886 that twenty-seYen OF our
ports required urgently fortihcatons and
other defenses. and estimated that 81 new
guns and "a new m0rtar5 w0fe needed t0
arm these exposed ports /Twonty seven
ports were named aS most urgently requir-
ing armament aud some appropriations
we're made by Congress % carry ont the
recommendations. IN hts laet report { iei- .
oEOrduauce : y Be- ct estimates that. at .
re rate ~ progress provided for by Con .
.ress. IL will take tWenty-siN years 20 sup .
ply those twenty exposed ports VIII +
the ~-inch rife guns required; thar 10 viii .
ia1e tWeuty-ci -ht year, to supply these eX- .
posed ports wiki the l'-iuch guns required. /.
and twenty eht year. to supply the lO-inch f.
Guns required. New FORK W or.d.