The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-25
THE LIMIT or BIG GUNS.
The Drawbacks 10 Using the Largest Call
bres on Shlpbonrd.

brcs on Shipboard.
WASHINGTON. Nov 24.-The statement that
the British Admiralty has decided not to ouiid
any more guns exceeding In weight oo TONS
shows the strength OF the reaction against
monster naval ordnance.
1t had previously been pretty well UNDER
stood that the maximum calibre In new con-
structon would be the 13i6-inch gun. weigh
ing 60 or 81 tons. This latter corresponds TO
our 13.inch naval guns designed Tor the
Indiana, Massac huse;ts. and Oregon. the hrst
OF which Is nearing completion at the WASH
ington Ordnance Yard. But. IL the London
dispatches are correct the British autnori-
ties have even reduced the limit to the l2-incn
calibre. since such guns In Tho Monterey weieh
about 81 tons
1t is a question. however. whether the Ad-
mralty has not swung 10 the other extreme IN
heavy gun construction. The origin OF the ne"
policy il. OF course. the failure OF some Oh the
1G-inch lotion guns. although the 0I-tonners
have not gone without nishaps. The llO.ton
guns were constructed for the Victoria. the
Benbow. and'the Sans Parcil One OF them
dropped at the nu2zle In one or two DINERS q
crack appeared: the difficulty to which they
were liable seems to have been that OF deNei-
oping cracks between the jackets and hoops.
through lack OF girder strength. Ihere was
no question as TO their penetrating force ohe
OF those for the Sans rarei sent Its prolec-
tile through 20 inches OF COMPOUND armor.
inches Of iron. 20 feet OF oak. I'VE feet OF
granite. and then. after passing through IL
feet Of concrete. the point OF the proIeetile got
more than half way through six.Iopt wall OF
brick. Iut even with such results tne draw
backs to tho weapons were such rs 70 cause
Thrust not he supposed that such guns are
wholly without advocat.s. Lord George Ham.
iiton SomS time age decnued mem Lor smeif
that by eXpendins about $1,000 additional.
or about Si25UGU to $50 900 apiece. a gun Of
saud ns whe would
avoid the old errors in design TINT ha mad been na
nance officers. both Of the navy and the army,
think that they could avoid tho British errors
and III" forcc OF the explosion. This latter.
they think. could. with improved plans: sIita.
size Of the ehamCer 70 tho diameter OF, the
H5 the n ns nna hal the H ssn ns "Gn To
replace tho one rejected for the Snns lareil.
on account ola twist in the tube. Ind been a
service and arc considered satisfactory in all
still there are objections to the 110-ton gun
IN addition TO those already snoken OF; one
Is It's short lifetime. which is SUPPOSED to be
count Of the corrosion of the tnho by firing. IT
coui be refined. but that process costs good
the ship. ESPECIALLY when fired with, the muz.
re over any part OF the deck. as the blast to, OF
n hs chnrs or nna
much practice with such guns. Finally. the
manipulation OF them requires great d'al OF
unwieldy cannot be Tired SO ralidly. as ,n.thcrs
even anoSGh u the usa v Of " hydraus mas
TN practical decision OF tho British Ad.
reached lon. ago. and. in fact. tho eight new
battle slips carry no heavier y tL guns Nan the
come down still further in the call re Of guns
hereafter to lie constructed IL very sutgeS-
MAKE hnt eve gun rs Se
trained and run out by hand, rover if neces-
sary. 1t not t" be supposed that hydraulic
ton OF guns will pe wholly abandoned. Lord
George llamiton has insisted hat the by.
accident. and can lie protected very easily.
whereas n much greater extent and weight OF
protrctoni i necessary when the gun is trained
with it. But the need of being able TO substi-
tute hand power for machinery in workn. any
part OF ships battery is now generally, rec
recently developed device for operating by
in such a way as to simplify the, m ode Of op.
Grating them. and TO Increase the rapidity Of
fire. OF course. the british by, by Limiting the
with other things equal. much increase their
number without Increasing the weight or the
total cost for q ship ana ran thus have moro
guns to rely on in case hostile lire should be
directed effectively against the projecting
muZZlrs. superior elevation and breech pro-
lection can also he secured
But there is one argument against limiting
the ralihr.5 to y inches. namely: the great
q armor by tho surface hardening processes.
When it is found that five shots at the centre
and four corners of a :Isrveyized plate. from
an s.nch gun. with II striking energy Of 5000
foot tons for each shot: failed to penetrate
10 '4-inch plate. if as much. tho need OF very
heavy nrojertile and n hcavv charge to insure
the entire per Grafton OF S-nch plates treated
10y the same process. like thos" carried on our
heaviest battle ships. must be apparent con-
siderng the distance at which naval battles
mafi m ps arria1