The morning call., 1892-01-22
HEAVY ORDNANCE.
Arrival of the MOnterey's Big
TWeIye-Inch Riff.
Il Must Be Wheeled Around by Way of 0an
Jose, Because Too Heavy to Be
Brought Across the Bay

Early tomorrow morning the monster II
inch rifle, made in the United States Oru-
nance Department at Washington Ior Tue
coast-defense cruiser Monterey. VIII arrive
in this city after transcOntlhental JUL
ney OF nine days and hall.
II was almost within haillng distance Oh
the city at Z o'clock last night, when IL al
rived in Oakland, and but for It's enormous
weight it could have been at once trans
ported across the bay to It's final desuha-
ton, thus lessening the time OF transit
neatly day and half. The modest en-
CINE of war, however, weighs slightly
more than fifty tons, and the aprons leading
to and from the transfer steamer are not
constructed for any such tremendous traffic;
hence the great bangor had to continue It's
Journey down the other side OF the bay TO
San Jose and return on this side. 1t Will
probably be removed to the Union Iron
Works without delay.
TIE FIRST BIG GUN.
Considerable more than ordinary interest
attaches to this monster engine OF destruc-
tion. 1t is the first large gun manufactured
at the navy-yard in Washington, and the re
suit of the work has been watched Win
keen interest by naval engineers OF not only
this but other countries. 1t is said that they
are all perfectly satisfied with what has
been achieved. as 1t demonstrates beyond
doubt the ability of tins nation to meet any
emergency in naval warfare. The gun IS
a breech-ioading rife, 36.S feet IN length ana
about feet at its largest diameter. us
actual weight is 101, 800 pounds. ne lenglh
of the chamber Is "A inches ana the dlaineteI
is IA 5 inches, all Of which gives chamber
capacity of 1873 cubic inches. The service
IA mounds IF brown D0W0HT. with
a pr0iectile weighing $50 pounds. The esti-
mated velocity of the projectlie Is 1871 feet
per second and muZZe energy OF Y, 400
foot tons. The cost of the gun was ABOUT
$4,000
BETSY" AND NATE.
BETSY" as the trainmen have dubbed
the big thing, will occupy one OF the spaces
in the forward turret of tho Monterey, and
its companion piece, twin in all respects.
will fill the remaining space. Besides these
two large 12-lnCh guns, the cruiser Is 10
have two more Of like pattern and make.
only Of 10-inch caliber, and they will occupy
a turret IN the rear.
Irving N. Scott of the Union Iron Works
states that the guns cannot be mounted on
the Monterey until the armOr for the bar
bette has been completed and received from
the East. He has no official Information
concerning the progress on that armOr and
has no knowledge on the subject, except
such as had been supplied by press dis
patches.
The transit of the big gun across the con-
tineut was more or less fruitful or note
worthy incidents from the first 1t left
Washington January 18th about noon, and
went to Baltimore, the event having been
attended by about the same interest as
shipment of pork. 1t was mounted on a
big siee-bouud truck constructed entirely
of metal and supported on sixteen wheels.
At Altoona, Pa, the gun was the object OF
considerable interest among the wOrkmen,
who viewed it from a purely mechanical
standpoint.
NOTED TOURIST.
AS it moved westward the interest in
creased in about the same proper
ton as the distance from the starting point
lengtheued. At Ogden it was met and
proudly embraced by an excursion party :;
at Reno the American flag was attached to
it by Az enthusiastic sight-seer; at Iruckee
the public school children viewed It in a
body with admiration and sang patriotic
songs during its stay there, and It's progress
through has been in the midst Of Ike en-
thusiasm J. c. Hardie Of the Quarter
master Department was The big things
travelling companion all the way from
Washington.
The car which brought this gun will be
used in the transportation OF the other
three, and will be returned to Washington
Immediately. The cost of transportation Is
TeCkUueQ az about $4,000 each.