New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-12

10
York, the olympia and the three battleships Inc
practical results great decrease In weight winch
mas hitherto been required for the 1ydauiic M
gun out of action by an injury TO the complicated
hydraulic mechanism.
Of the experiments. which. in oher directions have
been one Of the marked features OF this Adminl,trai,
| nckcl-ste more than 10 per cent higher than
those Of ordinary Gnsteel and in order fully to teS,
5Inch gun, the parts Of which, greatly slmpllied from
| those IN ordinary use to be assembled accord
IN to Of pS R@ 0'fs viii P' Se seen That this
gun distinct experiments are being tTied-the hrst
IN the use Of nckelsteel. and le second in the new
already know Of the qualities Of nickel steel that
in the quality Of the gun and 1t is believed that the
new process will Insure a SIN further reducuoh III
the cost OF manufacture.
POWDER.
The brown powder manufactured by Dupont Co..
OF Wilmington Del, for general service In heavy
guns continues to give excellent results in guns up
to 10inch calbre difficulty being found In obtain
ing initial vclocides Of 1000. 2,1o0 and 2l73 1901
seconds respectively. in guns OF 80 80 and 40 calDr
length Of bore with maximum pressure not eAoeeu
ing fifteen tons per square inch. ,o. t. .,o mani,
facture OF powder during the last has been maue
by Arrangement under which the California POWDER
Company. Of Santa Cruz Cal, IS TO undertake N lae
company has been furnished by the Mesrs Dupont
with the result Of the atters experience IN pOWuer
Is
will soon succeed in duplicating the products Ul ' r
Dupoms WORKS. In the event OF hosles t'I co an.
portance Of powder mandatory on the facln0 Oo'0
cannot be overestimated.
HIGH EXrLo.IvEs.
The extension Of the Departments resources Tor
manufacturing gun-cotton, referred TO In the last
report has been attended with excellent results vi
the $4,000 pounds ordered from the McSsrs dupont
previously mentioned 10000 pounds have been de-
avcred and accepted. During the year 10000
pounds Of gun-cOtlOn were manufactured at the tor
pe-o station at Newport, which has now doubled lis
+ is development derives additional importance from
the greatly extended use of gun cotton as the base
me most important characteristics Of Emmenste
pointed out in the last report, and are sun the
subject of experiment For this purpose a 6-lnch
Emmense have been fired from TINS g, gun VITA I'M,
pact with water at range Of 5000 yards.
Another high explosive has been developed at the
t 10 s 0w '' remarkable possibilities number of
rounds fired from 4inch rapid fire gun win
Of the tubular manufacture led With this explo.
sive, has been. fired through SIX linen plates auu
exploded detonatively beyond them. Since the pub,
ncauOn OF Lr report OF the chief OF the Bureau OF
Ordnance further developments have taken place
leading the conviction that this explosive can be
fired from hgh-power guns OF all calibrcs.
PROJECTILEs.
As already pointed out, perhaps the most serious
defect in our naval armament, up TO very recent
time. has been the want Of armor-p piercing projec-
tiles The fact Of tie domestlcation In this country
Of the manufacture Of these projectiles, and OF con-
tract entered into with the Carpenter steel COMPANY
Of Readns Penn, was sta'eH at hean inferred
into with satisfactory results. The SterllhE otee
Company, Of Dcmar Penn has also 1haer,a lax
Tor 100 Gnch shells has been filed inns com
pany is likewise proceeding with the manufacture
ToRpEDoEs.
So much had been accomplished during the Civil
War and the period following It. in the development
Of stationary toIpedoes, and so much Interest ana
comment were aroused By the successful nroduc non
Of ths nov weapon oil naval i, mat however
much The United states might be lacking In SAps o.
war, It's naval resources included 'onpetc "a W..
maritime defence In time Of war: AZ the 0egihhlhs
OF this Administration, although all the shpo had Den
designed for the use OF this weapon. ana torpedo
boat had been projected, and In part cOhstrU'ru'
some time before, whose only purpose was 70 dschr
Before this date the hopes, rather than IN. eXpe'ta
tons Of the Department seem to have s.ad,aly SIi
ccntratcd themselves the Howell torpedo, Whch
VA, stln "A doubtful experiment. ana contract hia
been made January ., le7o. with the iotchhlss osa-
for thirty t0rpd0c 81 which ton were 10 be delivered
by June l. 800 and all By september Of The same
Negotiations were undertaken with view 10 DO
meStica,lng I'm this country the manufacture OF the
had proved It an assured success: All aliho'u.ira
were gradually 3vreome 9nd m Nay LII deae con ,n
company limited. With whom this contract was made,
brought great skill 10 the development Of thc new
manufacture. Considerable delay was occaSloncd by
the difficulty OF obtaining suitable air flask but ms
obstacle has been overcome, ana thr cchpanX nay 9
actually completed twenty OF the torpdo'. calico ioa
the air tasks made possess physical chaiv tlsurs
considerably in excess Of those manufactured abroad
and the Department Is now able to state that the Navy
for tho first time has certain prospect OF presently
acquiring full supply OF automobile orpdoes OF fhe
best modern design and OF American manniacturc.
IN view OF this certainty, launching tubes have been
ordered for distribution among the vessels to winch
they are assigned.
INCREASE OF THE NAVY.
Another year Of experience. Of discussion, and Of
criticism both at home and abroad, confirms the De
partmcnt In the views which It adopted in the animal
report OF 1850 to the policy OF construction whic
the Navy should pursue.
The policy then Advocated which was a radical de
parturc from any view previously presented in this
country consisted in tho production of three principal
types First. the arInored battle snip Of 10000 81
To 1900 tons, and, third, the commerce protecting ahc
destroying cruiser Of extreme speed of 100 tons.
In the annual report OF the Department for lSo9
the following statement was made In reference 10 th'
tcssity OF cruiser:
have another and equally important function In tho
attack ami defense Of commerce Any stanch vesse
with good coal capacity AMI the highest rate OF speed
armed With a few rapid firing guns. though built an'
used principally for commercial p?rpo,es may by Ger
tain adaptations III hef CONSTRUCTION w Hduc I'""i
available for this form OF warfare.
The fast tansatlantc liners, mathematical In 1oregI
countries. but supported and maintained by American
| trade and American OVERWHELMINGLY Of them ever
owned by American citzens-are powerful factor II
IN, naval force Of the governments whose flag tllcN
l,ar and at whose disposal they must place tlcmscvc
IN time Of war. II Is matter for serious consider
| alton whether steps may not De taken toward Tia
creation OF such fleet e specially adapted steamer
| ~ American construction, owned by American mer
chants, carrying the American flag. ana capable undc
well defined conditions, OF temporary incorporation II
, ia. American Navy. Inc advantages OF suci an ar
rangcment which cnlarges the merchant marine an'
makes Il at the same time selfprOtectng. are over
! wl clmlngly great The difficulty /, that American
capital viii not be drawn into the enterprise unles
| II can be Of specific compensation for the con
ccssiOns which II makes To the Government, first, II
the adaptation Of is vessels to the gtters needs, AM
i IL. L..