The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-23
GUNS AND ARMOR FOR wARsHIPs.
Wonderful Inventions by Americans, In
GLIDING Non-CorrodabIe Steel Alloy.

Guiding NOn-COrrOdable Steel Alloy.
WASHINGTON CITY, Nov. 23-Commodore Fol.
ger, chief OF the bureau of ordnance, in his an
nual report to the secretary of the navy, which
is very lengthy one. asks appropriations ag-
gregating nearly s2,50o,00O for his bureau, but
the request seems moderate in view of the
achievements of the present year and the prom
ises of the future. The voluminous report 10
filled with interesting details as to how the
American navy compares with the navies of
foreign nations, and how native skill and in
ventiyenes has placed this country in
advance of all others in the comparatively new
$50 far as the United States is concerned) field
OF armor construction and great gun making.
To arm the vessels of the new navy ISL guns,
varying in caliber from 4 to - inches, are
quired. and of these 2S7 are already completed
and ll6 atloat. A marked step in advance has
been made in improving the breech mechanism
OF 10 and Pinch guns so that they may be
worked easily and rapidly by hand.
The bureau is now building q nickeisteel gun
on new designs invented by William Sellers,
which will doubtless inaugurate the use OF
ackel-steel for naval gun construction. 1t is
stronger and better than ordinary gun steel, and
the designs permit reconstruction OF the gun
whenever the tube is worn.
The use in guns up TO six inches in oaliber of
fixed metallic ammunition has resulted so salts
factorily that it is said 10 be merely question
of time when the idea Is applied to larger cali
bers.
Rapid fire mechanism as applied to fve-inch
guns has enabled five shots to be fired from one
gun in nine seconds, but the result of the
application of this mechanism to four-inch
guns has been followed by results still more re-
marksble, for it has been possible TO FIRE i've
shots in fourteen seconds.
Improvements are noted in the quality of
domestic brown powder supplied during the
year, and i: is stated that the bureau has taken
steps to establish the manufacture of brown
powder on the Pacific coast, supplying the Cali
ioruia Powder Company, OF Santa Cruz, Cal,
with testing implements and guns, and securing
for it the use OF the Dupont formulas. Marked
progress has been made in the development OF
smokeless powder during the year. and it is
now made in large quantities II is much safer
than other powders, is unaffected by climatic
conditions and Is superior IN marked degree
TO the best sro.eless powders. Tests OF the
high explosive emmensite met with great sue
cess and shells filed with this material fired
the high velocity o. 1900 feet per second from
rfied guns exploded upon impact with water at
600 yards range. Experiments with another
American explosive have shown that common
shells filed with this material can be fired
through SIX one-inch iron plates and burst de-
tentatively az Will beyond them. These expert.
meuts are regarded as settling the long discus
sion with regard 10 the relative merits of firing
high explosive from air-gaas o. powder guns.
The report speaks in terms of praise Of the
development in this country of the manufacture
OF srmor- piercing projectiles. and says that ii
test recently made at Indian Head OF S-inch
shells, two OF the celebrated German Hotter
two of Carpenter and two Of Sterling product
the Carpenter shells were clearly equal If not
superior 10 the best OF the Hotter manu-
facture thus far delivered in this
country One OF the Sterling pro-
jectiles showed qualities of very superior
character Deliveries o! automobile torpedoes
have been delayed by difficulty expe-i caced IN
securing suitable TASKS. but these have al last
been obtained from domestic steel companies
and number OF Howell, Nhiteheai and other
torredoes are expected 10 he presented for test
ing at an early date.
Commodore Foiger speaks appvov lnSly O! the
submarine boat now the subject OF experiments
Al Chicago. While full success has not been OBJ
tanned, the invention is promising, ana ne suc
sests the combination with il IN effective war
fare Of the comfortable floating torpedo or sub
marine gun.
Uuior the head Of torpedo boats. the report
makes strong Recommendation that petroleum
be used for fuel in these boats, increasing their
RAD Is ol action. giving better control ana gem
orally increasing their efficiency.
The report says the labog troubles a. Home
stead put temporary stop n arElo. mauufac-
suro 10y Carnegie, but work hiss again begun and
IL i hoped that II short time the total artno-
product OF the Carnegie sad bethlehem con-
pau.,s WA reach go OF 10 tons OF finished
p.a;es per month. Orders for armor 10
tie iu.l amount @! both contracts have
been placed. there being about 800
tons s!!I needed for ships authorized
by law. Tire department; IS preparing 20 adveF-
tise Tor bias for lhis quantity of aruor OF nickel
steel treated by she Harvey process, at the Dis
cretion 81 the department.. Touching the de-
ye,upaleGI 81 arnor II this country. the repo-;
describes Iae test II last July Of Wo Harvey !xed
ten-lnc1 alcke!-steel p.ates. oa one OF these
five e.ga;-.acA Hotter shells were smashed
wth1a- lajUriug tAe plate. test i8oEe
severe than any every before made The
comDccc.e THINKS tbe result % this great
dese oYsaeat OF armor w.ll doubtless be to check
the tendency II Europe to abandon guns OF