The morning call., 1893-06-13
PNEUMATIC GUNS.
Tha Will Soon Be Mounted on
u d for the Defense of Harbors.
ew York sur


1t is believed that during the present summer
some, at least. of the pneumatic guns for New
York harbor VIII be put iD place. They are
designed, as is known, for throwing high ex-
plosives OF such sort as the Government may
require, for there is no question about The
safety of the rrOcess. For New York harb0F
five guns are intended. Two 15-Inch guns will
be set up at Sandy HOOK and one at w Wilels
Point while one 1O-inch gun viii probably b.
up al the latter point and one 8-inch gun at
the former
Early neXt year 1t is expected to set up the
three 15-nch guns Intended for san Francisco,
while the three for Boston will follow consider
ably later. The guns are made at the West
Point foundry.
There is no doubt that the pneumatic guns
may be effective auXiliaries in land defense.
While they are quite limited in range, yet
within that range they havethe power of throw
ing an enormous quantity OF dynamite or other
high explosive upon an enemy'S fleet. Hence
they are particularly adauIed to defending a
narrow channel, or TO protecting fortified works
from suffering too close fire from an enemy.
One difficul encountered by the system has
been its original selection for naval purposes.
This, which was at first thought % be an ad-
vantage, has possibly proved detriment. AT
tenton has been concentrated on the Vesuuius,
and several obstacles to success have there pre-
sented Themselves. The problem has been
complicated by the use OF the pneumatic system
on an unstable platform, and under the lim!ta-
UOhs oil space necessary on ShlpDoatd. Ihe
natural way OF proceeding would be that Which
was adopted by tile English. namely, TO try first
the pneumatic guns for land defense. When IL
is shown that, with all the advana ages OF per
feet security In he storage of the dynamite
pIolectiIes, and Of the solid earth for gun
platform, The pneumatic gun is efficient, 1t VIII
be easier 10 ascertain whether il can also be
used on pitching and rolling vessel.
A. 10 the actual results of the Port Royal
trials OF the Ne>uylus. 1t is known that The
failure of the fuses prevented them from bein g
satisfactory. Not a solitary projectile OF the
large number fred was exploded at or near
the target. The possibility OF accurate aim
under The conditions OF smooth sea was of
course demonstrated, this being very much the
same the conditions in land firing But Il
has been intimaled thar Commodore Sampson,
the Chief of Ordnance, finds the valves do not
work with the necessary certainty; and if this
Is so a fault more serious than the one in re-
gard TO the fuses would be imputed to the
system. Better fuses could undoubtedly be
supplied, and the trials necessary before the
adoption of the system could then be made.
Bnt the question in regard to the valves is OF
different character. However, 1t is The SIM
plest justice not onlv TO walt for the cOnclu-
si0nS OF the Chief of o. idnance on he subject,
but that the manufacturers should be treated
as Literally as possible. Even should II be
found that the system is not developed suf-
dciently for the NesuVius, Congress may make
some arrangements for tile benefit OF the con-
tractors and The guns can perhaps IN time be
employed els where.
When the pneumatic system was started the
Importance OF using high explosives for she'll
charges was fully appreciated; but since that
time there's have been great strides toward en-
pl0yiHg such explosives as the bursting
charges In powder guns, not, indeed. In such
quantities. as with the pneumatic tube, but In
amounts sufficiently great, and having the in
esiinable advantages of long range and hori-
zontal fire. Hence, even If the adoption OF the
pneumatic system for naval purposes should
have TO be postponed. the loss would not be so
great as it might otherwise have been. The
Two points TO guard are, on the one hand, not
TO say hat The system Is 1T for adoption until
It has actually done the full and exact work re-
CURED OF II. aud, on the other hand to give it
all the lime needed 10 do that work, even If II
bas failed hith rio. Meanwhile, the ccnstruc-
tion OF pneumatic guns for shore batteries can
60 Onj ana when they are completed. mounted
and tested, The experiments witE them may
throw light on the availability Tor ships, VIII
out meanwhile going TO the expense OF building
the latter Tor using them.