The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-24
sHn nAp1b-sIns Gun 1nrAL
How the Hotohkis-. fDrtees, ard spsnssi
systen,s Contsuasd at InaIau Head.

wAsHISaTov. Nov. 23-The full report Of the
| competitive test OF the 0-pounders on the
| naval ordnance proving grounds. now made
public. gives very interesting particulars OF
| match which had been awaited by the experts
| with curiosity for a long time.
The three guns tried we're the Hotchkiss No
| a. and tho DriRgs-schro No. rs, belonging
| to the navy. which has adopted both systems.
and a sponsel belonging to the company
which offered II. The guns were all served by
| a crew OF four men belonging to the ordnance
| proving grounds.
The FIRST test was that OF firing ten rounds
slowly from each gun to observe the action OF
| the mechanism. All three worked perfectly.
and thus left the question OF superiority 30 far
| wholly undecided
Next came ten rounds. nrod as rapidly as the
smoke would permit, to note the facility Of
| loading and aiming. Though the aiming was
rough. this was the test OF rapidity for aimed
| fire. In this the mechanism was such that the
operation OF aiming. loading. and firing with
ease and rapidity was perform ed In the briggs
Schroeder by two men. In the Hotchkiss by
three. and In the Sponsel by three. Owing to
the little effort required to close the briggs
block. the arrangement OF the aim is less than
with the Hotchkiss. Here It may be we'll to re-
mark that at an early stage In the contest IL
became evident that the sponsel gun was not
equal to the others. In this second test for
rapidity OF aimed FIRE the Driggs-Schroeder
was first and the Hotchklss second. The third
test was for rapidity without aim. the guns
being loaded at the start Here the result was:
For the Hotchkss. time. 33B seconds-one
miss fire ON the sixth round. fired on the sec
ond pull; for the rigGs-Schroeder. time, 81
seconds: for the sponsel. time, 1915 seconds.
Here. as is obvious, the briggs came out FIRST.
the Hotchklss second. and the Sponsel last
Tho fnnrfh M IN Ar diannount
somble. and fire. noting time from FIRE to fire.
Here the result was as follows: The Hotch-
| kiss. time. 1 minute ia seconds; the briggs.
| time. / minute 81 seconds: the Sponsel, time.
2 minutes % seconds. This OF course brought
the Hotchkiss first, the briggs second and the
| Sponsel last.
| The fifth test was to FIRE. change firing pin.
and fire again. noting the time from fire to fire.
Here tho result was as follows: The Hotchkiss.
time. l minute 81 seconds: the Hotchkiss.
| time. minute AS seconds; the Drigga. time.
minute 53.B seconds: the briggs. time. ?
minutes o seconds: the sponsel, time 3 min
4 SECONDS. The order Of excelience was again
H3tchkiss, briggs. sponsel.
and IRE. NOTING time from are to 6re. The
! OF the Sponssi 10 seconds: and that Of the
briggs, which was delayed by an accident In
| 9 seconds The record was left to stand as
| thus made.
Now came the test for defective ammuni-
with bad Am, a,mmnniti on that the primer cap is
BSws Ss rsss a0d
Email pieces OF the 6r%es 70 be dr ZEN. out out
| fective cartrdges were prepared for each gun
we're fired In Attenuation with good rounds.
enee "s HOteSkss 8rsss sDone Oh
The eighth test was that OF excessive press
with IL tons. and finally four rounds with 20
Without accident o. janmins q 1T the block
and the gauge showed no change OF dimen-
Tie ninth test was that Of extraetors In
this trial 2 case. loaded with sand and an
sacS esent w be- sS
| with the hand within less than IL inches. 1t
WAS then forced home IN each gun by sspeNs aS
| OF the three mechanlsms had sufficient power
to withdraw the cartridge The result result after
This last ended the, trial Of the guns: but
mech snIsm. the ratio Of the weight Of, the
the ease and. iacility, Of handling, and. inally,
the lead. and In the last the Hotchkiss was
found superior AZ to weights very great
Pannd ths S the HgtShfss
67A. The Board makes these remarks upon
the features OF construction thus spoken OF:
! Iu simplicity the mschAnisms do not differ mAteri.
and tsnS SsSs sapA me b less as wes
Drsss 6rosdsI !. much sup.rlor % ths otnsi i've
s h In na s
TINS They are .nperiSr TO the prFs. The
Syfs.Sas ,aa o. q. Other suns. and liable
wear Than that Of the prisss senroeier
ns of pnn S ss se 81
Of hs hs wss q s PsF sss at
rs ratio to the total weight Of the gun were compusd
s. GSGS G o !. for % Gih. S M
the pr!gg.sShr.edsr 20 per cent drawing from
not be Obisinsd rom the Spon.s Company. but lie
hHs SfS from an'r
@ s T s n' sGs .en msi
tie greater she amount available for insreasing
Drsas sshiosdsfi Is superior to Il. Others ''''''
The Board, taking the whole test together.
Grsss S s bnss
Schroeder; third the SponseL 1t iprtRer de-
sered that the nee II fHyor q tue hoteh
both the others particularly in the interior.
enGG Of tf he 9pe5aiiUn g oHdins Win the
shoS 81 TR Be SAID SAID that Whs this was the de-
Commander Z. s sperry. Lieut. \. Z Mason.
and Prof. r Il AIgsF the remaining member
| Couden, placed. the briggs gun first and the
Hotchkiss second giving more weight to me
| points IN Wnlcn the former was DottoT. ne noleu
| It's greater hardness In use. as shown by
| more rapid loading and firing by a crew not ia
| milar with II. hut familiar with the Hotehkiss;
Its requiring only three men to work !; instead
| OF four. which Is important In crowded spaces;
| its greater ease of'woTking, which would allow
Its rapidity Of firing to be kept up a very long
| time; Its being easily kent on a target. be-
cause IT'S jar IN, moving the block Is scarcely
| apparent. while he considered that OF the
Hotchkiss marked and troublesome: its light
! ness Of the hreech. giving better distribution
OF the weight for safety In use; Its more direct
action and simpler mechanism; With fewer
greater durability to the Hotehkiss.
However. in the decision Of q majority q the
| Board. the Hotchkiss wins. though with no
great margin to spare; and our navy msy be
! systems at its disposal The Board points out
| that the Introduction OF different types OF rapid
| lire guns into the service has very grave disGd-
yantages; and nothing but marked superiority
| can Justify the Introduction OF a new yne
| when Others OF the same class are already In
! service. The interchAngeability OF parts al
| lows repairs even when several guns happen
| to be disabled.
Freaeh-FearA.
| Nov o2-Miaa Mary Walker