Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-31
VESUVlUS AND HER GUNS.
Her Former Commanders Essay on the
Vessel and Her Battery.
CNew York HernldD

tNcW YORK llerlld.)
THE United States STEAMER Vesuvius.
with Special Reference to Her Pneumatic
Battery" is the title Of the prize essay
for 1891 BY Lieutenant Commander Sea-
ton Schroeder. published in the last quar-
tcrly Of the Naval institute.
The article is specially interesting at
time when doubts have been abundantly
cast on the efficiency Of the pneumatic
gun, ana it is gratifying t. know that
such an eminent authority as Lieutenant
Commander Schroeder still has faith In
the tremendous possibilities Of the device
in naval warfare.
or the Nesuyius. her late commander
frankly admits that she was designed
simply to carry the guns and to satisfy
the popular and somewhat erratic cry for
great speed, and that the latter object
was attained at the sacrifice OF oth +
features" and adds: at may BE- bluntiy
stated that had she ben designed tor
less speed she would be- a much more
efficient and formidable vessel"
HINTS FOR \ NEW NESUVIUS.
II the proposed sister to the Vesuvlus
is ever built ne suggests that she should
have one gun aft, and thinks that the
plan OF laying one OF the bow-guns hort
zontal. 50 as 70 give "A Hat trajectory and
insure "A hit within the proportiOnateIy
shortened range. Is worthy Of considera-
ton, although II is open 70 some objec-
tons. such as exposing the entire gun
abd crew TO the entmys fire. The ny
draulic pump for opening and closing the
breech. revolving ammunition-racks and
operating the hammer, should be re-
placed by manual gear or electric mo-
ftbfiUW-fnkNeF should no a
least three inches thick. and the proper
tomato OF beam TO length should be in
creased for the purpose OF increasing the
turning power, stea1iness OF gun-pat-
form. and length OF blse-llne for the
ro.L ge-fnier. Finally. she should have
q rev strengthened for ramnhng, at least
one inch Of inclined armor over the ma
chnery and lOating-rOoms and carry
battery OF as May One-pounders as can
be located.
Whether the maximum effici .ncy OF the
pneumatic gun can be attained in YES
sci Of the size OF the VesuviUs IL quei-
ton that I.ieute nant-Commander Schroe-
der declines TO answer of-hand, but he
is satisfied that In heavy ironcleds IL VIII
be subordinsted to the high-power breech-
loading rife.
WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE GUN
III Oh the Sum
author protests against the expression
"aeriel torpedo protector and insists that
the weapon Is to all intsnts gun.
ard should be so described. Speaking OF
the grave disadvantage of a low velocity,
which, with the accompanying curved ira
jectory, limits the employment Of the air
gun TO cases where the range can De
ascert1ined; he says: "A moderate error
Is counterbalanced to a certain extent by
the fact that the size OF the effective
target Is much greater than with any
other weapon. The torpedo strikes under
water; the armor-piercing shell attacks
the armored portion of the hull above
water; but with the shell from the pneu-
matte gun any hit counts. IL IL were
mast or smokestack the defamation OF 20
pounds OF high explosive, even nifty feet
up In the air, would leave very little
fight in the neighborlng part of the snip;
II IL fell short by twenty or thirty yards,
IL would be still more effective. because.
fitted with q deiay-action fuse. II would
detonate In contact with or close under
thA hattnn- 50 that II the hrs - Lass