Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-03-30
OUR GREATEST GUN.
Successful Test of the New Thirteen
Inch Ri f1e at Indian Head.

The new big thirteen-inch gun, the largest
ever made in the United States. was fired
twice at Indian Head proving grounds on
the Potomac. twenty-five miles from Wash
ington. in the presence of a company of dis
tinguished officials, including Vice-Presi-
dent Stevenson, with Secretury Herbert and
!. full representation of the bureau officers Of
the Navy Department, and members of the
Senate and House Committees on Naval Al
fairs.
1t had been arranged to first fire the star
performer of the day, and the visitors were
taken to examine it mounted and ready TO
receive its first charge. The gun itself
weighs sixty-fve tons, the brass saddle upon
which 1t rests ten tons, and the carriage
five tons, making mass of 100
tons. The first forging for Il thirteen
inch gun was made in 1890. 50 that the
weapon may be said to have been four years
in building. When Lieutenant Mason essayed
to start the hydraulic maoninery by which
the enormous gun is moved a water pipe
burst, and the test was delayed until tenn
porary repairs could be made.
In the meantime. the secondary expert
mcnt of the occasion was undertaken. That
was to determine whether a Harverlzed
nickel steel armor plate twelve inches thick
could be demolished by a tcn-inch cast
steel projectile. The first one fired was
what is known as the Johnson cast
steel shot. 1t weighed 500 pounds,
was propelled by the explosion of III
pounds OF powder, and struck the target
(about 300 feet from the guns muzzle( with
a velocity of 1900 feet a second About five
inches of the projectile was driven into the
plate, the remainder being broken into rag
ments. some of which rebounded 200 or
300 yards. The plate was cracked, to the
two edges nearest the point of impact, to an
apparent depth of about five inches, The
lcIo
piercing projectile of the same weight and
with the same charge as the Johnson shell. 1t
penetrated the plate to about the same
depth and was also completely shattered,
but the shock open 9d the cracks made by
the Johnson shot clear through the plate
loosening the portion of that shot which had
been imbedded in the mass and pretty
thoroughly demolishing it.
Then came the test of the thirteen-inch
gun A projectile weighing 100 pounds was
rammed into the monster, and 403 pounds of
hexagonal brown powder deposited in the
cavity behind it. The purpose of the test
was to determine at what velocity that
quantity Of powder would drive the mis-
sle out of the muzzle. This informa-
ton was secured by the use of an electrical
device known as the chronograpb. The pro
iectie was driven into a bank of earth
across the little valley in which the proving
ground proper is located, passing through
two frames or screens thirty metres ninety
eight feet apart. Across these screens were
five wires, which the shot severed as it
passed.
The difference in the time of breaking
these wires was shown by the chronOgraph
at the Office on the grounds. where Ensign
McCully watched the delicate instruments
and made the necessary calculations. The
shot was found to have been travelling when
it cut these wires at the rate of 1720 feet
second. For the second shot the charge Of
powder was increased 10 480 pounds, with
the result of increasing the velocity TO 1875
feet per second.
This completed the official programme of
the day, but in the interim an exhibition
was make of the smokeless powder with
which the naval officials are experimenting.
A four-inch rapid-fring gun was used, and
the projectile struck the water down the
river abouttwo miles, being clearly apparent
to all who watched il The results of both
gun and plate tests were satisfactory to the
officials.