The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-15
PONDER ron CANNON.

FOUDEH run tdNNON.
The Search for = suitable Compourd. to ne
Used In ue,vv Otdpnnc. and Fieid Gur-.
WASHINGTON. Feb. At is rather singular
that while "ommendahle progress has been
made In tho manufacture Of some sorts OF
powder for military purposes. in brown pow
ders for heavy guns the results have been less
satisfactory The difficulty seems to be that
when good powder has heon obtained It is
not reproduced Gen. Flagler noted in his
annual report that when a large number Of
lots OF powder had been manuiactu red for the
12-inch rifle. and tho nth lot came up to the
ballistic requirements. no subsequent lot
reached oven n close approximation to 1t until
the eighteenth had been delivered. IL was
further noteworthy that the very lot before
this last gave the enormous chamber pressure
OF about 10000 pounds per square inch. with
charge OF only $50 pounds. although the nor
NAL charge was 40 pounds. Somewhat SINH
lar results had occurred with powder m ade for
the 1O-Inch rife In short. the effort to pro-
duce brown powders for the largest calibres
had not been successful
Turning TO smokeless powders for heavy
guns. 1t Is found that tests were made during
the year reported upon with the French b. NJ.
the German. tho United States navy, the Eng
lsh cordite, the Austrian Troisdorf and the
American Leonard.
The frings OF the French Il n. with the
Pinch rifle included two IN 1892 and two In
1893. The weight OF the projectile was !. 900
pounds and that OF the charge 204 pounds. On
July 10. 1892, a firing showed 1896 feet per
second OF muzzle velocity with 2D.400 pounds
per square inch OF chamber pressure. On the
following Dec the muzzle velocity had in
creased to 1857 feet per second and tho
chamber pressure to $4,000 pounds the pow
der having been stored since Aug. 3 In barrels.
On July %. 1893. charge OF 1877 pounds thus
stored. which had shrunk from 200 pounds.
yielded 122 feet OF mt zzle velocity and 1000
pounds OF chamber pressure But fortnight
later q 2O4-pound charge OF powder that had
been hermetically sealed since Aug. o. 1892.
yielded .S9d feet Of muzzlo velocity with only
2G.tOO hounds OF chamber pressure. thus cor
OF the year before. so far. therefore. as these
four single rounds are guide. this French b.
rifles. especially when aided by herme tical
sealing; 1t is to DO observed that there is no
For more than two yenrs there have been
trials OF the German s;nokeless powder in the
800: pound proisctIie. The first round. July
"a. 1891 gave 1000 feet Of muzzle velocity
July ri. isS2' two more rounds were fired. one
with powder Ordinarily stored In barrels and
the ether with met sealed
feet OF mu2ze velocity and $4,000 pounds OF
pre sS1 while the latter gave ,D.s fee, and
sealed po%dSr '5 g. 'f feet ns snd
% feet in muzzle velocity and not q pound OF
increased pressure from the original firing
a little over two years after the nrst firing.
a charge that had been stored in metallic
1888 feet OF muzzls velocity. but with gain
t. 81, 400 feet OF chamber pressure. On tho
shnWg N n II good adyantA0a eanaciallv az har
metical sealing is perfectly practicable In forts.
and win be made the rule in our service. And
Ordnance Department hesitates to affirm or
deny that this substance Injuries keeping quail
recent date. one marked advantage OF the
German powder is that tho cubical form OF its
C or is tn. regular service smokel.,s
powder in England for ranid-iire gnns. and it
has been used eXperimentally for heavy ord
English Government seams to have satisiac- |
tory evidence Of It's stability. Acoupe OF rounds
by our ordnance authorities, with a charge OF |
O.. pounds and 45-pound prolecte. yielded
powder pressure Of 81. 300 pounds O''' VIII" .
The rroishorf powder which has no nitro
Glycerine and Ia but slightly affected by heat, |
was tried in the 5-inch siege rifle. A round |
with = pounds 10 ounces yieldef 2'O4t feet OF
pressure but another round with Is bounds Il |
ounces and the same a7i pon1d prolectils with
printing, 10 have yielded 1890 pounds OF
cham her pressure.
But the most remarkable results are those |
obtained with the American Leonard powder
in tho 5-inch Brown segmental wire gun with |
Yielded set Of velocity and GGssS
pounds OF chamber pressure. A. charge Of |
pounds yielded 2.51i feet with 70 100 pounds; |
q charge of 81 pounds yielded 2.S74 feet and |
4,.'OO pounds. The leonard has also made a |
great record for itself as a ,rowder for mill
tary small arms. 1t Is believed TO contain
nitro Rlycerine, but IL provides good keeping
qualities. and these latter are TO DO tested
thoroughly. Tried in 32-inch field guns il
showed n superiority over the French r. n, the
United States navy. and the Troisdorf. IL may
be remarked that the sample OF navy powder
used did not appear well adapted TO a gun 81
OF il was thrown out unconsumed While sX-
with ths TTOsdOrt powders il
was found that short cartridge ~ large
diameter gave a much higher pressure than II
made up into a cartridge 81 sm >llsr diameter
extending the whole length Of the chamber.
one further point in this matter may he
noted. Whilo smok sless powders yield a much
higher velocity IL Is said that the high heat
they evolve. especially those that are chemi-
cally combined. fuses and cuITodes the metal
at the surface Of the bore, and perhaps alters
the molecular condition OF the steel. This
would shorten the life of the gun. Still. since
the advantages given hy a smok eless powder
are great the remedy suggested is that of re-
lining the gun when necessary with a thin
tube. This In Its turn would be "A trouble
some and costly operation, so that possibly a
compromise may he made In demanding less
bAllistic results for tho sake OF
producing less wear on the cannon.
TaxatiOa OF Gram.rsy Fark.