The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-28

How They Might ne Fit,sd Us vita HEAVY
Dtsnppeartng Gus carriages.

Disnppearing cas- Carriages.
w~AsHtYoroS. Oct. 20.-The suggestion has
been made that II the new disappearing car
riages should prove TO be ne efficient as they
promise. and are not too costly, the old single
turret monitors should be supplied with them.
There are thirteen Of these craft, most Of them
laid up in ordinary. They are the Ajax, Canon
icus. Manhattan. Mahopac, and Wyandotte, Of
2.1OO tons displacement each, and the Comanche,
CatskIll. Jason. Lehigh. Montauk, Nahsnt, Nan
tucket, and Passaic, of ,s75 tons each.
II Is said that the turrets might be taken out,
and in place Of them and their smooth-bores
could be put s-inch high-power rifles, mounted
on disappearing carriages. In that case all that
would be presented as a target to an enemy, ex-
cept at the moment of firing. would be the low
side Of the vessel. Or. in place oftwo s-inch rifles,
a single 10-inch rife might be thus mounted.
and OF course 1t would be incomparably more
effective than the present pair Of smooth
bores in each turret. Both the navy and
the army have paid much attention TO
disappearing gun carriages. which are undoubt-
eddy the appliances OF the near future. and they
have the advantage that the armor which pro-
tects the ship protects also the gun. II Ia true
that there is a moment at each firing when the
gun Is exposed, and might be ruined; and ifthat
gun were the only one on the ship, and hap
pened to be disabled. the vessel would be out OF
the fight. But guns are often kept much longer
under FIRE, as when mounted In barbettes, and
even in turrets the chase Of the gun is exposed.
Besides, the time when the gun needs TO be above
the deck Is greatly reduced by the fact that not
only all the operations of loading arc done be-
low, but even the training and sighting can be
done there by mirrors, SO that only during the
actual firing Is the gun above deck. The mo-
ment IL IS discharged It recoils below the deck.
returning to battery. and an automatic cover
aliIps Out and further prDtpctS 10.
should such y disappearing carriage be adopt
cd, 1t would be better that II should take as light
n form rs is practicable. since weight, which Is
Of no consequence in forts. il n serious factor on
shipboard. Should the little monitors carry
such guns, they would be formidable in agrees
sive power. besides being difficult targets to hit,
with their low freeboard. Again. they could go
could not be attacked by the heaviest ironclads
Or by cruisers mounting heavier guns than their
ways carefully looked after, and, while they are
undoubtedly slow, yet they have all the speed
necessary for coast and harbor defence, which
But upon the whole It. Is doubtful whether
this would be the wisest naval use. for
better. apparently. to build new and not very
costly floating batteries, expressly designed for
carry only five inches OF armor on their sides,
and not steel at that. but only iron plates:
protection given by their decks. and by the low
freeboard, u is a matter for discussion whether
very Ss wy valuable u new Fms and carriages ought !, to
proposed to remove, are really the most heavily
armored parts of the vessels, carrying eleven
inches. of laminated iron. Their cylindrical
shape Ii in their favor, by tending to make hos
tile shot glance. 1t would seem less worth
while. accordingly, to take out these turrcts and
the smooth-bUrc guns than TO. construct other
monitors, or, rather, floating batteries. which
would offer far more resistance and to mount
on them the disappearing gun carriages.
One plan OF q floating battery, presented some
the distinguished and skilful naval constructor,
was for n vessel $50 feet long, A. feet beam. and
IL feet %draught, with only > feet Of freebOard,
and with a displacement OF $50 tons. On this
displacement, less than that OF our smallest
monitors, he provided FOR IA battery OF four
around belt OF 5-inch nickel-steel armor. besides
n heavy protective steel deck. The disappearing
gun carriage used was 10 be that OF the Pneu-
matte Gun Carriage Company, working by COM
pressed air, and thus avoiding the heavy
weights OF the counterpoise system. There is
very promising about such IA craft.
with its light draught and union of aggressive
and defensive strength on 80 small a dtsplace-
mcnt. IL would be- easy also, by increasing this
last. TO give a greater degree OF resistance TO
hostile shot.
Apart from the disappearing system, the war
time monitors might be fitted up with more
guns in their existing turrets, or, IL 1t Is
desired to give them longer rifles, new turrets
could be furnished. The theory of using them
would be that Of placing them where they would
and TO these they could offer a good resistance.
So long as Congress was willing TO go on with
new vessels 1t perhaps seemed hardly worth
while to divert much interest or energy to
work of new construction has greatly slackened
there Is perhaps more reason for taking them
Up, although some experts think that the adage
Of putting new wine in old bottles applies.