The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
ID USS.
Their Value In Coast Defence and tho Trial
of Various Patterns.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 2S.-ln the report of the
Fortifcations Board. made Jan. ID. 1885, it
WAS said that. in addition 10 the heavy ord
nance required, 'rap!d-fring guns would be OF
use agains the torpedo boats and the unar-
mored portions Of ships, and a certain number
should DO provided in the defence. Machine
guns fer thanking detences. for sweeping mine
fields. for repelling assaults upon the works,
and for other purposes, will be necessary"
In Secretary LamOnt's report IL IS stated that
Ito protect the mine fields and to prevent
| their destruction by counter mining or other
means. the project REQUIRES 3Ol rapid dire guns
able to give a good account Of small. lightly
a-mored vessels used for that purpose" Thus
this has become q very marked feature of the
defence.
During the past year tho Ordnance Board
tested several types of the l2-centimeter or
4. To-inch rapid-fire guns, all Of bui!t-up steel.
The Schneider. furnished by the Crescent works,
was of ifty calibres total length, weighing
7,16s pounds. with the weight OF the projec-
tile 4s.4 pounds. and of the charge 26la
pounds OF brown prismatic powder. or 1872
pounds of smokeless. The maximum recoil
was s.3 inches. The action OF tho breech
mechanism in manipulation and deliberate fir
ing was found to be satisfactory. The number
of parts was. however, thought rather too great,
tho extractor somewhat defective, and tho two
lovers for the breech-block possibly confusing.
A much greater objection was TO tho osition OF
the operator in closing the breech, as It was
thought that. In the excitement OF rapid FIR
ing, being close to the end of the extractor
guide, he might receive a fatal blow from The
latter during the recoil. But In velocity fno
results were obtained. namely, 1910 feet per
second. with a pressure OF 80, 900 per square
inch, and 1857 feet with $4,000 pounds. In
the test for excessive pressure 53,4s0 pounds
were obtained without accident.
The LanGt gun has a length OF forty cali.
bres and q weight Of 1880 pounds. and has a
proiectile of 1872 pounds and a charge of II
pounds of Is. n. smakeless powder. The prin-
cipal objection TO this gun IN It's mechanism
was, as with tho Schneider. In the position OF
gun while closing IL, The breech mechanism
was destroyed. during tho firing for rapidly
with ACCURACY, ny I" premature explosion. duo
Of 2.l3l feet was obtained With u pr, ssure OF
"a. 200 pounds, ahd afterw9rd, with cordite in
2,41O feet. with ~, 1000 pounds, on The charge
OF only x pounds / ounces.
The Hotrhki.s gun is of 40 calibres, Weighing
40 pounds. < charge OF ten pounds OF 4
n. powder, wiz q Hny-hyg pound projectile:
of 384 pounds. Before the tests were completed
an unfortunate accident occurred, and the gun
The Armstrong gun isof about II calibrcs
In length and 4,d76 pounds In weight. Win
a charge of only about o5a pounds o. coruitc
and q 46-pOund proiectilc, "A velocity OF .,9OI
feet vas obtained, with q pressure OF 5000
pounds Ter square inch, On the sixth round =
detective primer caused u blOwback, which
tic machinery useless, and required
the suspension oI the ties ing OF the sysLe n.
Tho Driggs-SchrOeder gun il Al cRlibrcs long
and weighs thirtS-hye. bounds. IT was sub
United 10 only n partial test, according TO the
report Of Gen. Flagler' which Is here i%9llowed,
OF its features seems tn be safety, ns IL Is MOI
10 the kind OF accident which disabled
the Panel gun. while no portion OF the body of
the man who works the block il at any
time during the iiTing required 10 he near he
rear of the gun. In the rapidity test twenty
five rounds wore fired in . minutes aud - see >
Dnds, the first twenty-One occupying exactly
minutes. The Board, as q result OF all the
mechanism has shown itself TO be simple, safe,
and efficient for that calibrs. and while Tie