The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-04

hydraulic machinery for their turre,s
and guns. and are steered by steam.
| The Terror. indeed. Is the only vessel
| in all the navies OF The world. IN which
pneumatic power 10 thus applied. and
] is therefore a praciical experiment
whose success may lad 10 far wider
use fthe pneumatic principle
The use OF compressed air has sew
eral advantages over steam or hydaunc
! power. All pipes are liable 10 leak,
and a leak in a steam or water pipe. in
a turrer crowded with guns and mach
ine--y in action. is inconvenient. II not
dangerous. and requires both time and
patience 10 repair It. when neither Ia
likely 10 be available. In an air tube.
on the contrary. a leak causes no IN
convenience-Sincet the watt OF air from
IL would ge rather agreeable 10 the men
at the guns than othsrwise-and. a sur
plus OF supply air. requires no .mme-
date repair. Again steam and water
system require exhaust pipes. whereas
IN the pneumatic system the exhaust is
turned either into the turret or the opsa
air. as desired.
The Terror has two engines for COM
pressing the air. one situated IN the
hold near the forward turre;, and the
other on the berth deck near the after
turret. Either OF these, singly. can
supply sufficient air. at a pressure OF
10 feet per square inch 10 operate
both turrets. including the guns-a to-
tai weight of nearly 500 tons. The COM
p-eSsor takes its supply OF air from
the chamber in which the engine standa
and COMPRISES II in two cylinders. send
ing it also through two condsnsing
wi - Id -.
lat5lg sea water. II Is then carried by
pipes and two engines. of two cylinders
each, situated on each turret floor. pre-
cisely like steam engines. about fourteen
inch stroke and eight inches diameter OF
cylinder. These devesO2 about forty
horse power each, and are con trolled by
lever in the sighting hood. OF the tur-
ret, over and between the guns. where
are also situated the elevating levers.
The movement Of both turret and guns
is thus controlled by the officer who
sights and fires the latter.
Beneath the turret chamber proper.
where the guns are mounted. - the
toading chamber. with the magazine on
It's starboard. and the sheli-roon on its
port side. The shell. which weighs 500
pounds and a cartridge, in two parts.
containing 240 pounds OF powder. are
run out into the loading room by a sin
gle overhead trolley. and dropped into a
LIT which - swung around until the
sACf IS opposite a loading car. into the
lower compartment OF which II is slid,
partly by its own weight. while the car
fridge Is placed in the upper division.
The car is the hoIsted TO the breech OF
the gun. by means of another pneumatic
cylinder. placed upright between the
guns. The car stops, automatically.
when the shed is opposite the breech
chamber. and the hammer telescope in
form, and also operated by compressed
air) pushes the shell TO It's seat and the
follows. Usually, in these
heavy guns. a loading-tray 10 placed In
the breech to facilitate the entrance OF
shell and cartridges; but in the Terror
the loading-car. as IL ascends. throws
the tray automatically into position
and when the loading is finished the
tray is thrown out again. and the breech
flock thrust into place by the pneuma-
tic rammer. thus leaving the gun in
complete readiness to be fired. So Thor
ough and perfect are all these automatic
that the guns in either
turret can be loaded Independently.
and in any position Of train or elevation.
All parts of the gun carriage and tur-
rets move together. except one-that
being the fixed central column through |
which the air pipes and communication |
pipes pass into the tUrer and UP To the !
signtng hood.
To elevate and depress the guns there !
s on either side OF the turret a cylinder. |
containing glycernie and water. which |
s forced by compressed air snto the |
-levating ram under the breech % the /
run. This Is regulated by double valves I
and Is controlled. also. by the officer 4
who sights the guns. The guns are fir /
d either Independently or together. by 1
means Of an electric push-button. The I
rev for the two guns OF a turrst COM
,rises ten men. THIS IL somewhat OF a
.hange fror, the time OF the civil war.
when twenty-five men were required 10
work a single hevy gun.
The recoIl OF the guns II controlled by
wo pneumatic cylinders. forty inches IN
ength and fourteen in diameter. Be
ore firing these cylinders have a pres
ure. on the recoil side Of the piston.
Il sbout 500 pounds per square inch.
Which Is drawn from a special plunger
.ttaohed TO the COMPRISING engine.
NE reool cylinders are secured 20 the
-uu carriage and the pfstons TO the
-In. When he gun - fired the pressure
pom the recoil side Of the piston Is rap
5iy increased by compression. A ia
cred rod. passing through the center Of
he piston, permits the air 10 pses more
nd more freely 10 me counter SIDE.
hus equahz.ng the pressure az the cid
Z the recoil. BY tfas simple arrange
lent. the rscoil of the guns Is limited 70
bout forty-four inches. ~ the end OF
he recol the pressure upon the recoIl
de ot the piston operates upon a
reater area. and Immediately returns
he gun 10 is pace. The reoo.i and
are b-ot1 without shock,
az air cushion preventing any sudden
topping % either.
The snip n aseo s-eered By compress
ar. the steering room being absr-
Re cabin. The shaft which Operates -
1eumaric valve has three clutches up
q = besides the steering wheel. by
leans OF which the control % the r7zd-
ct may be transferred 20 ether tuTT-ef
: 20 the pilot-bouse. The Tsrror - Aiso
ted with an electric motor q Ave
orse p0~e-. and with hzE3-Thee;s. 80 !
lat she can be steered either By ei~c-
-.caTy or by IN ehaod. u he ezsary. IN
ritual size sae - about one-hzff -
.rge az th@ Indiara class % battle
1ips. but n proporrion y f2r more pow
-fui. She sss a dLs2iSoe-asat q 400
~. and - go feet loaz aEd - S>et
IAN she draws IS FEET % zater. sn.a.
stu 70 tons Of Ammunition on hoard.
"a her bSsnkers full o. cozI. her tree
1ard = o1;J = inc.es CT 80. II an or
nay SEA. eas-eSore her deck - more
tezs svzsh. ard th.s rSrd~rs her ,,
-c1Ez-sy elusive target 90 tie Enemy
~ sped II 2boss. Ten kno>s which .
1sole for tie yarpo~es for ShSa ste
intended.
WIZ tse ner s-aokeiers poT4sr. her
II ter tr,r~ rl1r.s VII gTv~ ezuca % 1