Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-03-04

OF ships and guns of modern warfare,
the old boys who fought on either side,
from 1861 to 1865, can form but little
conception. Then the highest type of
shell-ShoOting guns were what were
known as the mortar, which would
shoot a cast iron ball two or three
miles; this ball bursting in the air, the
iron might accidently do some harm
The highest grade of cannon, known at
that time, shot with its heaviest charge,
would have no more effect on one of
our modern war ships than would the
bite of a mosquito on the hide of an ele-
phant. The little brass cannons used
as field pieces, would be as impOtent for
effective warfare, compared with the
present guns, as they themselves were
superior to the ordinary boys pop gun.
To illustrate this difference, suppose
we consider one of the largest guns now
authorized for the naval service. This
gun shoots ball or shell 13 inches in
diameter, the calibre is 80 feet in length
the length of entire gun 40 feet. Such a
gun weighs 603 tons, and is 40 inches in
diameter at its largest part, it has 81
rifle grooves; the powder chamber is Is
J inches IN diameter, and over S6 inches
long. The thickness of the walls over
L
gun is built of II pieces, the tube, the
JACKET and u hoops. It's cost at present
is SOS, ,105, 90. It shoots a qharge of
powder of $50 lbs. and fires proiectile
weighing 100 lbs, its range is II miles,
with nuzzle velocity of 2l00 feet per
second; its strength or muZzle energy is
33,621 tons, with the power to penetrate
265 inches of steel at It's muZZle, or 2455
inches at l 900 yards, or 213 inches at
distance Of 25O0 Yards. The cost of
firing such gun with armor piercing
projectiles is $l3S for the powder, and
$500 for the shot. This gun is fitted in
what is termed a carriage which costs
$50. The 18th gun made by this
government of this character was at an
actual cost of $63, $50 %, its carriage cost
ing SIS, $50 l6, and the cost Of firing that
gun was S6S3. These armor piercing
shells are among the wonders of the
present age of high grade mechanism.
Your correspondent was shown one ID.
shell which bad been shot through %
inches of solid steel, and the point Of
the little bullet remaining almost as
sharp as a needle, the only evidence
that it had been shot being a few
scratches on its outside. The larger
shells (all being manufactured alike)
Sti 1iOU 1Oi IL VI OEtcO Slo ilIctll SlppOSC,
but are built up from their inmost
foundation with the most careful weld
ing, hammering and tempering, until
brought to a finish at the point This
point is almost as sharp as a needle.
This shell for about one-thlrd of its way
is made of this high grade tempered
steel, the remainder of it being bored
out on the inside, and in this cavity is
placed the charge of powder or high
grade combustible, which is immedi-
ateiy ruptured when coming into
contact with the enemy's ship or hard
substance; the moment the shell enters
the ship, that instant the proiectile
bursts and scatters death and destruc-
ton in Its wake. In loading this gun
the charge is brought from the bottom
of the ship in an ammunition carriage
which is hoisted by machinery First,
the she'll is inserted in the breech,
placed in the chamber of the gun, i'm
mediately bevond the powder chamber,
the charge of powder Is then put in.
The old boys know but little of pow
der as they used to see in the days of
their youth The powder used to-day
in these guns, is 10 grains to pound;
each gram with a whole through it so
that when one grain is ignited, every
one in the entire five hundred pounds
is ignited at the same time, making
combustion instantaneous and complete.