New-York tribune., 1897-07-04
THE TESTS SUCCESSFUL.
TRIAL OF THE TWELvE-INCH FIFTY
TWO-TON GUN AT SANDY HOOK. q,

DER BEING USED. 1T SENDS
I.oOO-POUND PROJECTILE sIX
AND oNE-HALF MILES
IN EIGHTEEN
SECONDS.
The tests Of the 12-inch gun. mounted on the
Crozier- Burlington disappearing carriage, took
place at the Sandy Hook Proving Grounds yes
terday afternoon in the presence OF large num-
ber of prominent officers of the Ordnance and
Engineer Corps. The idea Of mounting so
heavy a gun upon this carriage at first
considered impracticabe, but recent attempts
resulted in success, and for the last two weeks
the gun has been awaiting a trial. The car
riage was built at the Watertown Arsenal, OF
which Major Reilly is In charge
General Alger Secretary of War, arrived in
this city on Friday, and proceeded to Sandy
Hook. where he spent the night With him were
General ]. l.. Wilson, Chief of Engineers; Cap
tain Carter, OF the same corps; General Flagler,
the Chief Of Ordnance, and V. L. Mason. Cen
eral Alger's private secretary. General Alger
invited large number of guests to witness the
tests Those who came from Detroit In the
Secretary's private car which reached Jersey
City at Z O'Clock yesterday morning. were NJ ;.
Smith General Alger's business partner; Colo
mel H. NJ Duffied Colonel F. J. Hecker
Major G. II. Hopkins, Thomas S. McGraw
c. F. Freer C. b. Hull and George h.
Russell The Burgess built boat Meigs OF the
Quartermaster's Department, left Pier No g.
East River for Sandy Hook at 93O o'clock yes
terday morning, having on board the guests
They included Secretary Cornelius n. Bliss and
his son; General Ruggles. Adjutant-General OF
the Army; General Whittier Colonel Amos 5.
Kimball Colonel Gillespie. Chief of Engineers
in charge of harbor improvement; B. F. Par
sons J. A. Marsh. Edgar f. Wells, OF New
York: CAPTAIN Ayres and Major Phipps, OF the
Ordnance Board; George NJ. Pullman, e. j.
Mavr his private secretary; Lieutenant Nc
Kenna son Of the Attorney -General Major
Reilly. commandant Of the Watertown Arsenal;
Edward Cooper and George Westinghouse
From Governors Island were General Merritt
Lieutenant Hale, his aid; General Ludington'
Colonel Barr, Colonel Corbin and Colonel
Rogers
When the Meigs, carrying the Secretary Of
Wars flag, white eagle a red ground,
reached the pier at Sandy Hook, Captain Frank
Heath Of the Ordnance Board. in charge Of the
proving ground. met the party and escorted the
visitors to the testing ground, where Secretary
Ager and his party were awaiting them.
THICK FOG IN THE WAY.
At this time the fog was too thick to permit
firing out to sea. and instead 12-inch mortar
shell was fired at 4la-inch steel plate. The
shot struck the plate fairly. breaking it into
many pieces and hurng them high into the air.
| The shot was later dug out Of the embankment
and found to be without scratch After Cap
| tain Stuart had exhibited some specimens Of
| smokeless powder, the party was escorted by
| Captain Heath, Captain Crozer Captain Stuart
and Lieutenants Jameson, Montgomery and
| McGregor TO the Brick House, where a luncheon
was served.
After luncheon the fog lifted. and the party
returned to the proving ground Secretary Alger
was much interested in the 3.2-inch gum because
General Flagler told him that with it one could
hit a man a mile away. Five shots were fired
at q mile range with prOjecte weighing l6la
pounds and charge Of one pound Of smokeless
powder. Secretary Alger told Lieutenant Mont
gomery who was in command of this work, that
II the lieutenant could place four out of the
five shots within radius Of two feet the Sec
retary would have the target framed and hung
in the War Department. The result of the
firing was not known when the party left the
grounds
The visitors next proceeded to the 10-inch gun
mounted a CroZier- Burlington disappearing
carriage. Captain Heath gave a short descrlp-
tion Of the mechanism. Secretary Alger spoke Of
Captain Crozers disinterestedness in having
placed his invention at his countrys disposal.
| and Captain Crozier gave further brief and
concise description of the carriage. Just he
stepped forward General Wilson said "As mod
est In his personal character eminent in his
professional abilities" The remark re-
ceved with hearty applause.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CARRIAGE.
The carriage has in front a counterweight
which, when released from its position, sinks.
and acting upon levers connected with the gun.
raises it to a height of feet above its carriage
In the case of the 10-inch gun. and to height
of 8 feet in the case of the 12-inch gun. The re-
coil Of firing places the gun in its original posi-
! tion its muzze covered by the parapef and
sloping downward toward the breech at an angle
of seven degrees. .
The 1O-inch gun was first fired with the fun
charge Of go pounds of powder and projectle
Weighing 51J pounds. Next came the tests WIN
pounds of powder and pro)cctle OF - a'oV9 oJ9
pounds The weight Of the gun Is llOoOO
pounds and Of the carriage 3ooOoO-a total OF
| 4G6 600 pounds. In one minute ana Itty sec
| onds the gun in charge Of Lieutenant Jameson
was loaded and ready for firing. The discharge
was terrific in force. and great cloud OF yeilow
smoke rose up ana D!cW paSN to""'" tiio f"i y
| Eighteen seconds later there arose. SIX and a
| half miles out at sea- q column OF water which
! spouted seventy five feet into the air 1t could
/ have given heart disease to the boldest mariner.
! had there been one rear by. Three shots IN all
! were Nred with this gun. The carriage proved
to be in every way successful and Captain
! Crozier received most hearty CONCENTRATIONS
| from all the members or me party; me , YES. . .
! ~ ranid firing we're made impossible. owing to
the wind. which blew the smoke back into the
gunners faces.
1.so SHOTS MINUTE.
An exhibition OF the improved ten-barrei '3o-
callbre Calling gun was next given Th's gun
can discharge 200 shots a minute and with an
electrical attachment 1.S0O shots minute can
| be fired