The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-09
OUR NEW COAST DEFENCE GUN.
The BumnEton-Crolier Disn ppearinR io.Inch
Gun ana Carriage Sent to sandy Hook.

Tho Bumn Disn ppeRrinE io.Inch
Gun ana Carriage Sent TO sandy Hook.
WASHINGTON, May S.-Thor was shipped from
the Watertown Arsenal to the Sandy Hook prov
Ing grounds the past week tho 12.inch Buff
ington.Crozler disappearing gun carriage, the
largest engine Of war OF the kind In tho world.
The making Of this coast defender was Of great
Importance to tho War Department, and 20 far
as possible the gun and carriage were tested Mt
the arsenal md they seemed to work to pcrfcc-
ton, but at Sandy Hook they will have n much
more thorough trial to ascertain exactly the
effect Of the rccoil. II the recotl operates when
discharged as the inventors believe II will. tho
weapon will be one of the most effective instru-
ments of warfare. II is not likely that tho Gov
eminent test at Sandy Hook will be made for
about two months.
about $37 900 and tho total cost of carriage and
emplacement In q fort will not exceed $4,000.
steel, is 81 feet long. and weighs fe7. $50 pounds.
In the thickest part II Is 46.4 inches in diamctcr.
1t viii throw .oo4r;pound steel proiectile nine
degrees. The charge Il 1913 pounds Of brown
prismatic powder. Tho muzzle velocity is 2 100
citrate 22.3 inches OF the best steel arinor.
The operation OF the gun IS ~automntic, and IN
the inycntion., When the gun is clevatcd"thSt
2. in battery"-and fired, the rcroil throws it
back and down. or ndcpresscs' 1t, behind tho
l'ht" W NAN ~ i'lO ~ - l'l'R w ~ ia VI
and ratchet and loaded. When tho ratchet is
released n CONFERENCE.-THE OF las. 900 pounds of
lead In a cage that weighs $4,000 pounds. sus.
pended between the checks OF the carriage.
swings tho gun into battery. Two cylinders,
through which pistons work In oil, on either side
of the carriage ense the recoil and let the gun
move without shock.
When the gun Is set up permanently in n fort
the emplacemcnt tbchind the parapet) will bo II
feet deep. Tho whole weapon moves on 81 steel
rollers: 10 inches in diameter and lS inches
long. that run on a base ring called the lower
roller path"
The ring Is 10 feet in diameter and is in two
parts, each weighing 10 tons. The upper roller
path =" is in two parts that weigh sia tons each.
The sides or cheeks" of the carriage are 81
feet long and IL feet high. and each weighs IL
tons. On these frames rests a superstructure
called the tor, carriage. which consists chiefly OF
the two cylinders through which the pistons trav-
el 55is feet in oil. The weight OF the whole top
carriage Is ten tons. The gun Is balanced ON
two immense levers. each II feet long and
weighing four tons. Whom the gun IL In bat
terry II is 10 feet from the bottom of the en-.
placement. On the rccoil it drops 72 feet, per
pendicularm measurement. The overriding OF tho
weapon over the pnrapct is II feet. When 1t is
out OF battery and loaded 1t is sighted or aimed
by means OF a graduated scale on the base ring
and other appliances. The carriage swings in a
complete circle. The field Of fire is 10 degrees.
which is a remarkably extensive area for a
weapon so large and powerful.