Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-03-18
OUR GUN SHOP.

scattered IN every QireCtlOn ana are
wonderful engines Of destruction.
OUR GUN SHOP.
The Gun Shop Of the Washington
Navy Yard as compared with that of
other national gun factories, is said to
be the most complete in the world,
which we presume is accounted for, be-
cause Of its recent construction and
adoption of only the most approved
methods and inventions.
The guns manufactured are the finest
guns in the world and are so acknoWl-
edged by international experts.
The fighting equipment of the battle
ships is " hat is termed the main batter
les, secondary batteries, and machine
guns. For instance, take the battleship
Massachusetts. She has four 6-inch
guns, eight S-inch guns, four 13-inch
guns, four machine guns and four tor
pedo tubes.
The smaller guns, such as the 8, +, 5,
6-lnch guns, are what are known as the
rapid firing guns. These guns use
fixed ammunition, that is, ammunition
where the bullet and the powder are to-
gether in one cartridge; and they can
be fired at about the rate of 20 times
per minute. These small guns, as re-
marked in our last letter, are manufac-
tured ldentically as are the larger ones,
and their fire is just as effective in ac-
COrdanCe with their size. In combat
with an unarmOred cruiser if 6-inCh
gun were used throwing 20 shell and
shot every minute, the ship would be de-
strOyed as quickly and it would vOlun-
tarily sink as quick as if the bottom
were knocked out.
In future letters we will describe the
construction of some of our large ships,
but the present letter will be confined
to the description Of our guns. Thus
far there are but two gun steel factories,
from which to obtain steel in this cOun-
try. These are at the Bethlehem Iron
Company near Bethlehem, Pa, and the
Midvale Steel Works, near Philadel-
phia. The former has furnished the
greater quantity and all the forging for
the heaviest guns, and make use of the
Whitmith process of fluid compression
and hydraulic pressure while the latter
concern does all of its work by forging
with heavy steel hammers.
The Government requirements for
gun steel after fluid compression, is,
that it shall show for the main tube of
the gun tensile strength of 10000 to
$4,000 pounds per square inch; the
jackets, $4,000, and the hoops, 10000 to
100000 pounds
The steel for gunmaking is procured
by contract. Its cost, as delivered, that
is i'll an Oil-tempered and annealed con-
ditiOn, and single bored, and turned to
within about II OF an inch Of its di-
mansions, average 26 cents per pound.
The orders are paid for at their COM
puted weights, so that if too large, the
90 fro n np FL e
metal Notwithstanding this restric-
ton, the loss of metal is very great
For example: the rough forging for a 13
inch gun, weighs about "A 2-10 tons; the
finished gun wei CHS about 80 ID tons;
the loss due to the making, is Is 40
tons, which al 26 cents per pound,
equals IN value 81 ,S7S.8S; but after sell
ing the scrap, there is $4,000 of that
amount saved When forgngs are
first received from the contractors, thov
are carefully examined, measured, and
weighed to see that they are free from
every defect, of proper size, and
stamped by the General Inspector at
the place of manufacture.
An event of much local interest in
connection with the Navy this week was
the arrival at Washington, of the tor
pedo boat No 6, which was named after
reaching this port, by the Secretary of
the Navy, the Steamship Farragut.
The boat is a fair type of the 20 tor
pedO boats that ale now in commission
or in course Of construction. Its length
is $50 #, its width II #, and when
loaded with its supply of coal, it draws
about S # of water. 1t has coal carry
ing capacity for voyage of 5000 miles.
In trip down the Potomac River this
week 1t ran 81 miles an hour. 1t is sup
piled with three smokestacks, three
boilers, two screw prOpellers, and its
power measures about 5000 horse The
boat when loaded for action. stands
about Z feet above the water line. It's
armament is two torpedo guns, and
three rapid firing gatling guns. The
practical benefit of a torpedo boat, is to
slip out in the night or at other times,
make rush for the enemy's big ship,
discharge its torpedo, and rapidly re-
treat. Being but II # in width, the
danger of being hit by the enemy's gun
is much less than If itwere broader, and
| having the extraordinary capacity Of
sailing 81 miles an hour, it can soon be
out of range. The torpedo used upon
this boat is wonderful piece of meChan-
ism. 1t is about 20 # long; and about
- inches in diameter at its tbickest part.
The nose, so to speak, of the torpedo, is
a percussion or explosive cap, which
| when 1t comes in contact with any hard
substance, Immediately explodes: In
| this part of the torpedo is stored some
90 lbs. of gun cotton or other highest
explosives known. The next chamber
Of the torpedo, on its inside, has the
power which propels the torpedo after
being shot from the gun. In this cham
Der is stored 80 lbs. weight of COM
pressed air. Next comes the engine
room in the torpedo, which with its
machinery, carries the propelling power
of the compressed air back to the rear
machinery of the torpedo, and causes
the propellers of the torpedo to propel
1t Oh its way to the ship which Is to be
attacked. The torpedo gun throws the
! torpedo about so yds. into the water,
and automatically as soon as the torpedo
strikes the water, its inside machinery
commences to act on the machinery of
the torpedo from its force within, and
goes with great rapIditv and great accu-
racy for a mile and half They are be-
lleved to be effective engines of des-