The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-01

the study of the rocket and attempted to
Improve II. He substituted an iron case
for the paper one, thus making 1t possible
to use a more powerful composition lie
also employed a shorter and lighter SUCK
and removed one source of inaccuracy OF
flight by attaching 1t 70 the center OF the
base instead of the sides. Though all
these improvements tended to perfect the
rocket TO such an extent that ii was used
at the siege of Boulogne and the battle OF
Leipsic, it was never possible to use an eX-
plosive charge of more than twenty-five
pounds and the range was never greater
than 1900 yards
Rear Admiral Howell argued, however,
that accuracy and range would be ATTAINED
only when the rocket could be given the
same rotary motion that a powder gun
imparts to a steel projectile. To produce
this in an ordinary gun requires pressure
of fifteen or twenty tons per square men
a force so great that it would detonate any
mass OF high explosive at the instant OF
discharge The inventor, therefore, con-
ceiyed the novel idea or revolving both the
gun and its charge. The projectile, con-
sisting, in the 10-inch caliber, of 100 pounds
of gun cotton Is incased in thin metal
envelope, the rear end of which contains
rocket composition, and the head a per-
cussion fuse which is set in action by the
force of impact. This Is placed In the
gun. and when, by a mechanical contri-
vance, it has been spun up to $500 reVo-
lutions per minute, a friction cap ignltes
the rocket composition, and the banked up
pressure at the base starts the rocket, This
then. begins its fight with rotary motlon
corresponding to that of the gun. The
fact that this motion is due to neither the
resistance of the atmosphere against
vanes nor TO the escape Of a part of the
propelling gas from number OF vents,
gives It great range, velocity, and, above.
all. perfect accuracy-while the absence Of
any initial shock of discharge renders II
absolutely safe.
.erhe heaviest war rocket fred from the
new Howell gun will weigh 300 pounds, the
range will be about 5000 yards, and It's ac-
curacy almost equal to that of rifle pro-
iectile. The piece, though IL cannot De
called a high-angle-fre gun, nor one OF
pointblank range is between the mortar
and the rife. The new gun can be used
in both offensive and defensive operations,
ashore or a1oat
"FolIowEng is a technical description If
the new gun that may play such an i'm
nortant mart in the warfare of the future.
While the general system Is the same for
ALI services, the field type differs in de-
tails of construction and methods OF ro-
Eating from the larger gun used for forti-
feations and service ahoat. The field
niece consists Of cylindrical tube forming
the main body. which is separate from the
part containing the breech. The gun is
supported by steel framework. the rear
end of which carries the bresch portion.
and the front forms the forward half OF the
rnuzzle balI-bearings the other half con-
sistinR of a ring shrunk upon the tube
near the muZzle. Since the bore is per-
fectIy concentric with the breech cavity,
the gun can be loaded without absolutely
bringing the main tube to rest In this
type the gun is rotated by means of gear
and sprocket wheels-similar TO those on
the bicycle for multiplying speed and trans
hitting power. A small beYel gear which
surrounds the gun engages a larger one
mounted on the trunnions. This large
wheel carries on it's shaft a small sprocket
on to which IT is keyed. A sprocket chain
leads from this TO a large sprocket wheel
mounted on the trail. This latter wheel
may be revolved either by hand or foot
power, depending upon the size Of the
gun. The speed is so multiplied, through
this system OF sprocket-chain and gears,
that velocity Of twelve hundred revo-
lutions per minute is impaired to the gun.
lowing to there being practically no
pressure in the tube. there is no recoil,
and therefore the carriage remains In
position The elimination of the strain
due to recoil permits OF an extremely light
carriage, the weight of the 3.5-inch field
gun and carriage complete being under
four hundred pounds. The breech
mechanism is extremely simple, and Of the
Interrupted screw type. A copper gas
check IS provided which takes the place Of
the brass cartridge case I'm rapid-fre guns,
or The De Bange gas check in larger
pieces, which prevents the escape of gas
into the breech mechanism. The firing Of
the gun Is accomplished as follows: The
breech block is first opened, and the pro-
jectiIe inserted. 1t Is then closed and the
primer attached. The gun Is then spun