The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-02
POWER OF SOME BIG GUNS
SEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS OF MET
AZ At ONE DISCHARGE.
Machine Gums Deadly work-Tho Thlr-
teen-Tnch Rifle Can Throw Shot Weigh
ing Eleven Hundred Pounds.

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The biggest gun carried on any of
the battleships is a thirteen-inch
breech-loading rifle. The battleships
Indiana and Massachusetts each carry
four of these guns. They also carry
eight eight-inch and four six-inch
gns. These form their main battery.
In their secondary battery they carry
twenty six-pounders, six one-pounders
and six machine guns. If all these
guns were fired at once, projectiles
Weighing nearly seven thousand
pounds would be thrown from each of
the big battleships, and some Of these
shots could be sent about ten miles.
The muzzle energy of these guns
would be 2O2, 1876 tons, or, in plain Ian
guage, the force with which the pro-
jectiles would leave the muzzles of the
guns would be equal to the impact of
202,4S6 tons dropped one foot. These
are the fighting ships of the United
States navy, and an idea of their pow
er can be had when their guns are
studied little.
The Iowa is slightly inferior in arm
ament to the battleships just men
toned. She carries four twelve-inch
guns, eight eight Inch guns, and six
four-inch guns. In her secondary bat
terry are twenty six-pounders, four
one-pounders and six machine guns.
The Texas is smaller yet. She carries
two twelve-inch guns, six six-inch
guns, twelve six-pounders, six one
Founders and eight machine guns.
The batteries of the cruiser Brooklyn
consist of eight eight-inch guns,
twelve five-inch guns, twelve six
Founders, four one-pounders and six
machine gns. The New York has six
eight-inch guns, twelve four-inch
guns, twelve six-pounders, four one
ponders and six machine guns.
These guns throw projectile cylin-
droconoidal in form, which can be
thrown a mile for every inch of cali
Der, roughly speaking. On board ship,
however, the guns are never elevated
to get the maximum distance becase
the angle at which the gun would have
to be elevated would be such that the
L recoil might hammer the breech down
on to the deck and do considerable
damage. A thirteen-inch guns effec-
tiveness is about eight miles.
"a thirteen-inch gun weighs 135,500
pounds, or 605 tons. It's total length
Is forty feet, and its greatest diameter
& forty-nine inches. 1t takes $50 pounds
Of powder to discharge one of these
guns, and the projectile thrown weighs
1,100 pounds. The muzzle velocity is
equal to 2,100 feet second, and at g.
500 yards it is equal to 1906 feet sec
ond. The muzzle, energy is equal to
33,627 tons dropped on foot, and this
shot will perforate 1856 inches of steel
at the muzzle.
A twelve-inch gun weighs forty-five
tons and is 36.S feet in length. It's
greatest diameter is forty-fve inches.
It requires 425 pounds of powder to
send the 850-pound shot on it's journey.
This shot leaves the muzzle at a rate
equal to 2,100 feet a second, and its
n1uzzle energy is equal to 25,9S5 tons.
1t will penetrate 24.16 inches of steel
at the muzzle.
The ten-inch gun will throw a pro-
jectile weighing 500 pounds, and the
charge Of powder weighs 255 to 24C
pounds, The gun weighs 25.7 tons, is
274 feet in length, and it's greatest
diameter is forty inches. The muzzle
velocity is 1000 feet, the muzzle ener-
gy 1864 tons and the shot will pene-
trate 1875 inches of steel.
The largest gun carried on any OF
the armored cruisers is an eight-inch
This gun weighs thirteen tons, is
twenty-five feet in length, and its
greatest diameter is 2S.75 inches
This gun throws proiectile weighing
ESQ pounds and takes charge of 105
to lis pounds Of powder This gun or
b warship is effective at about five
miles. It's muzzle velocity is equal
to 1880 feet second, and the velocity
at 1000 yards is equal to 1.615 feet q
second. The muzzle energy is equa
to SOIL tons, and the proiectile will
perforate 1910 inches of steel.
Al six-inch gun weighs 4.8 tons, an6
is 1873 feet in length. It's greatest di-
ameter is 21.5 inches. This instrument
Of destruction will throw projectile
Weighing 100 pounds, and requires fif-
ty pounds of powder for the charge
It's initial velocity is equal to 1000 feel
second, and it's muzzle energy Is
2,773 tons. This 10O-pound shot would
perforate 1927 inches of steel placed al
the muzzle Of the gun.
Four and five-inch guns are divided
into two classes, breech loading rifles
and rapid-fire gnus. The rapid-fire
guns can throw twelve projectiles 6
minute with deadly accuracy. The
four-inch rapid-fire gun weighs 3,40t
pounds, is 1877 feet long, and it's great
est diameter is thirteen inches. The
projectile weighs thirty-three pounds
and it requires twelve to fourteen
pounds of powder to discharge it. Its
initial velocity is equal to 1000 feet g
second, and it's muzzle energy is GIL
tons. This projectile will perforatt
7.18 inches of steel at the muzzle of the
gun The five-inch gun weighs 7,00i
pounds, is ia feet in length, and its
greatest diameter is. 1875 inches. Il
throws a projectile weighing fifty
pounds, and requires twenty eight tt
thirty pounds of powder to discharge
1t. This projectile would perforatt
nine inches of steel at the muzzle OF
the gun. Its muzzle velocity is equa
to 2250 feet a second and it's muzZlt