Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-11-11

quest1on, No ooes not agree with very
many authorities on all the points to
consider in the life Of a cannon. He con-
tends that furrowing OF scoring produced
BY the erosive action Of inflamed gases
is the great disease which attacks the
very big guns first. This particular in.
jury is most apparent where the current
of the gas is most rapid or at the int.
rior orifice Of the vent and on the sur.
face of the bore, directly over the seat
Of tho projectile. This scoring begins
very carly In the life Of a very large
gun, but 1t is conceded that it does not
become very important until the piece
has been discharged considerably. Lieu
tenant Farrow describes this scoring as
resembling the bark of an aged elm tree,
the metal being eaten away into irregu.
lar burrows and ridges. In extreme
cases, however, scoring has not killed
the gun, although in some cases it has
acted like a wedge and split the bore at
the place attacked.
Where the action Of tho projeotile has
ruined the gun the damage has been
done around the projectile and in front
Of 1t. The elasticity of the metal and
the providing up of portions Of 1t in
front Of tho shot cause a rebounding
process. The projeotile, carried forward
by the force Of the charge, strikes
against the upper part of the bore; then
1t Is sent against the bottom and again
bounds to the top, and 90 on until it
emerges from the piece. The effect of
this bounding motion is to raise and do.
press the gun in its trunnion holes. The
accuracy Of fire is diminished, and, Of
course, the gun ia unfit for service.
Bronze guns are tho worst sufferers In
this way. Mortars-short and dummy
are not affected.
To stop the bounding Of the p~rojectile
gunners wrap the shell in cloth or pa.
per or else shift the base Of the mass
to be hurled. This last process is CON-
sidered the best and is done by reduo.
Ing the diameter Of the cartridge and
adding to its length. Projectile injury
Is also caused by burrows or scratches
made by rough shells or case shot.
Small fragments, too, break away very
often from the shells and give the bore
q grinding and cutting process, produo.
tive Of great damage.
Enlargement Of the muzzle is another
serious injury produced by the projec.
tile. This is caused by a process which
seems unavoidable. As the she'll leaves
the piece it strikes against one portion
Of tho bore. The resistance at tho mouth
being less than at any other point, the
metal naturally yields, and the muzzle
Of the cannon is elongated in a vertical
direction.
Some men who ought to know say
that $50 shots is tho life Of a very big
gun-a 10 or IS inch weapon. Others
place the number Of shots at 400 or 500.
As a matter Of fact, it is all guesswork.
The great Krupp gun shown at the
Worlds fair and conceded to be perfect
supposed to be so-has been dis.
charged less than ten times, and it is
now believed to have reached its limit.
On the other hand, the big guns Of the
American battleships have passed the
time allotted them by wise men who
know guns and apparently are as good
as when tested. How soon they may
yield, however, is not in the books.
Lieutenant Farrow says that a very
large gun should not be expected to
ttand more than 400 or 500 shots before
II will be necessary to open a new vent,
closing the old one at it's interior orifce.
When tho gun dies-bursts-the lines
Of fracture are photographed. Speci-
mems Of the metal are saved. Tests are
made and conclusions drawn. And On
Gle Sam has figured out go many things
In this same connection that his guns
nowadays are conceded to be better than
those Of any other maker. They live
longer than the wise ones say they
should.-Chicago'T Times. Herald.