Cañon City record., 1898-07-14
WORKING BIG GUNS.
An Exciting Scene on a Great
Battleship.
How . Thirteen-ineh Cannon Throws
ProIectile weighing 1,iOO
Pounds-CIearipg for
Action.

II am told,' said Capt Higginson, OF
the battleship Massachusetts. now OF
the flying squadron, that the Indiana
put shell from her 13-ineh gun
through a target at 1000 yards and
then went through the same hole with
second shell. Pretty good work for
one of these fellows" and the muscular
little captain stroked the muzzle of one
u the four 13-inch guns that make up
the main battery of the big ship of the
line.
Don't get out a tape measure or foot
rule and measure of 13 inches and
wonder TO what portion of the gun that
refers, because it would avail you little;
but rather listen to the account OF the
stupendousness of this greatest engine
of destruction, OF modern days. a .13-
inch breech-loading rifle" as the big
gest gun used in the navy is technically
described. is a piece Of metal weighing
136. 900 pounds. few inches over 80
feet in length, and with powder space
l5.5 inches in diameter and sos inches
long.
The only reference to I3 inches is in
the diameter of the steel projectile fired
I his monstrous gun throws projectile
that weighs LOO pounds. and the
amount of powder consumed for each
shot so fired is $50 pounds. The explo-
sicn of this powder sends this weight
OF LOO pounds of metal from the muz-
zle at the speed OF 2,lO0 feet per sec
ond. and with an energy Of s3.62T tons
enough to send il through "a inches OF
steel at 1000 yards, and FL inches at n
mile distant; and while the mechanism
of this gun is complicated. and while
every part after every shot must be
cleaned. so complete is the discipline
aboard that 1t may be fred once every
three minutes. And there are four Of
these terrible engines.
II Is a bright. clear day. and the Mas
sachuetts has sighted an enemy's war
ship. The preliminary work of clearing
for action mas been accomplished; rail
ings. ladders and boats are down and
have been slowed away. and cvery-t hing
movable in the big ship fastened. Tn"
glass port lights have been replaced
with steel. the water-iight conpari-
meu;s closed. the electric plants for
lighting the ship, turning the turrets
started: the ammunition magazine
opened, and. lastly. the sick bed pre-
pared.
In the forward turret with the great
pair Of - inch rifles stands n crew Of
II men, six TO each gun. In the hood o.
the turret. just above the men, sits .
senior officer and a junior officer. Isl
lence," Is the first command, and grim
Is the half-naked men of tho gun crew
stand behind the guns. Cast loose and
provide" sharply rings the order, and
every man Is instantly working.
The gun captain and numbers two.
three aad four. who are the practicss
gunners. unshackle the great monster
from It's peace fastenings: oBe sees that
repair tools and cleaners are placed.
gets water and hose ready; another
opens the safety valves and exhansf
pipes, starts ihe smoke fan, and ships
the sight; and another provides drink
Jag water and Goes dozen other things.
But all IS done within space OF four
minutes, and again each man in his
place stands like statue Of bronze.
The ammunition has come up pre-
pared with fuses. and then come the or
jcrx. in quick succession: "open
breech. sponge, land she'll" The great
| hydraulic rammer pushes in the b.
I.ioO-pound ktee! projeetile. ''Las 7
| irst cartridge" and the brown pow
der. one-half the quantity necessary,
goes in. Load second cartridge" au6
in goes the second. Down lift" and
the ammunition carriage goes down for
more. Close breech,- comes the order
| quickly. and followed in an instant by
Prime" when the captain puts in the
electric primer.
Then the captain Of the gun, seeing
every body clear, says Ready" and the
officer in the hood above responds with.
"Poiut." slowly both ,urrrt and gun
are moved until the range fiaaer indi-
Gates that the muzzle is pointing at the
enemy. Then. quiel. as a fash, the Off
Ger in the turrct hood closes the electric
circuit and the zig proieciile goes on it
path of observation-disclosures Edward
Graham, in Lcslie's Weekly.