The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-16

diameter is 1915 inches. 1t THROWS " p'o'
jectile weighing so pounds. and requires
% to so mounds of powder to discharge
it. This projectile would perloraoe hlHe
inches of steel at the muzzle Oh inc gun.
Its muzzle velocity is equal to 2,soo 1eet
second and it's muzzle energy is 1,754
tons.
The 4-inch breech loading rifle weighs
3 $50 pounds, is 1877 feet in length, and
its greatest diameter is 10 inches. 1t
throws 33-pound projectile with a
charge of 10 to IA pounds of powder. Its
muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, and per-
foration at the muZzle is the same as the
breech- loading rife OF the same size
The 5-inch breech-loading rifle weighs
1870 pounds is 1875 feet in length, and it's
greatest diameter is is inches. 1t throws
a proiectile that weighs 60 pounds with a
charge of &c to 20 pounds of powder. The
muzzle velocity is equal to 1900 feet a
second, and at 1850 yards the velocity is
equal to 1923 feet second. Its muzzle
energy is equal to 1850 tons, and the pro-
jectile will perforate s67 inches of steel
at the muzzle.
A HAIL OF BULLETS.
Machine guns form very important
part of a vessels armament. These de.
structive implements can be worked so
fast that they throw perfect hail of bull
let's on the object against which they are
aimed The Colt rapid-tire gun has been
mounted on several of the boats of the
mosquito fleet. This gun is OF six-milli-
metsr calibre, which, according to the
way the sizes of guns are calculated here
is equal to 1856 calibre or the same size
as the rifle now used by the navy. This
gun can fire 200 shots a minute and has a
range of 6, 600 feet. The metal in the bar
rel Of the gun is one inch thick, and
the cartridges are fed from a belt, con
tanning, 1000, stored in d steel box at
tached near the breech. At test made
in the navy yard bullet from one Of
these guns was sent through three
eighths inch of steel plate, through 20
inches Of wood, through a steam coil,
and finally through another one-eighth-
inch steel plate. The gun weighs thirty
nine pounds and the tripod sixty -nine
pounds.
Hotchkiss guns are divided into two
classes, rapid fra and machine. The ma
chine guns throw projeotiles one and
| three pounds respectively. The greatest
range of three FOUNDER is a mile and a
half and of one-pounder about mile.
n1,a-o tbrno eli md
id-fire guns, which are largely used on
| all the vessels in the navy.
There are two kinds of one-pounders,
| light and heavy. The light gun weighs
| ~ pounds and is 33 inches in length. The
proJectile weighs one pound, and to fire
2.1 ounces of smokeless powder. The
| range of these guns is about mile, and
| they are little more destructive when
the smokeless powder is used. With black
powder the initial velocity or speed at
which the projectile leaves the muzzle,
is equal to 1913 feet second, and the
mnzzle energy is equal to the sudden i'm
pact Of 1874 tons. Immediately after
leaving the muzzle one of these shots
| would peneetratee II inches of steel; at q
| distance of / 900 yards it would penetrate
half an inch. and at {, Zoo yards it would
penetrate a fraction over a third of an
inch.
With s1nokeless powder the initial We
loclty is equal to /, 500 feet second, the
| muzzle energy is equal to 1853 tons, and
the perforation is an inch and half at
the nuzzle, 055 inch at 1000 yards. and
0.39 inch at 1900 yards.
POWER OF THE ONE-POUNDERS.
The heavy one-pounder weighs 1so
pounds, is 30 inches in length, tut only
throws projectile weighing one pound a
little over mile. 1t takes charge of
four ounces of black powder, and the
initial velocity is 800 feet, the muzzle
energy is 224 tons and it's perforation is
l. As inches at the muzzle, two-thirds of
an inch at 1000 yards, and half an inch
at 1900 yards.
A three-pounder weighs 81 pounds, is so
| inches in length, and throws projectile
weighing three and third pounds. This
gun, like the one-pounder, can be fred
with black or smokeless powder, but is
most effective when smokeless powder is
used. With black powder the charge is 20
ounces, the initial velocity at the rate of
2.O0Ofe second, and the muzzle energy
equal to 90 tons. Its power of perfora-
ton is 4. 1 inches at the muzzle, 2 inches at
1000 yards, and LIZ inches at 1900 yards.
When smokeless powder is used the
charge weighs only Is ounces, and the
muzzle velocity is equal to 1850 feet sec
ond. The muzzle energy is 1913 tons, and