Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-16
aeli5erllanepus 8eaaing.
POWER OF BIG GUNS.
What Batteries on One Warship Cal

What Batteries on One warship Can Do.
The biggest gun carried on any of
the battleships is a 13-inch breech-
loading rifle. The battleships Indi-
ana, Oregon and Massachusetts each
carry four of these guns. They also
carry s S-inch and 4 6-inch guns.
These form their main battery. In
their secondary battery they carry 90
6 Founders, 6 1-pounders and 6 ma
chine guns. If al! these guns were
fired at once, projectiles weighing
nearly 1000 pounds would be thrown
from each of the big battleships, and
some of these shots could be sent
about 10 miles. The muzzle energy
of these guns would be 202, ,436 tons,
or, in plain language, the force with
which the projectiles would leave the
muzzles of the guns would be equal to
the impact of 2O2, ,436 tons dropped one
foot. These are the fighting ships of
the United States navy, and an idea of
their power can be had when their
guns are studied little.
The Iowa is slightly inferior in ar
mament to the battleships just men,
toned. She carries 4 12-inch guns, 8
S-inch guns, and 6 4-inch guns. In
her secondary battery are 90 6-pound-
ers, 4 1-pounders, and 6 machine guns.
The Texas is smaller yet. She carries
2 12-inch guns, 6-inch guns, II g.
Founders, 6 1-pounders and s machine
guns. The batteries of the cruiser
Brooklyn consist of s S-inch guns, IL
5-inch guns, II 6-pounders, l.
Founders and 6 machine guns. The
New York has S-inch guns, II 4-inch
guns, IL 6.pounders, 4 1-pounders and
machine guns.
These guns throw projectile cylin-
droconordal in form, which can be
thrown a mile for every inch of cali
bre, roughly speaking. On board ship,
however, the guns are never elevated
to get the maximum distance because
the angle at which the gun would
have to be elevated would be such
that the recoil might hammer the
breech down onto the deck and do
considerable damage. A 13-inch guns
effectiveness is about eight miles.
A 13-inch gun weighs 135,5OO
pounds, or COS tons. Its total length
is 40 feet, and its greatest diameter 49
inches. 1t takes $50 pounds of pow
der to discharge one Of these guns,
and the projectile thrown weighs l 100
pounds. The muzzle velocity is equal
10 2,1OO feet a second, and at $500
yards it is equal to 1905 feet second.
The muzzle energy is equal to 33, 1927
tons dropped one foot, and this shot
will perforate 1856 inches of steel at
the muzzle.
THE TwELvE-INCH GUN.
A 12-inch gun weighs As tons, and
is 36.S feet in length. 1t requires 425
pounds of powder to send the $50
pound shot on its journey. This shot
leaves the muzzle at rate equal to
2,lOO feet a second, and its muzzle en-
ergy is equal to 25,9S5 tons. 1t will
penetrate 24.16 inches of steel at the
muZzle.
The 1O-inch gun will throw pro-
iectile weighing 500 pounds, and the
charge of powder weighing from 225
to 24O pounds. The gun weighs 25.7
tons, is 27.4 feet in length, and its
greatest diameter is 40 inches. The
muzzle velocity is 1000 feet, the muz-
zle energy 1864 tons, and the shot
will perforate 1875 inches of steel.
The largest gun carried on any of
che armored cruisers is an 8-inch.
This gun weighs Is tons, is 25 feet in
length, and its greatest diameter is
2S.75 inches. This gun throws pro-
ieclile weighing $50 pounds and takes
charge of los to lis pounds of pow
der. This gun on warship is effective
at about 5 miles. Its muZzle velocity
is equal to 1850 feet a second, and the
velocity at 1000 yards is equal to
1,615 feet second. The muzzle ener-
gy is equal to SOIL tons, and the
projectile will perforate 1910 inches
of steel.
A 6-inch gun weighs As tons, and is
1873 feet in length. Its greatest diam
eter is 21.5 inches. This instrument
of destruction will throw a projectile
weighing 100 pounds, and requires so
pounds of powder for the charge. Its
initial velocity is equal to 1000 feet a
second, and its muzzle energy is 2,773
tons. This 1O0-pound shot would per-
forate 1927 inches of steel placed at
the muzzle Of the gun.
SOME OF THE SMALL GUNS.
Four.and five inch guns are divided
into two classes, breech loading rifles
and rapid fire guns. The rapd-fire
guns can throw II projectiles minute
with deadly accuracy. The 4.inch
rapid fire gun weighs 3,400 pounds, is
1877 feet long, and its greatest dame
ter is 13inches. The projectile weighs
43 pounds, and it requires II to II
pounds of powder to discharge it. Its
initial velocity is equal to 1000 feet
second, and its muzzle energy is 915.
This projectile will perforate IT'S
inches of steel at the muzzle of the gun.
The 5-inch gun weighs 1000 pounds,
is ia feet in length, and its greatest