The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-29
A. F1utzlerts Sons,
3I5 {. Broad ST.

enemy, and then are always protected
by turrets or barbeltes. The l3-inch gun
weighs about siXty-nye tons. 10 ures a
pfoJectle Weighing 1,lU0 pounds with "a
lhu1lle velocity Of 2.l0J foOt-seconds.
which is equivalent 10 the perforaton,
az the muzzle, OF ~ l. inches OF armor'
The muzzle energy of the projectile. that
Is, the force given TO it by the cOmbus-
ton OF the powder as IL leaves the muZ-
Die, is $500 foot tons. or sufficient TO lift
a. Irst-cidss battlcship three feet. The
zlu gun weighs nearly fifty tons and
fires a projectile OF $50 pounds with a
charge OF 80 pounds of brown prismatic
powder. The lU-iuch gun weighs only
twenty-five tons and fires a projectilo OF
so pounds with a charge Of 2JJ. pounds
OF powder. The range OF these big rifles
is about ten miles. 4 range OF u milo IS
considered point blank.
The mounting for these heavy guns IS
the same for all three and Is really very
simple, when their tremendous weight
is taken into consideration. To n saddle
almost Immediately beneath the trun-
mons the gun is secured by heavy steel
straps. This saddle works ON a slide sup
ported by Orders liked 10 the turrct hoor.
The forward part OF this saddle is con-
nected with a piston rod working in a
steel cylinder. This cylinder Is cut with
shallow grooves of varying width. their
sectional area decreasing 10 nothing at
the rear end. and Is filled with water or
glyceIine. When the gun Is fired IL forces
the saddle back. This thrusts back the
piston rod I'm the cylinder, D the water
is forced through the shallow grooves.
thus absorbing the recOil energy and
stopping the gun after IL has travelled
back about four calibres. A pipe conveys
water from below TO the cylinders
fHr.rrmT am .srf.rr.fFM sr.fer. rrrF.Ns .T.n.r
when the pressure in the recoil cylinder
exceeds the working pressure in the
hydraulic system.
Consequently. when the gun recoils the
pressure of this system IS exceeded by
the pressure Of the gun. ana the valve
closes. But when the recOl Is checked,
the gun pressure rapidly decreases. the
valve connecting with tho water system
below opens. and water at a pressure
of COO pounds 20 the square inch is in
iected. forcing the gun back I'm battery.
Two spring valves az the front end OF
the cylinder open during recOl 10 let out
the water displaced from the rear 10 the
front Of the piston when the gun was
fired.
For loading. the breech OF the gun is
depressed 10 a fixed loading position, "a
three-st0ried ammunition car carrying
the shell I'm the upper compartment and
half the charge I'm each OF the others
for the charge Is put up in two sepa-
rate parts. being too heavy 70 handle
in one) IS hOisted I'm line with the breech
by hydraulic power n the three parts
OF the ammunition are successfully
pushed home by means OF a hydraulic
rammor. For rotating the turrets steam
or hydraulic power must be used. for
the revolving weight, when a pair OF
heavy guns are Ounted behind armor
Of reasonable thickness. is so great as
practically 20 preclude the possibility or
training by hand, except, perhaps. when
the deck IS perfectly level, and friction
is thus reduced 10 n minimum. II IS.
therefore. regarded as indisputabie that
hand training gear IS useless with tUT-
rAts and with guns over eight inches
in calibre. And II Is not difficult 20 ar
rive az this conclusion when II Is borne
in mind that turrets Ike those carried
by the Monterey weigh 40 tons. those
OF the Terror 2S0 tons. while the pair Of
l3-inch rifles Will their tuTrets on the
Indiana weigh 800 tons.
The s-lnch gun f. the heaviest mount
Cd on our unarmored ships. and It also
forms the main battery OF rome OF cur
b~attleships. II Is 20 calibres long. weighs
T. tons. and with q charge Or 80 pounds
Of powder fires a proiectile weighing 20
mounds. The G-inch gun Is used for the
main batteries OF most OF our cruisers
and also supplements the 10 ana e-,lch
guns on snch battleships rs the Indiana,
Massachusetts and oregon. II weighs
3 tons and uses a charge OF 80 pounds
OF powder TO hurl a l0l-poind rrojectile.
For rapid fire guns the ammunition ~
IN one nlece ard ~ called 'hxed ammuni-
ton. in contradistinction 10 the IN
munition for the larger guns, where
powder aud projectile are separate. For