Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-18
LIFE OF MODERN GUNS
Slight Deterioration In Ordnance Re-
sulting from War.
The Mistaken Iden That the Great
Cannon Are Worn Out After Be-
ing Discharged One Hun
dred Times.

urSu '4l"GEo
Commodore Charles O'Neil, chief of
| the bureau of ordnance of the navy de-
partment, who has considered all the
reports Of the ordnance officers on
board the vessels engaged in the re-
cent war, spoke freely and in an in
teresting way when asked to say what
is the life of Il gun" as nowunderstood
in the navy, and what points were in
Gicated by the practice of the modern
guns in the course of the months Of the
Spanish war.
The life of q gum" said he, sis very
uncertain period to determine just now
There never was any ground for assert
ing that guns life was limited to 100
discharges from it, for at any time
there would be differences in the weight
OF powder used in discharge. and OF
course, differences in the effects Of
charges Of different weights o + powder
From the experience Of the last sum
mer in the navy, and in the use Of our
modern guns, it may be said that an
lnapprcciable amount Of deterioration
has been discovered in the pieces Of all
callbers. There has been no thoIglt Of
withdrawing any gun because it had
been fired stated number Of times and
should therefore be regarded as I'M
safe to use. Trihing erosion has been
noticed in the riliing at the breech, but
not enough to impair the efficiency Of
! the piece, and no indication of strain
to suggest that it would be unsafe long
er to use it. .
To show you how mistaken any
popular idea is that the gun is worn
out or dangerous at the ore hundrellth
discharge l may say that some OF the
largest guns, 13-inch, and 12-incl,, have
been fired as many as 500 times, in prac-
1lce and in action, yet they are just as
| sound, practically, as they We're when
they were brought out Of the gun fac
tory. OF course the smaller pieces
many of them have fired two or three
times 500 rounds, and they are still
sound and free from serious impair
mcnt from erosion. This erosion is
caused by the effects of gas developed
III the powder chamber at the time of
the discharge, and is shown in Slight
scratches at first. then in deeper chan
nels about the rifing, and eventually it
might SO destroy the rihing as to i'm
l'alr the accuracy of the piece in action
without cndangcring life from bursting
OF the piece. That danger is very re-
mote with all the guns nowin use in the
navy.
In the British navy, where cordite is
used, the destruction Of the core of tie
gun by erosion is much more rapid than
1t is with the guns III the United States
navy, which have been using old pow
der until now. The use Of smokeless
powder may wear the guns more quick
~, but that is to be ascertained. But
In the British navy the precaution is
taken to make the guns SO that their
life may be indefinitely prolonged
This is done by building the guns with
a core that is to be bored out when the
erosion has been so great as to indicate
the necessity for replacing the core, and
Il new core is put in to secure accuracy
and assure the proper resistance.
Lieut.. Col. Shaler, Of the ordnance de-
Iartment office Of the war department,
SAID that it would be difficult to saw
what the life of the modern guns of the
army will be. as the army has not had
49, OIt'SA tN'Ai-'N W l'AC elAC new x uHS l q
business tests to ascertain their long
esity.
The Old cast-iron guns it was the
tradition, were unfit f,r further use
after about 100 discharges. Then it de-
pended upon the weight of, powder
charges used whether the life was o be
shorter or longer. The guns now pro-
vlded for the army are mnch more dura-
bic and capable OF resisting destructive
influences than the old ordnance. I'M
dcrstand that III the British army the
calculations that modern guns Of large
ealibers are only used for about 100
rounds as they are built. The rapid
erosion Of the piece by the cordite used
IN that service derriyes the gan of its
efficiency, without, should say. max
ing 1t dangerous to those who might
use 1t. TO protect the piece from the
erosion the core is made With the idea
that it shall be bored out when the
erosion is so great as to Indicate the
need 10Y renewal Of the part, and thus
suppose the life Of the gum may be
prolonged indefinitely. With the eight
inch gan the limit az use ulness is con
sidercd passed when $50 rounds have
been fired from it.
There is small danger Of accident
from the bursting OF guns from over
use. The strains are observed, and
when tho channels Ct erosion become
we'll marked the gun would be with
drawn. The probability is that most Of
the guns NOW in use or in position to be
used will be withdrawn because thev
have become obsolete or ont of the
fashion, rather than because they have
become WORN out by service. At the
close of the war of the rebellion we con-
sidered our ordnance as good as any