New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-06

|
head of the shell and liberates the Enclosed bull
lots allowing them to scatter over an extreme
ly large area. shrapne In this manner pro-
duces a result equal to that or I'VE hundred rine
bullets.
n is obvious from the foregoing that the most
advantageous place for the shell to burst would
he nj n short distance in front OF the enemy, so
as TO obtain the maximum eitect-a result WHICH
scientific gunnery has rendered possible at all
distances within the range or the gun. by the
use Of the Ballstic Tables compiled by the Kew.
y Rashforth late professor OF mathematics az
the Artillery College. Woolwich, the distance OK
any given projectile from the gun aiter the
lapse Of every fraction OF second may DE ac-
/ curatelv determined: and the results for each
class OF shell are recorded in the range-table
nossessed by every officer in charge All tnat IL
necessary, therefore, is to arrange 10 purst tne
shell at a given moment after hring "hch may
he done by adjusting the fuse so that the hasu
from, IL shall reach the bursting charge AT the
desired moment.
For DESTROYING FORTIFICATIONS.
Whom the object is to destroy Notifications OF
earthworks a shell is used when co COZ a .
large charge OF powder or plcric acd some
times called "melinite" or ''lyddite'), ana whchA
unlike the shrapnel has no bullets IN ,he IN
terror Further, such shells are arranged so as
to explode striking, the fuse previously ue-
scribed being replaced by percussion cap
which brings about the explosion OF the charge
when the shell strikes in exactly the same man
ner as the firing OF ordinary rlne In OUT
ward appearance this shell resembles the shrap-
| mel the pointed end being followed out Tor the
reception OF a screW-pluS containing the cap
which is inserted Immediately before placing IN
the gun The action in this case is coHlpara-
lively simple. When the shell strikes an oo-
ject the pointed end becomes imbedded TO
greater or less extent owing to the tremendous
velocity with which 1t is projected The concus-
sion produced by the impact OF the point hres
the cap, which in turn igntes the bursting
charge, and the shell bursts into fragments Win
terrible violence. Such shell in action IS ex-
actly equivalent to a charge Of explosive placed
! in position for blasting purposes, ana produces
an equal effect the fragments OF the shell, IN
addition, often causing great loss or HE
ARMOR-PIERCTNG PROJECTILES.
The armor- piercing projectile differs from the
two former in containing no internal charge:
| 1t is practically solid, and has cylindrical
| body and pointed end. The object OF this pro-
! jectile is to pierce the steel armor Of vessel,
and it must therefore be composed of an ex-
| tremely hard and strong material to achieve
this end. A special kind of steel is used in the
manufacture of this class Of missile which
while not sufficiently hard to develop brittle
ness, possesses sufficient toughness to resist
crumpling on impact. The point is specially
hardened to render it capable of pene-
trating the best quality Of armor- plates. The
destructive capacity Of these prOjeciles is enor-
| nous, and the extent TO which they Will pene-
trate the hardest steel is truly surprising. Cap
tain Orde Brown, r. A., has published rule,
| based on actual experiments, which states that
IAN armor piercing prOjectile will penetrate
distance equal to its own diameter for every
thousand feet of striking velocity" Thus a
shot OF this kind fired from 10-inch gun. and
striking at 1000 feet per second, would pene-
trate 20 inches of steel; at 800 feet per second,
10 inches; and so The latter velocity would
easily be obtained at close range, and in the
event Of the projectile striking truly, the thick
est armor- plate possessed by any warship aloat
would be completely penetrated. The blow
struck in this case would be equal to that pro-
duced by weight Of 10. tons falling distance
OF ten feet. Recent Improvements i'm hardening
or "Harveyizng' the surface of armor-plates
however, have greatly diminished the efficacy
OF armor-piercng projectiles; and it is probable
that with recently manufactured plates the act
! ual penetration would only be one half as much
as stated in Captain Browns rule
The fourth class Of shells used by the armed
forces OF this country-namely, star shes-do
not partake Of the destructive character of
those previously described. Their object is
merely to furnish light by means of which
the movements Of the enemy may be clearly
discerned on dark night and surprises thus
avoided In their mode of action they resem-
bic shrapnel, and are arranged so as 10 burst
in mid air by the agency of fuse and bursting
charge. They contain special composition
consisting OF barium nitrate, chlorate of potash
ana powdered magnesium, which is infiamed by
the bursting charge and produces an intensely
brilliant Ight-a similar composition being en-
p!oyed for lashlght photography.