Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-08

times, and for fear of knocking it apart
it wouldn't be fired again. England
has discarded the chopped" gun for
the wire wound, and English factories
no longer make the type of gun mount
ed on all our fighting ships.
We began making modern guns only
ten years ago, the armament of the
first cruisers of the White Squadron
having been bought aboard. Just II
years this month the first contracts for
gun forgings of modern construction
were let to the Bethlehem Iron COM
pany. We began the manufacture of
the very type of guns about to be dis
carded aboard. Since that contract
was let, we have built gun factory at
the Washington navy yard, where
have been built all the heavy guns on
our battleships, monitors, and fighting
cruisers. Americans do not generally
know it, but it is fact, undisputed by
foreign experts who have studied gun
making in this country, that the Wash
ington gun factory turns out the finest
chopped" guns in the world-far su-
perior to Krupps-and, in fact, the
only heavy naval guns of this type
which will stand the strain of long
service.
Just how long our big naval guns
may be expected to live is matter Of
opinion, for none of them has died yet.
Not one of them has ever broken down
in service. One of the Miantonomoh's
1Oinch guns, now waiting for chance
to sink an enemy's ship, has had about
as severe test as any of the big guns
in the navy, for the gun was one of
the first turned out of the gun factory.
Gunner Michael w. Gilmartin, now on
duty at the New York navy yard, fired
this gun more than 100 times at the
Indian Head proving grounds. That
was some years ago, before the gun
was mounted aboard ship. Since it
was first shipped to the testing ground
this gun has been fired more than 200
times, and it is just as fit for service
today as the day it left the factory.
No gun abroad can show such record.
The Miantonamoh's guns, it must
be remembered, were among our early
guns. In strength and stability they
are inferior to the newer ones. The
war with Spain may result in data
from which may be determined the
average life of the 12-inch and 3inch
guns, but ordnance officers say the
war will have to be long one TO put
any Of our heavy guns out of action.
That all of the new guns will be SER
viceable after as many as 300 tirings
is the opinion of many of the experts,
and some place the figure much higher.
Abroad the gunmakers doubt that
their big "hooped" guns would live
through single heavy engagements.
American experts believe that Ameri-
can guns will outlive their usefulness
be serviceable when their places are
usurped by guns Of still finer construc-
ton.
While none of our big guns has been
long enough IN service 10 lndlcate now
many more times it may be safely
fired, the fact that none of the Wash
ington guns has ever burst in service
goes a long way. toward proving the
superiority Of American guns over
those of foreign make. Down at Indi.
an Head the other day gun was de-
stroy ed by the explosion Of high ex-
plosive shell in the breech, during an
experiment. Fortunately no one was
injured. But abroad gun accidents
under service conditions are of not in
frequent occurrence. Reports from our
naval attaches show that these acci-
dents are seldom reported in the news
papers, excepting where there is loss
of life. Especially is this true in Ger
many, where a number of the big
Krupps have burst. The good be-