The times., 1899-05-16
TEST OF FIELD GUN CARRIAGES.
The Ordnance Bureau Proposes to
Solve n PcrpIexfng Problem.

The Ordnance Rureau Proposes to
Solve n PcrpIexing Problem.
Gen. A. r. Burlington. Chief OF the Ru-
| reau of Ordnance. has completed arrange
| ments for an important test to be made
soon Of several designs of three-inch field
gun carriages. The subject of a suitable
carriage for the three-inch field guns of
| the Army has been under consideration for
some time. and several reports have been
made on the subject of minimum and nom
| recoil carriages. The department has de-
termined that to develop and use the rapid
| firing field gun to the best advantage,
change in the carriage must be made.
With this object in view the department
has purchased several types of carriages
| and they will be given comparative test
, at Sandy Hook probably within the next
two weeks. In the various types which
have been tried abroad, some or all have
! had objections either in design or princi-
pie, which it did not seem advisable 10
embody in a carriage for the service of the
American Army.
The information secured By the depart
ment on the foreign carriages was so mea-
gre, however, that it seemed desirable to
purchase abroad one carriage of each type
which had developed sufficient merit in
trial, and to submit them to an exhaustive
and comparative test in this country. The
department soon discovered, however, that
there great difficulty in securing car
riages adopted by other armies and was
able to secure but one of foreign design.
, This is the Darmancier, which is expect
ed to arrive at Sandy Hook within a few
days. A carriage was ordered from the
Driggs-Seabury Company. of Derby. Conn,
on plans submitted by that company, and
another was purchased from the American
Ordnance Company. AT the same time
carriage was also designed by the Ord
nance Department This has been manu-
factured and is now at the proving ground
where it will be tried in competition with
the other designs.
report submitted to the Secretary OF
| War On these carriages says: All OF these
carriages are of the non-recoi type. IN
the foreign carriage the counter recoil
springs and the hydraulic cylinder are
placed beneath the trail, the cylinder being
fixed in the ground by a spade. This per-
mits the recoil of the whole carriage while
its return to the firing position is effected
by the springs. In the remaining carriages
the spade is attached directly to the end of
the trail. and the energy of the recoil is
absorbed By hydraulic cylinders interposed
between the gun and the carriage. In all,
the gun can be traversed about four de-
grees each side Of the centre without dis
turbng the trail spade
Capt. Charles B.Wheeler. OF the Ordnance
Department, has in charge the field car
riage work of the bureau and has made an
interesting report to the Chief CT Ordnance
on the requirements of modern field gun
carriage. He says: I'm general there are
but two requirements-it must stop the
recoil OF the gun without shock. and be able
to transport it under all conditions with
minimum weight The present field car
riage is made of steel, and arranged to
recoil on the ground at each discharge
This causes great disarrangement of the
aim, and great fatigue to the cannoneers
in running up the piece to the firing point
the recoil amounting to many feet. vary
/ ing with the condition OF the platform.
The time consumed for each round con-
sists of the time required for firing the
piece. the time required for observing the
hit. the time consumed in running up the
piece to the firing point, and the time re-
quired for loading and laying. II the or
dlnary field carriage can be fired from the
point of stoppage, after recoil. there would
| be no advantage in a rapid fire mount
We see then. in order to use the improved
gun to the best advantage the carriage
| must fulfill the requirements stated
above"
Speaking Of the carriage designed By the
| department, he says: I'm the design OF a
carriage for the three-inch field gun efforts
| have been made TO meet the requirements
in such manner as to produce as little
| complication as possible. and to produce a
carriage which will not require skilled
| men to keep in service condition. This
| piece is mounted in a bronze cradle which
contains two hydraulic and spring cylin-
| ders. After each discharge the piece is re-
| turned to the firing position by means of
helical springs placed in the recoil cylin-
ders. The principal difficulty to be an
ticipated in rapid firing field carriage is
| believed to be the jump. This can be
counteracted in measure by decreasing
the height of the axis of the gun above
ground and by increasing the length of
the trail. which incidentally increases the
weight and d!minishes the turning angle.
If this difficulty is SO great as to derange
the aim to any great extern. rapidity of
fire cannot be said TO be obtained even II
the carriage as whole does not require to
be brought up each time to the firing
point