The times., 1899-12-11
captain. Sampson. was the chief OF that


1t is believed that within a very short time
the use ut gunpoWder VIII be entirely ahan-
dontd being replaced hv some one ot the uumer-
Gus forms Of so-railed smoseIcss powder.
In the annual report submitted to Hi airy
a. Herbert, Secretary Of the Navy, O2tober
:, 1898, Capt. William 7. Sampson wrcte:
The manufacture Of brown powder for the Navy
has been continued by Mcssgs. T.. l. Du Pont *
Co.. Uf Wilmington, Del. and during the year
2 first class Tot et brown powder tor the 6lnch
guns las been successfully manufactured 10y the
California Powder Company. oi santa Cruz, oal.
Continued difficulty is cNpGi,nced in meeting
ihc requirements of velocity and pressure IN the
larger caiibrcs. and the progress made IN their
development IS far from satisfactory
The experimental work with Smokclrss powder
has been continued m the saval torpedo station
at Newport. r. J.. and also at the guucotton
works OF heSsTs DUPONT Co. but point has
not yet been reached in It's development which
would justify the issue 0t this powder TO the
service.
In his report to Secretary Herbert trans
mitted o. October l, 1894, Captain Sampson
wrote:
The California Powder Company. of santa
Cruz, Cal. has lately made very satisfactory pow
der Tor the 5inch rWd-hre gun, and orders have
been placed with them Tor powder for guns OF
larger calibrc.
Du Pont S Co. have made some progress in the
manufacture of powder for the lz-IHCh and l3-
iuch guns. though not much desirable.
The rCt.sts ut several lots of brown powder
which have been stored in the magazines OF
cruising vessels ior several years show tine veocl-
ties and preSsures TO be practically unchanged. a
result which Is very satisfactory in the highly
important matter of keeping qualities
The experimental work at the naval torpedo
station - the production of smoheless powder
for T4pid-ilre guns has been actively carried for
ward and powders made by the new processes
adopted have given hallistic and keeping results
quite equal 10 those of powders accepted abroad
number Of samples OF smokelcss powders oi
foreign and domestic manufacture have been
tested 10 the naval proving ground during the
wear ia TaPid-fre and heavier guns.
The fore IGN powders tested have not given sal
isi5clory results.
The ballistic results given by nitro-glycerine
powders have been excellent, but the experiments
made with them have tended TO confirm the
opinion that rhey are untitled for military pur-
sampson's own Report.
Captain Sampson. in his annual report
dated October l. 1895, writes:
The bureau has rs yet failed to secure com
pleteiy satisfactory powder for the l%-lnch guns,
BOO sample submitted having given the required
velocity without exceeding the allowed pressure.
Several lois Of l2-Iuch powder have been ac-
ccpted, but the bureau has been forged 10 reduce
lis requirements iur I2-inch and l3-lnch guns OF
thirty-five caIilre length of bore to ZOO foot
seconds muzzle velocity and fifteen tons pressure,
results which attained with G-iuch and s-incll
gums of 30 cahhses length Of bore.
The California Powder Company has succeeded
in manufacturing excellent powder Tor the s-Inci
guns. well as for the 5-5uch guns. and Is now
IN position to make prisnatic powders for all
calibres
The difficulty of obtaining satisfactory brown
powder for the larger calibrcs. rs well as the
many iuconvCuienccs attendant upon the use OF
brown powder. emphasizes the Importance of de
yelgUIug q SlnokccSs powder for all Calibrcs.
fact of ON
powder al the naval torpedo station has reached
point Iu5tItflug It's issue 10 service. and ae-
cordingly as hIsr step the bureau has put 500
rounds af 6-p0uuder ammunition loaded with
snobeics- powder ON hoard the ships of the North
Atlantic squadron for use in target practice
The two main problems upon the solution Of
which Ihe sucCcsstul production oi a smokcless
powder depends are hrSi- 10 make powder
which VIII keep. and second 10 produce results
~ VIII, 20 tnat successful lots may give uniform
ballIstic results The second OF these problems,
d. is believed. has been completely solved. and
the bureau is confident that when successful
sample Of powder has been made for any calibre.
ID can be produced indefinitely. As regards keep
ing qualities. the gest Of time and service alone
VIII show whether success has been attained IL
tais direction As far. however exposure 10
excessive temperatures without resulting change
y measure oi stability the tests made AT the tor
pedo station indicate thai nothing is 90 be feared
ON this score.
During the wear large number OF samples Of
smukeless powder tor the Navy small arms have
baiSiic results. but the behavior 0t those powders
which contained nitroglyctrine has in every case
tended TO confirm the bureau previously eX-
pressed preference for a pure gun-coIron powder.
The excessive heating and erasioH of the gun
barrel ls one very serious objection 10 nitro
eiyceFIuc powders. 5t least 60 those containing
any considerable percentage Of Uitr4gly yCcTiHe.
Moreover. many things indicate that with these
powders the increased chamber prosSure~ are not
true index 0i ilHe prCSs7Tes along the bore, sev-
eIsl cases ui permanent extension nf the bore of
guns having been observed with low chamber
pIeNsuTts. Tie bureau considers hal the results
which u has obtained from its own pure gun
Gotten powder IA the small arm are as good as
can be reasonably expected and ID proposes to
adopt this powder for service ure. with the re-
guIremeni ~ $50 fagt-seccUds velocity and not
over $1,000 pounds per square inch pressure
Bolh powder companies stand ready 10 undertake
The manufacture Of smokelcss powder upon the
bureaus plans and ii is expected 10 place orders
Tor TINS powder with them in the near future.
Later Report by Sampson.
Captain Sampson in his report to Sec
retary Long October ], 1897 says:
Experimental manufacture of snokcIess uowde.
has continued during the year with good results
Considerable Quantities Of X powders fo
rapid -tire guns vi small calibres have beer
manufactured. The necessity of improvement il
4 -k powders and tho dgSirabilitv Of sUb-fituTiBL
single HiIr0-CellulGse of known composition IL
+ lieu ~ the blend of nitro ccllulG~es hitherto en-
VlUycd have led 90 the continuance oi cNpeFiucu
! tai researches in the field of explosive action
Studies have been made during the present Yea
/ % ascertain the effects of variation In mean o
nitrs ION and thickness OF h.m, upon the balist
properties OF powders formed from blended col
lgids, and these studies were extended 10 IN
vestlgatl0n oi the effect of change of s5lveu
upon the physical property 81 the co0id, and u
/ relation 90 IFS manner Of progressive combustion
s second group OF experiments related 10 th
investigation oithc properties Of hydFU-cpllulns
and Of lis nltr derivatives Of high and low mira
lion.
third group Of experiments related 10 Ia
4 effect 81 variation of The time, mass, tcmpcr4
ture. and strength ~ acid, upon the nitration o
caup-c iu the form of cotton.
Results at the experiment oi the first grou
. have tended ~ the Standardization Of tmckue-
Of powder h.m 10 Jc employed with service gun
0f various caiibTes. and have led 10 the sub~titu
tiou of ether alcohol for JCUteHC IN powders buil
4 up from blends of nitro-celiul0~es.
Tire experiment with Utro-hydro-geiiulo-es gIi
T results that proved generally negative in TclttIo
10 the attempt to develop favorable halti-re 8'
tion iron them and went lar 10 prove the unfit
ness Of these materials as ingredients for pr,
grossjve powders.
The tHird group ~ experiments upon tine uitra
ii0u 90: Ceiui0se under Various combinations
physical and chemical conditions has led 20 Oh
Development el special variety ul Atru-r'IH
lose soluble iu ether alcohol, forming coiloI
Ut extreme tUuCbucss that burns progressively
a very regular manner. and which may Doe cor
vouci directly into q smokelcsS powder dcoun
posing wholly into gaseous products possc-Sin
d higa bai.IsJic efficiency
Despite all these experiments, scientif
words. and technical reports. III only shi
flying the American flag during the wa
with Spain and carrying smOkeless powde
was the foreign built cruiser New Or
leans, formerly the Amazonas, and ia
powder which her guns burned was OF foI
eign manufacture.
VIRGIEIANS WILL DINE.
Hnnnncl of thc Dcmncrntis. Assnciu