The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-26
ENGLISH GUNS BEATEN
Recent Tests Prove a Vast super
ioritY in American Ordnance.


of a series Of frings recently completed
at the Indian Head Proving Grounds the
| new 4O-calibre 6-inch naval guns of the
United States is held TO have no superior
| in its class afioat. A velocity of 5000 feet
| per second is reported to have been OBJ
tanned for the 100-pound shells fired by
the new guns. Two weapons of this new
40-calibre type were mounted on the bat
tleship Oregon just prior TO the sailing Of
that ship from New York, in October
last, for the Pacific.
The new 40-calibre guns were tested
against the 50-calibre guns of English
make, mounted on the purchased Arm
strong cruiser New Orleans. The English
rifles have length Of 300 inches, while
the American guns are only 240 inches
long. Two guns were taken from the New
Orleans for the test, one 6-inch, the
other a 4.7-inch gun.
It is an interesting fact that the occa-
sion for the ordering of the comparative
test was the innocent comment of Brit
ish attache at the navy department to
the effect that while he naval gunnery
work Of the Americans during the war
was certainly very fine, still it must be
possess guns as high powered as those Of
England" Now, the guns carried on the
New Orleans were made by the famous
works of Elswick at Newcastle-on-Tyne,
and the weapons turned out at that plant
have the reputation Of possessing higher
power than any weapons turned out in
England, being equalIed only by the rifles
of Vicker's make. The British attache,
it is said, had hardly left the navy de-
partmant when an order was dispatched
TO New York 10 ship Immediately to the
Indian Head Proving Grounds the two
guns of the New Orleans referred TO, and
a supply of English ammunition was
also shipped with the guns. On the ar
rival Of the pieces at Indian Head the
testing officers were directed from Wash
ington to submit the English guns to full
power trials.
The test was begun by using English
ammunition, and for the 47-inch gun a
muzzle velocity of $500 foot-seconds is re-
ported to have been obtained, the projec-
tile weighing 81 pounds and charge Of
815 pounds of cordite being employed.
For the same gun using non-smokeless
powder, q velocity of 1890 foot-seconds
was realized, the powder charge weighing
1885 pounds. In the case of the cordite
charge, the energy Of impact measured
2.109 foot-tons, as against 1,4O5 foot-tons
for the lower-powdered charge.
The six-inch Elswick gun was then fix
ed, using cordite charges weighing 1873
pounds. the shell weighing 100 pounds.
The resultant was a muzzle velocity OF
$500 foot-seconds, and an accompanying
muzzle energy of 1857 foot-tons. Using %
pounds of English non-smokeless powder
the same guns Velocity was 900 foot
seconds. with an accompanying muZzle We
locity of 2SOl fooJ-tons.
The above figures fully bore out the test
claims advanced by the English artiller-
lists for the Elswick guns, and the English
data being verified the English guns were
fired, using charges Of the new American
smokeless powder. The exact figures OBJ
tained are not given out by the ordnance
officials, but the statement is made that
an increased velocity of something like
125 foot-seconds was given to the English
guns. That fact Immediately demOnstrat-
ed that in like guns the American powder
is superior in power to the British. The
basis of the new American smokeless |
powder is soluble nitrocelluIose, dissolved
in ether-alcohol
The test given the new 40-calibre 6-inch
guns of this country is said to have been
the most rigid ever carried on at the prov
ing grounds. The greatest care was taken
in all measurements, and, as a result, the
new American guns were found to be i'm
mensely superior to the English weapons.
Here too, the authorities are not making
public all the data which were obtained.
but say that the previous theoretical as
sumption of 5000 foot-seconds for the new
guns Of this country was fully borne out.
The advantage of the enormous velocity
now obtained for the new American guns
is a resulting tremendous energy of i'm
pact, by which is meant the striking or
smashing power Of a projectile. In the
case Of the former 6-inch guns used by
the United States the muzzle velocity did
not exceed 1000 feet per second
At the navy department It is said that
there have been fw happenings Of late
which have SO gratified the authorities as
the comparative showing of the new Anne
rican guns. The tests fully demonstrate
that the United States is practically in the
first line in ordnance development