The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-02-23
A new NAVAL RIFLE.
Why One Is Being Designed For
American Warships.
REASONS FOR ANOTHER CALDER.
Shell Weight Of New Weapon, It Is
Expected. Will Be Kept Under One
Hundred and Seventy-ave Pounds.
The Twelve Inch Gun Likely to BE
Replaced by the Ten Inch.

lne Twelve lnch Oun Likely 10 he
Replaced by the Ten Inch.
The ordnance experts Of the navy
department are engaged in designing a
gun Of I inch caliber, says the Wash
ington correspondent of the New York
Post. This is a new type of weapon.
the nearest approach to it in size being
the 6 inch and s inch guns. The pres
ent calibers in existence in the United
States navy for main battery pieces
are 4 inch, ) inch. 6 inch. S inch, 10
inch. II inch and 13 inch. The T. inch
weapon will in future designs consti.
tute the heaviest gun carried on Ameri-
a warships.
In the designs for the new 1900 ton
battleships provision is made for
mounting on each ship either eight or
six Z inch guns, according to which de-
sign is selected. though it is by no
means certain that four S inch guns
may not be selected in lieu of the Z
inch. The interesting phase. however.
is the necessity which gives rise to a
new caliber. and which is explained by
the appearance of 6 inch Krupp proc
ess armOr plate on the sides of many
foreign battleshipS. 1t is a recognized
principle when supplying a ships bat
terry to consider the probable work the
ship may be called upon to perform.
If the battleship is intended only to
fight gunboats, then t inch pieces will
suffice. If. however, she is intended
to fight armorclads, then she must pos
sess ordnance capable Of piercing the
sides of her probable enemy. On the
anne theory one would not use Il fowl
ing piece when hunting elephants MOI
employ an elephant gun when hunting
quail.
Within the past two years Krupr
process armor plate has put in an ap-
pearance, and its ballistic tests have
demonstrated it to be superior to the
best plate in previous use. \ g inch
krupp plate when struck by Il shell at
an angle Of 80 degrees represents a
power Of resistance equal to about 1G
or IL inches Of iron. At ordinary fight
ing ranges it is too much to expect G
inch shells to get through this plate.
So light, comparatively, is this 6 inch
krupp plate that foreign battleships
are being covered with 1t over the
greater part Of their sides, leaving the
Il incl plates to protect the hull in
the vicinity Of the water line and un.
der the turret positions. A distinguish.
ed ordnance officer calculates that the
lnSf q inch nm in .nrx-;o <J,,
not pierce this Krupp 6 inch plate at
LOGO yards range. and the assertion is
made that had the ships Of Cervera's
Heet been protected over the greater
part OF the hulls with 6 inch Krupp
plate not a projectile below the 8 inch
caliber would have got through.
The y inch shell will pierce 6 inch
Krupp plate within ordinary fighting
ranges, but the $50 pounds weight Of
an 8 inch projecti!e precludes rapidity
of fire. 1t was at first thought possible
to reduce the weight Of the 8 inch
shell to, say, 21O pounds. but this plan
Is deemed inadvisable. If any change
is made in the weight of the 8 inch
shell. 1t is more likely to be in the di.
rection of gain rather than reduction,
and it will not be surprising IL the 300
pound shell Of the 8 inch gun
is yet adopted.
In order to pierce 6 inch Krupp plate
q 6 inch shell. it is calculated. must
have a striking velocity close to 1900
foot seconds. TO obtain this remain.
ing velocity at, say, 1900 or 1000 yards
range means too great initial velocity.
one. In fact, which would soon destroy
the gun by reason Of excessive wear.
On the other hand. by. employing a
slightly larger calibered gun, one using