New-York tribune., 1900-09-02
THE GATHMANN GUN.
A GREAT EIGHTEEN INCH WEAPON THAT
FIRES WET GUN COTTON-THE MOST
POWERFUL ARTILLERY IN
THE WORLD.

Washington, Sept The Bethlehem Iron
Company has now completed the construction
of the great eighteen inch Gathmann torpedo
gun which was ordered by the War Depart
ment some months ago. and. according to the
contract with the Gathmann Gun Company. II
the tests to be made at Sandy Hook this fall
prove as successful as previous exhibitions at
the Government proving grounds at Indian
Head and at Bethlehem, within the next year
the United States coast defence will be supplied
with powerful artillery weapon than Is
in use at the present time by any Of the great
Powers Of the world.
The object of the inventor In designing the
gun was to enable the firing OF shells containing
high explosives which are effective on impact
and proof against premature disaster. The
shell used by the Gathmann system is con-
structed on plan similar TO that on which the
Washington Monument was built Starting at
the base of the shell with 100 per cent Of strain
pressure. it gradually decreases until at the
extreme end OF it's nose the pressure is zero.
Thus the walls OF the Gathmann torpedo shell
support their own weight only and there is no
unnecessary pressure at the shells base. When
constructed in this manner II is charged with
600 pounds Of wet gun cotton, which is more
powerful explosive than dynamite. Its total
weight is then 1900 pounds.
Here it is interesting to note the difference
between wet gun cotton and gun cotton dry
The latter is highly iniammable and will ignite
under $50 degrees Of heat 1t will also explode
or detOnate easily But when saturated with
water it is completely transformed and 5000 de-
grees of heat required to detonate it This
degree Of heat is above that Of powder explosion
and double that Of blast furnace. It can only
be obtained by using illuminate and dry gun
cotton a fuse. Wet gun cotton may be
thrown into open fire without the slightest
danger, or fired into with a white-hot shot: in
fact, it may be submitted without risk to any
severe ordeal short OF detonatng a sufficient
fuse charge in close contact with it When this
latter is done the hitherto harmless wet gus
cotton becomes engine OF destruction The
fuse Of the gun is therefore an important feature
and performs the chief functions in firing the
aerial torpedo shells. Another item essential to
the system is new powder compound prepared
by the Gathmann formula A description Of
this powder cannot be given at this time. how
ever. but soon its usefulness and novelties will
be made public.
The gun is ~ feet in length and weighs 50
tons. more than new type 12-inch. 1t has
been constructed for the Government as to
ht the same mount the Pinch It's muzzle
velocity shown by a test made at Indian
Head is 1901 feet a second. discharging q tor
pedo shell weighing 1000 pounds. The shell
fully charged with 800 pOuntS OF wet gun cot
ton may be thrown, according to the inventor
from six to eight miles, according to the capac-
ity OF the gun, with the accuracy Of modern
artillery. Should it miss the firing object and
fall within thirty-ore feet of the target the
effect would then be as a submarine mine
powerful enough to destroy battleship five or
six miles at sea.
The gun may be manned by the same crew
that handles the modern 12-inch and the
rreech weighing $500 pounds, may be opened
by single The gun is massive, but per
fectly adjusted and equipped with the most
improved apparatus to operate It
In the fall of 1898 test of the gun was made
at Sandy Hook for the benefit Of ordnance
officers. The Secretary of War ordered that an
obstruction be erected which the Gathmann gun
could not destroy after round. Accordingly
the authorities built structure Of 10 by y inch
oak. with a 1O-inch nickel steel plate as the
target centre and a backing consisting of $50
tons OF sand The destruction in the line OF
fire absolute, and after one shell had been
fired the heavy target a complete ruin
The inventor contends that the efficiency OF
such torpedo shell when exploded by the Gath
mann gun is equal to many rounds of the most
powerful and modern war weapon in use.
This is generally admitted by experts.