The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-25
AGAINST THE GATHMANN GUN.
A Second Report Condemning 1t ms
Useless.

Useless.
The Secretary of the Navy yesterday
sent to the Senate the second report on
the Gathmann gun and shell. The report
again condemns the weapon and the pro-
jectile which is being bcomed by Mr.. Han
na, and the tests show the rifle to be both
dangerous and unfit for general use.
OF the first test Lieutenant Commander
Couden reports as follows:
"A small Farmers electric machine was
used for firing. On touching the key there
was an instantaneous and violent explo-
sion. Nineteen pieces of the primer case
were picked up. weighing thirty-two
pounds: the largest piece weighed nine
pounds. There was considerableaquantity
of unburned guncotton about. showing
that complete detonation had not taken
place. but there can be no doubt that such
an explosion in a loaded projectile would
have destroyed the gum.
The second test resulted as follows:
There was a faint report. and on ex-
animation it was found that the steel
primer case had been thoroughly broken
up; but guncotton was distributed about.
showing that there had been an absence OF
detonation."
The test made on board the tug Triton.
described in the report, which says:
Shortly after the signal was made from
the Triton to fire the gun. powder flame
was seen to proceed from the muzzle and
simultaneously from the main body of the
gun. Lieutenant Rust reports that the ex-
plCsion took place the instant the electric
circuit for firing was complete. To him
there seemed to be but one explosion and
no noticeable shock. The explosion did not
sound like the report of gun, but more
like crash. To those on board the Triton
the only sound was that Of a muffled ex-
plosion.
"All Of the gun in the rear Of the forward
strap was blown off and to pieces. A
crack was made the whole length of the
remaining portion OF the gun to within
SIS feet of the muzzle. The pieces Of the
gun and projectile few far and wide, some
pieces passing beyond the Triton d an
estimated distance Of one mile. and some
falling in the water between the Triton
and the shore. One piece, probably a
portion of the shell. was seen to strike the
water in the direction in which the gun
was pointed, and perhaps three-quarters
of mile from the gun. The breech- block
housing was cracked through, and it
opened out SO that the plug nearly cleared
the threads. Twelve large pieces of the
$500 pounds. Total number Of the pieces
of the gun picked up was thirty-one. the
smallest piece weighing about thirty
pounds. The end OF the mushroom stem
was broken of The asbestos pad was
crushed to half its original thickness. The
lock was broken Three pressure gauges
in the mushroom showed practically each
the same pressure. PSI tons.
1.-The right-hand bracket of the slide
was wrecked, broken through about the
middle. The upper rear corner of the
left-hand slide was broken off and the
rear bent. The motor cylinders for run
ming the gun out were wrecked. The hy-
draulic rammer. which had BEEN dis
mounted to allow the gun 10 recoil, was
wrecked. head broken off. and large cut
made in the middle. The rear transom of
the girders was much bent and rivets on
left side sheared. Rear flange of the right
girder was bent
The report concludes with the state
ment that the gun and shell are useless,
and the Secretary Of the Navy concurs in
this.