The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-11-12
MILNE OF A new GUN
..;oned to Be the Most Pow
srf,l In the World.
lr,DorNq POWER TO BE GREAT.

,,.Ive Inch Weapon OF FOrtS-hVe
~ Being Built by Admiral
I'll THAT VIII surpass In Crush
- Eject Any Gun In Existence.
In ArnAor Demanded.
content with the powerful ord
wv already in use and designed for.
ils .s,con men-of- war. Rear Admiral
'ron chief of ordnance. Is building
~ c,n. which will be superior in
.,,rg effect to any weapon in the
IA saws the washington Post. This
canon will have a twelve inch bore
| ill he As calibers in length. A
oiobt inch gun of 40 caliber is also
".oooss of construction. These guns
tho tvpes of weapons which will
ulocod on the latest battleships of
be navy. 20
mho twelve inch gun in service is 40
,lbprs in length and can send shell
target at the rate of $500 feet per
.ord The new gun is expected to
oTar 5000 feet per second. AS a re-
~ Of This increased velocity the pen
eating power OF the projectile will be
realty increased.
4 4 gun of 40 calibers will weigh in the
aiabhorbood Of fifty-fve tons, and
horo s danger that the muzzle will
.oon on account of lack Of support.
lrhis trouble will be obviated by the
go of two tubes, one inside Of the 9th
& and by means Of hoops, which will
Dy+ond almost to the muZzle Of the
nm The employment of two tubes
nstoad Of a single tube would appar-
sntIv double the strength Of the weap-
I, hut this is not the case, though a
Substantial increase Of power is OBJ
#ained. -,
II is expected that the gun will be
ktrong enough to stand pressures re-
hitting from the discharge Of powder
# seventeen tons. The pressure now
sxed for twelve inch guns is sixteen
IONS With uncapped armor piercing
hroiectiles the present twelve inch gun
Ian perforate a Krupp plate 1858
inches In thickness a mile and quar-
Ter away. With a capped projectile a
hate more than sixteen inches in thick
hess can be perforated at the same dis
lance. With the proposed twelve inch
gun plates of even greater thickness
will not be able to resist the projectiles
h discharges against them.
The new eight inch gun will also
have double tube and will be hoped
the end. 1t will be 40 calibers and
live 5000 feet velocity. Its penetrat-
ng powers will be greater than those
bf the present gun.
The improvement of the gun will
pause the navy department to demand
better armor of the armor manufac-
aurers. At the present time the armor
manufacturers furnish plates for test
which are passed provided they with
RrmOr piercing projectiles of a caliber
proportionate to the thickness of the
Target.
In the specifications for the armOr of
she projected battleships and armored
cruisers the navy department will in
kist that the armor be required to with
stand without cracking the impact OF
Fhree capped armor piercing projectiles.
EIhe caps placed on projecties are of
foft steel, which fuzes when the target
IS struck, and acts as lubricant. They
are in use in foreign service and will
Pc employed by the next enemy of the
United States. With capped projectiles
Pn increased thickness of from Is to
G0per cent Of armor may be perforated
PTS therefore desirable that the United
etates should protect it's vessels with
Prmor capable of turning capped as
Well as uncapped shells.