The evening Republican., 1902-07-26
TESTING GUNS
AT FORT DUPONT

BanS, Dang, OanS WenO Vue o's
guns at Fort Pont yesterday in the
presence OF Especial board of govern
ment officials.
The United States engineers office
in this city was represented by Colo
mel Jared A. Smith and Colonel II.
". Gladfellow. The board reached
this city yesterday afternoon and
took u train for For, Wadsworth, N.
Y, where test OF the guns at that
place will be made.
The beard is composed as follows:
Colonel Wallace Randolph, chief OF
the board; Capt E. II. Z. Lentz. U.
S. N. Major J. D. Knight, corps OF
engineers; Mayor Charles Shafer,
ordinance department; Major Albert
Cummins, artillery corps; Major B.
J. Randolph, artillery corps; John II
Freeman, mechanical engineer, and
civilian member Of board; Captain
R. p. Davis, artillery corps, recorder
of the board. The eight.ipch gnns
of which there are two in the fort
we're first tested. The first shot
went off at 1l.3O o'clock yesterday
morning and not hitch resulted.
A proiectllc weighing 300 pounds
Charged with brown prismatic and
smokeless powder, was used. and
the concussion was terrific. The
roar of the gun could bc heard in
this city, aud no little damage was
done to the houses near the fort and
In Delaware City.
Captains Morris and kephart were
IN charge Of the firing squads, and
the quickness of the men in making
ready for the test was commented
on. The rapidity tests were under
strict surveillance, and watches were
held while these tests were going on.
The firing squads duty consisted in
going to the am munition room. put
ting projectiic on the electric hoist
sending it up, to the men at the gun
who put the shell into the gun.
When the order was given to tire,
the gun cap was touched and off
went the projcctIe to the river. The
exact time OF each shot considered
with the preparations, was one
minute and fourteen seconds. There
were lat pounds of powder used in
each OF these projeetiles. The speed
firing was CT the greatest import.
ance, and in the opinion of members
of the board, this test was very salts
factory. There were thirteen shots
fired for speed tests from the disap.
pearing guus.
After a few shots we're fired, sand
was poured upon the slide upon
which the gun moves in recoiling
from firing, but in did no damage to
the gun and did not interfere with
its operation. This experiment was
also satisfactory. Thetests for speed
were only made with the disappear.
ing guns, and each test pleased the
government board. as the members
made no inimical remarks. The
facilities for handling the gun also
came in for inspection aud were
found to be tirst.cass.
The tests Of the twe!ve-inch guns
then began. These guns are known
as the barbetle type, and are station
airy. They project out over the stone
abutments, and are immense in size,
and during the entire progress OF
fire the gun is fully exposed above
the emplace cements. The first shot
fired from the gun was sent towards
the target with but slight elevation
but tie succeeding shots had an
elevation Of several feet. The pro-
jectile used in this gun weighed 1000
pounds, and was charged with PAT
pounds OF smokeless powder. Twelve
shots were fired and each shot cost
about $500 kapidity tests Of clean
ing out the gun, and filling it with
shell we're made in three minutes
and fourteen seconds. The steel pro-
jectile contained in the shell weighed
1000 pounds. and when 1T struck
the water sprays werescnt up in air
a distance OF several hundred feet.
The echoes from these shots were
tremendous, and could be heard for
several minutes after the shell struck
the water.
The technical comparison to deter
mine he advantages and disadvan.
tages Of the better typc OF gun and
the disappearing guns is not wholly
solved and will not he until the board
makes its report 10 Washington, al.
though tine officials said yesterday
that both tyre Of guns gave entire
satisfaction.