The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-11-27
OUTLINE: OF A NEW GUN
Designed to Be the Most Pow
erful In the World.
PIERCING POWER TO BE GREAT.

Twelve Inch Weapon of FOrty-fve
CnIiber Being Built by Admiral
O'Neil That VIII Surpass In Crush
ing Eject Amy Gum In Existence.
improvements I'm Armor Demanded.
Not content with the powerful ord
nance already in use and designed for
American men-of- war, Rear Admiral
O'Neil, chief of ordnance, is building
| a new gun, which will be superior in
crushing effect to any weapon in the
world, says the Washington Post. This
weapon will have a twelve inch bore
and will be 40 calibers in length. A
new eight inch gun of 10 caliber is also
in process of construction. These guns
are the types of weapons which will
be placed on the latest battleships Of
the navy.
| The twelve inch gun in service is 40
calibers in length and can send a shell
at a target at the rate of $500 feet per
second The new gun is expected to
cover 5000 feet per second. As a re-
suit of this increased velocity the pen
etrating power of the projectile viii be
greatly increased.
| A gun of 45 calibers will weigh in the
neighborhood of ffty-five tons. and
there is danger that the muzzle will
droop on account Of lack Of support,
| This trouble will be obviated by the
use OF two tubes, one inside Of the 9th
err. and by means of hoops, which viii
extend almost to the muzzle Of the
gun. The employment of two tubes
instead of a single tube would appar
emily double the strength Of the weap-
on, but this is not the case, though
substantial increase of power is OBJ
| tanned
1t is expected that the gun will be
strong enough to stand pressures re-
sulting from the discharge of powder
of seventeen tons. The pressure now
fixed for twelve inch guns is sixteen
tons. With uncapped armor piercing
projectiles the present twelve inch gun
can peSforate a Krupp plate 1868
1
ter away With a capped projectile
plate more than sixteen inches in thick
ness can be perforated at the same dis
lance. With the proposed twelve inch
gun plates Of even greater thickness
viii not be able to resist the projectiles
it discharges against them.
The new eight inch gun will also
have a double tube and will be hoped
to the end. 1t will be 10 calibers and
give 5000 feet velocity. It's penetrat-
ing powers will be greater than those
of the present gun.
/ The improvement of the gun win
cause the navy department to demand
better arnor of the armor manufac-
turers At the present time the armor
manufacturers furnish plates for test
which are passed provided they with.
stand the impact Of three uncapped
armor piercing projectiles Of a caliber
proportionate to the thickness of the
target.
In the specifications for the armor Of
the projected battleships and armored
cruisers the navy department will in
sist that the arInor be required to with
stand without cracking the impact of
three capped armor piercing proiecriles
The caps placed on projectiles are of
soft steel, which fuzes when the target
is struck, and acts as lubricant. They
are in use in foreign service and will
be employed by the next enemy of the
United States. With capped projectiles
an increased thickness Of from Is to
% Per cent Of armor may be perforated
1t is therefore desirable that the United
States should protect it's vessels with
armor capable Of turning capped as
well as uncapped Shells