The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-28
GUNS FOR WAR VESSELS
REPORT OF CHIEF O'NEILL, OF THE
NAVAL ORDNANCE BUREAU.
Work of the WashiB gton Navy Yards
Gun Shop-ShelI that Is Wis.,
ible at Night,

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27.-Admiral O'Neill,
chief of the Naval Bureau Ordnance De-
partment. in his annual report made public
to-day says that the bureau will ask for
SIS .076 next year, of which amount s10,-
100000 Is to be devoted to arms and arma-
msnt for the new warships. The gunshop,
az the Washington navy-yard during the
past year turned out ga guns, prepared
sets of forgings for 146 more and has
sixty-fve in course of manufacture. The
bureau is preparing a new type of three
inch gun, fifty-caliber in length, of a semi
automatic character, to replace all guns of
this size now in use In the navy. Admiral
O'Neill says that for the first time in years
the manufacture of armor has progressed
In a satisfactory manner. Six hundred
and twelve tons were delivered at the vari-
Gus shipyards during the year. with pros
poets of largely increasing the deliveries.
No Improvement worth speaking of
seems to have been made in the quality
of armor of late. Guns, powder and projec-
tiles have each made a decided advance,
rendering 1t all the more necessary that
there should be an Improvement in the
quality of the armor. but none seems to
be in sight at present. Recently the ar
NOR manufacturers voluntarily made re-
duction OF 10 shillings per ton on the royal
ty for the Krupp process.
With the exception of ignition and shell
powder. no black or other than smokeless
powder has been purchased or manufac-
tured for the navy since the Spanish
American war. All new ships beginning
with the kearsarge and Kentucky have
been supplied with outfits of smokeless
powder. and, in addition, some thirty older
vessels have been thus supplied.
The manufacture OF smokeless powder
during the past year has progressed in a
satisfactory manner. so far as quality is
concerned, but not so much as to the
amount delivered. So far as the stability
of the smokeless powder is concerned, the
results OF the years work have been of
the most satisfactory character and with
few exceptions the ballistic qualities of the
powder have remained unchanged A novel
experiment is now under way. of which the
purpose OF indicating any injurious change
that may take place In smokeless powder
by Incorporating into Ii fugitive colorfng
matter, such as rOsanalnine.
The most interesting event during the
year In connection with projectiles Is the
development OF a new type OF shell, COM
piercing with the common shell; that is.
having the perforating power of the regular
armOr-piercing pr0jectile with the capacity
for a large bursting charge. The require
ments for these shells on test are that at a
prescribed velocity they shall completely
srmor. a caiibre in thickness. and then be
in condition for effective bursting. A num-
Der OF shells of this description have been
ordered. and the first three lots have sue
cessfuiiy passed the requirements. These
shells are fitted with soft caps.
novel device tried during the year was
the tracer" which renders a shell visible
during the night by the gunners. but invisi-
bic to the persons at the target. this being
accomplished by the insertion of burning
composition IN the base OF the shell.
The use OF electric power for handling
guns and turrets is unqualihedly Endorsed
as better than any other systems.
Admiral O'Ncill finds that the best way
to illustrate the tremendous development
of artillery in late years is to cite two cases,
that OF the 6-inch gun and the 12-inch gun.
The former used TO weigh only 4.S tons. was
only 30 calibres in length. with muzzle
energy of Alb foot-tons, and a practicable
rate OF fire of "a aimed shots per minute
The new type Is 50 calibres in length. uses
smokeiess powder. weighs eight tons. can
be fired eight times per minute and has a
muzzle energy OF 5.Ss6 foot-tons. In other
words, IL Il 600 per cent more powerful than
the old gun The f2-inch gun shows an in
crease In energy over the old gun OF ISL.
per cent. Admiral O'Neill says that nc
such rate OF increase is looked for In the
near future
batteries OF the older ships. and IL Is said
that new batteries will be placed on the
baltimore, the Nav York. the Newark and
the Albany. IL II recommended that the
Philadelphia be given new battery OF
6-Inch guns, which would make her ut FOL
considering the feasibility of replacing the
present turrets OF the Oregon, Indiana and
Massachusetts, with rev elfptical balanced
turrets adding materially 10 their efficiency
The differences in the naval board OF
construction over the question as u