The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20
nv pn,1Lp A1GER U. 8 y.

By PHILIP r. ALGER- u. 8. n.
WRITTEN FOR TIE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
An interesting subject I. opened by tht
Investigations into the lifetime OF greai
modern guns, and one about which verJ
erroneous ideas are prevalent.
A few years ago the reported failures OF
the l90-ton guns made by Krupp for 1.aly
IS we'll as OF certain rival guns OF even
greater size. made by Sir William Arm
strong & Co.. gave rise to exaggerated
idea Of the self-destructive effects OF
modern. guns
Even experts were quoted in support o!
the widely accepted opinion that the use
fuines5 Of such monster guns would no:
outiive single battle
Improved methods OF construction. and
above all improved materials OF consti uc-
tion, have largely removed the causes OF
the failures upon which the general belief
in the ephAmeral life Of modern guns WAS
founded, but even authoritative contradic-
tons have thus far failed TO destroy this
belief of the popular mind.
A brief review Of the causes OF the de-
strucdon. or rather deterioration. OF guns
under the effects of repeated firings, will.
It may be hoped, lead to a more correct
knowledge OF the truth on this subject
and replace present doubts by. confidence
in the permanence and stability of the
weapons upon which the national defence
depends.
The cast iron smooth bore guns with
which our ships and coast defences were
almost exclusively armed twenty years
ago. only differed from those which armed
the Spanish Armada or those with which
Nelson's ships whipped the French By
being larser and somewhat stronger.
The latter advantage was obtained by a
better distribution Of the metal to with
stand the firing strains and by tho su-
perior quality Of American cast iron.
Long experience and many tests had de-
term!ned the lifetime OF such guns.
WEARING ACTION OF GASES.
They seldom or never burst, but slowly
deteriorated under the wearing action of
the powder gases which escaped through
the vent and past the projectiie
After 400 or go rounds it was custom
ary to plug up the vent. which by that
time would be much enlarged. and TO bore
q new one.
would be considered used up and would be
replaced
The bore, OF course. was also eroded and
enlarged. but the increased windage of
accuracy Of fire at the short ranges than
necessary for effective gun fire
The idea that 1t might be necessary to
replace O ships gun by new ones as the
one or in any number Of battles probably
never entered amy ones head.
With the advent OF rifed cannon, whose
nrst modern appearance was on French
and English ships during the Crimean
War. came an era Of short-lfved guns
whose commonest end was by bursting.
often with disastrous effects.
Tho increased strains caused By the
heavier projectiIes of rined guns were too
much for the strength Of materials which
had served well enough for smooth bcres,
and. moreover. time and experience were
necessary before good system Of con-
etruct3on could he developed.
Our own attempts 10 apply the rife
principle to cast-iron guns were more than
usually unfortunate, . large number of
the Parrot mczxle leaders. the only riffed
gun introduced into our navy during the
Civil War. bursting in service, with much
resultant loss o. life.
PERFEcTTNG THE TUBES.
It took many years TO overcome all the
dif1cuities which attended the use Of the
fife principle and brcechloading. but
finally they were all overcome, and At a