New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-21
ARE OUR GREAT GUNS sAFE'
Smokeless Powder and the Built Up Type Of
Ordnance Distrusted.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Owing 70 the recent explosion OF two guns
on board the United States battleship Iowa atten-
ten has been called 70 naval ordnance. and experts
express grave fears concerning the condition or all
our navy
An attempt has been made 20 lay the blame for
the catastrophe upon the powder. the cRin ad-
vanced being that smokeless powder is erratio and
dangerous in its expansive results. Even ~ this
theory was supported by facts II would not dimin-
ish the misfortune revealed by the Iowa's disas-
ter The navy to-day j. supplied with the same
kind Of powder that blew OF the cupboard half OF
the Iova'S guns. and the navy ships are armed
with guns exactly similar n construction 10 those
that burst with such frlghUul results.
PnreutheticalIy ] may add that the army guns
are also untrastwofthy. They are not 50 well made
as are the guns OF the navy. and are therefore.
less capable = vfthstarCing the stress put upon
them b,- The sr~okeless powder generally sup
piled 10 our coast artillery. II the navy guns blew
or a. the muzzle from The abnormal and excessive
-essures produced by this kind OF powder the army
guns vii follow their example soon as they have
had q nttle practical il Will be remembered
that two wears ago IN, annual report 81 coast ar
tlIery target practice. officially seat 10 Congress
hy the Army Ordnance Department. showed that
Curing a whole year only guns had been fred
with seryi-a charges. and only one such shot had
been hred from each Of these two guns.
The serious danger that confronts both the navy
and the array s the fact that the guns now IN use
in ships and in our forts cannot be trusted 20
be fired with service charges OF the only powder
that Is supplied Tor their
Is 90 be expected. even hoped, that our
sealnen and arti.erymen viii be able 20 serve such
guns ir time Of with the courage and skill
thar they would show u they were absolutely sure
that their own pieces would not msngle them? u
Is well known that who would charge
upon enemy With reckless bravery are democrat
tied and psuIcstricken when assailed by danger
coming from their own side Therefore, besides the
strong probability that many Of our guns. in battle
win explode after few shots and thereby become
useless obliged TO face the Generalization
az our crews. These dangers Vital tn
the question % national defence that they
need only be stated 20 be understood and appre-
cated
The Naval Bureau % Ordnance has done a mag
nihoent work i has developed the type OF qua
now mounted aboard ships 10 TIE highest de-
gree Of efficiency OF which 81 IS capable The
. bureau has also invented and perimented with
the smokeless powder now used IN both the navy
and army until il has secured admirable results
Consequently the muKzle velocity and the muzzis
energy o. or navy guns have not been edualled
by those obtained from the gums OF any other ma
ton IN the world. Why. then should We not be
satisfied -
navy service powder. s able ~ give its projeciile
very high velocity. this result has been secured
The built u gun consists Of a central tube. upon
which shrink jackets or hoops Tor the purpose
OF giving addit4cn@l resistance 10 ne uIsOhs
strain Of tie powder chant The OLD s':Ie OF
rTessSra Vas T,l,cE greats- in fhe chamber than
at any other point in the bore. As the pro)ecil.e
force OF lis gas and Iecessariy. the greater the
the pressure 70 the square inch uIoh the SUE Ia
out the pressure was q mere fraction OF VIVA. ~
nrst ignited u was possible, therefore. 70 80 ~,
struct a safe bui!t-up gun. The heavy JACK JACK
was located 80 strengthened the breech a. 70
permit @ chamber pressure as hgh as 3d. i, or
. sionsI sbofs r.1cbt he ared from new gun with
pressure Of % 600 pounds 20 the square men
The service pressure OF IS 90 pounds gives a muzze
velocity Of about 200 foot seconds.
The advent Of smoksless powder made great
difference 20 tie gun. II was not safe TO increase
fact that the new explosive burned slowly enabled
ne charge 20 continue me pIoeq i 1' % b5r.
toward the muzzle Consequently the pressure, IN
high figure The effect was 20 give the projecuIe
Increased muEEle velocity. Without a material ~.
llrt1 . y9i,zzls ,ei5city % 2 OoD foot seconds
obtained ga navy guns up 10 a calibre OF seNen
inches. while guns 81 S-inch 20 and ~ mgr callDI7
Il was right here that The trouble began II was
possible 10 reinforce INC breech SI the pun. ~
gun with a ponderous Jacket hurncleht 10 VIZ q
stand the terrific pressure IN oe The su cum
49,. - .,Ny,,o t.-grh ,Tbe new rovder Was
gradually improved that The high pressure Wa
tGDs w. 1900 st-eTgfb In lie case 81 The two
Guns nurse aboard tn Iowa this tube had held
out FOR about one hundred shots. though probably
most 81 the hundred credited 10 these two pieces
were fired with the old fashioned powder; hui
within the last year the use Of the latter
has been wholly discontinued. and the modern
and the terrible srnokeless powder has been az
work With every shot Aired from the weakened
gums their resisting power has diminished uitl
We are suddenly startled by their terrific explosion
and destruction
Thence arises the spectre which. nov looms up
before every ordnance expert IN this country
Is any gun IN the United States Army OF NAVY
in nj condition 10 enter into battleg
ORDNANCE EXPERT
New-York Feb. u. 1914
,.-1,zn-.r a. Nsgn IEIM