The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-09
THE NEW COAST DEFENCE GUN
~ Mon RIFLE ADOPTED AS THE
MAXIMUM CALIBRE.
The N Inch Gun to re rs It's
Life IL only 90 ROdn's The New Gun
MIH weigh Less. and VIII Have Less
Velocity, but WIN BE More Powerful.

HfiAOIlfEA o 4 v ~
i,crerencc to the ~ inch rife hitherto
.ac,tly adopted al the maximum calibr
Tor the United States AMY. The new gun
will strike a heavier blow. although the
proiectile will have less velocity, weigh
less, use less powder and cost less than the
high power ~ inch rife, This decision
il most impotta mt az It marks the
tnent by the United States OF the prevailing
theory of high veiocitiee. 4 or ten years,
with the introduction of new and more
powerful powder, the ordnance experts
all over the world have striven for greater
velocity and have been checked from time
to time because Of the possibilities which
became apparent "a they went along OF
bursting the u Put the velocity has
been increased steadilD and wonderful high
power guns ha, e. been produced; but in
attaining this end the experts continually
limited the life of the gun.
In the case OF the American army the life
Of a II inch gun Of the model Of 1900 Ia down
to sixty rounds. The details OF the new
gun which has been adopted by the Bureau
Of Ordnance we're made puolic to-day in the
report Of Gen. Wiilam Crozier, chief Of the
bureau. Ihe~san. is admittedly not a new
type, nor are there any secret, features OF
, il, but the important fact is that the chase
for velocity has ceased in this country. In
this respect the American experts are the
first to adopt the departure. for the war
departments and navy departments OF
other countries continue TO strive Tor higher
velocity.
Perhaps more important still Ia the posi-
bility that the new IL inch gun, or something
very similar to it and built on the same
= in l.. s-s-nJ,,aaI into fha FaVv
maybe ON the new ships which are being
planned by the Bureau of Construction and
Repairs OF the Navy Department.
The General Board of the Navy will take
up the question and give il consideration.
Gen. Crozier's theory seems to fit the needs
OF the navy very well. II will give the ships
runs OF more offensive power, but at the
same time they will be lighter than the
present IL inch guns, and Will have a life
Four times "a long
In building the Dreadnought, which
ALWAYS comes In for consideration whenever
big fighting craft is discussed, the English
rave put in IL inch guns OF great velocity.
The Navy Department has made plans for a
shin carving twelve IL inch guns, and
another design has been prepared for a bat
tleship carving ten rifles OF the same cali
bre. Either Of the vessels would be OF
greater power than the D~readnought, but
IN Gen. Crozier's theory in correct. and there
IN ITO hOlADN III NV AAhAANI ~
the army that il is, the use OF the IL inch
rifles instead of the IL inch would make the
new American battleships much more pow
erful than they will be under the present
nIans. and consequently q very much more
powerful fighter than the D~readnought Or
any other ba~ttleship. The decrease In the
weight Of armament would likewise give
the opportunity for more armor without
making a change in the displacement.
The design OF the new IA inch u has
been prepared, but none Of the type are
being laid. Gen. CrozieT has, however,
incorporated in his annual estimates TO
he submitted To Congress items for the con-
, struction Of the new type. The Taft board
on coast and harbor defence has RECON-
mended the use Of the new gun.
The only disadvantage OF the new typ
il that the trajectory or course the pro-
iectiIe will take from the muzzle 10 the
mark will, on account of the reduced We
locity and less length Of the muZzle, be
somewhat more curved than with the II
inch rife. The nearer level the trajectory
il the more accurate the firing: As far
as the use Of the gun for coast defence Is
concerned this detail will make no differ
ence, and it is doubtful il this disadvantage
will be sufficiently material, when the gun
il used on board ship. to offset all or the
other advantage.
Il would naturally seem that a IA inch
gun would weigh considerably more than
the II inch tyne, but because Of the de-
creased velocity this isn't the case, and As a
matter OF fact the larger calibre will weigh
considerable less. Because OF the decrease
in velocity and the consequent lessening
OF the powder charge the muzZle Of the gun
will be- shorter. The smaller charge like
wise involves a less diameter OF the powder
chamber and a less exterior diameter of
the gun over the breech. Thus the weight
il actually lessened, and because Of the
lower maximum pressure, also due TO de-
creased powder charge, all the strength
needed can be obtained without the use
OF the most expensive steel, as ~ now the
case.
Gen. Crozier points out in his report that
the life of the present type Of II inch gun,
having a velocity OF $500 per second, is
only so rounds. In action the gun would
be fired about forty-fve times an hour.
thus making the limit OF life. on account
OF the erosion or wearing away OF the rif1ing,
less than an hour and a half. lt is agreed
that q feet entering a haroor would take
two hours between the first and last vessel.
II this came true, the gun, before the en-
gagement was ever finished. would be out
Of commission In the use of the IL inch
gun the velocity may be lowered and the
life in rounds increased, but the penetration
power suffers to a great degree
While the projectile OF the II inch gun
will weigh more than that Of the IL inch.
and the charge will be less, the generation
power will be greater. A ~ inch projectile
will penetrate ~ inch Krupp armor at
500 yards and the II inch proJectile at
6sJuO ydIOSs kAV1 PS"OA
10 due 20 the lessened retarding influence
Of the air, which grows greater and greater
with increased velocity. Gen. Crozier ex-
plains this in his report as follows: m
The muzzle energy OF the IA inch pro-
jectile will be about fifteen per cent. greater
than that of the II inch, and because both
of it's lower velocity and it's greater weight
the retarding influence OF the air will be
much less on this projectile, so that the
gain OF energy will be in greater proportion
with each increment of range"
Gen. CrOzier says that the life OF the
gun before its accuracy should be i'm
paired would be about 24O rounds. The
cost OF a single round would be about $50
more with the IA inch than with the II inch,
the pTOjectile costing 500 more and the
powder $40 less.
Gen. Crozier also says in his report that
the United States army is now equipped for
the first time with absolutely modern arms
and is in better condition for war than ever
before. The troops now have tho new
rifles. the best gun in the world in the
opinion Of the army ordnance officers, and
the ordnance department has perfected
a new bullet, which. although weighing
hut $50 grains, against 22O grains. the weight
Of the present projectile, has a muzzle
velocity OF 800 feet a second more than
the present service ballet and consequently
a greater penetration power.