Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
RICHMOND TIMES D1sPATCH SUNDAY. DECEMBER TO- 1922

Ch'r%cs are used. pressure and vc-
loc!ty are both considerable reduced
By placing the iyniting powder in
u core in the center OF the propcilInr
charge.
Becausc no two lots or smokelcss
powder come from the blcndcr alike,
the new policy OF the Ordnance Do
partment is to Issue powder from
only one lot to any one battery. un
der what is termed the 'one lot per
battery" plan.
Explosive Charges.
Artillery prOJcctilcs. as has been
seen. may lie gsouiSd in thrc. gem
"ral classes: % high explosive: q,
armor-picrcing. and go shrapucl -
complete. loaded projcctile uf-any OF
these classes consists usuiliy o: "a
loaded iuzc. booster and shell
, The bursting charge now used in
the ordinary high explosive shell Is
!. y. T.: ~ armor- piercing shells the
bursting charge consists az cxpiosiv.
ID tammonium picratcD. while tht
bursting ChaTEc used in shrapncl !.
black powder. Trench warfare. am
muh!tion. such as 3-inch stoke,
trench mortar SHELLS aud hand gre
radcs. are Loaded with mItro.starch
or amatol
boosters arc now ioadcd almost en-
tirely with totryl; while initiators
iuzes) are loaded with mercury
illuminate.
For example the ordinary i55-miii-
meter she'll consists usually Of =
point decorating fuzc loaded xiii
mercury illuminate Cthe iuitls,or): I;
booster charge OF tctryl, and 81 burst.
Ing charge OF z. y. T. THIS stcD-u.
system Of loading Involves both
amounts aud scnsitivcn.ss of the ma
terials used. the spit Of flame pro
duccd upon impact In the fuze IS
transmitted to IN" comparative.
small but highly sensitive dutonat-
Ing charge OF mercury frlmi,at. II,
the initiator. which upon explosion
initiates IL wR'F OF defamation in :,
larger amount of tho less sensitive
charge OF tetryl In the booster, which
In turn transmits the dctouatlon 10
the relatively large amount Of the
sim less sensitive m.in charge a.!
T. y. T.
Reasons for Employment.
The reasons why this advancement
Of explosives Is used In loading our
artillery proj"ctilcs arc. first. econ
omy: and. second. the relative scnsi-
,ivencss OF tho explosives used.
il armor-piercin2 projcctilos were
loaded with bursting charges of 7
y. r. the shells would explode upon
impact; whereas. on the other hand.
the same projectiles containing ex-
riosiva % rupture and pass entirely
through the armor plate unscatchec
and burst behind 10y action OF the
tctTyl in the booster.
Mercury fulninat has tho appear
ancc OF darl; gray sand. Tctryl looks
like corn meal. T. y. Z. resembles
light brown sugar: while explosive
- occurs in crystals Of ycllowish
orange and rcd colors
TIE INT used in ordinary she'll
loading is not pure trinitrotoluene.
containing oily Impurities. These oily
impurities after solidiication has
taken place cTNT is usually loaded
by melting tho explosive and pouring
it into the Sh.lD arc forced out
through the noSg %: tho shells. pro-
ducinr what is known as "eNUdaiiun."
When emulation has taken place the
effectiveness Or tho shells Is rcriously
impaired. Common glue used OH tho
screw threads OF The shells. however,
has hcrn found effective In preventing
oxidation. In no; climates cxuiaticn
is most extreme, and only the purest
grades Of INT can thus he used in
ammunition going To the tropics.
I'uHc~.
II has been said that fuzcs bear
tho same relation 10 artillery rs tho
balance wheel bears to tho mocha
nism OF Il watch. The efficiency ~
the gun crew. tho marvellous accur-
acy OF the ranging Instruments, pow
cr!ul and accurate guns and sricnti-
ncally designed ana constructed pro-
jcciil"s al" all futile without an Of
f"ctlvc system az artillery fuzcs. The
effectiveness OF modern artillery fire
is therefore measurable IN terms Of
final tuZo action.
Unlike design and construction Of
guns, gun carriages. fire control in
strumcntS. ctc.. where the scientific
application of natural laws can be
applied to produce tho desired re-
suits. the design aud construction Of
success ful artillery fuzcs is most diff
iicult because there arc SO many un-
known requirements TO be complied
u a e @ u Z y a 81 u III s. q
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