Year: 1864

Mr.. Wilson H. Smith of Derby, was made
by order Of the Navy Department few
days since, at Derby in this State. This
trial was the concluding one of a series,
and was in all respects a most decided
success, both as regards the projectile and
the packing. As most of our readers are
familiar with the sub-caliber principle
we will not enter into lengthy explana-
tion of it, but will merely say, for the in
formation of those who are not familiar
with the subject, that the principle is
such that, by means of a jacket or case, it
is rendered possible to fire bolt of less
diameter than the caliber of the gun,
thus Tightening the shot, aud giving with
the same charge of powder immensely
greater penetrating power, and conse-
quently much greater range, with less
strain upon the walls of the gun. The
tria! was made from a l00-pound Rodman
rife. which has been mounted at Derby,
for the purpose of these trials.


The target was placed one quarter of a
miie from the gun, and consisted of lam
mated iron plates four-and "a half inches
IN thickness bolted to backing of eight
inches of oak and four feet of hemlock.-
This target was three feet wide and four
feet in length Besides this target there
was screen of boards about eight feet
square, on which was painted bull eye
Sinches in diameter These two targets,
it will be borne in mind, were for two
different descriptions of projectiles the
wooden screen being fred at first with
common shell, in order to test the new
packing or sabot Five shells were fred
at an elevation of trife less than a half
adegree, three of which struck the eight
inch bulls eye one of the others was a.
bout two feet above in line, and the 9TH
er about three feet below, little on the
left. The extraordinary closeneSs of the
shooting showed that the packing must
have taken the grooves with the utmost
e1actitude, thus securing the great object
of all packing, the instantaneous and CON-
plete filing of the grooves, preventing
any loss of force By the escape of gas by
vindage, and securing the rotary mo-
tion TO the projectile which ensures its
correct fight.


Heretofore no packing has completely
attained all of these requirements, on sew
eral accounts, all of which are obviated
by this new mode of packing. Gu the
completion of the trial of the wooden tar
Get. FIVE sub -caliber shots were fred at the
iron taget at distance of one quarter of
mile, and the elevation Of the gun a half
degree. The first shot struck the tar
get about four inches above the bulls eye,
Fnd penetrated the target and the packing,
and buried itself in the hill side. The
second was attended with similar result.
The third fell short about three feet,
missing the target. The fourth and fifth
struck and pierced the target and back
Ing. tearing i IN pieces AM 11c-.trnving 1t
entirely. The projectiles used were steel
bolts, four and half inches in diameter
and about sixteen inches in length. fat
headed, and kept in place in the gun by
means Of sabot or jacket, the packing
of the bolt and case as fred was trihe
over sixty pounds for each shot, the charge
of powder being the regulation charge Of
ten pounds.


The penetrative force of this projectile
is suithout parallel in the history of pro
iectiles. On previous trial at the same
place with the same gun, at the same dis
tance and using the same charge of pow.
der. two of these steel bolts were fired at
and through target composed of eight
inches of laminated iron laipes, twelve
inches of oak backing, and four feet Of
hemlock timber The velocity was SC
immense that the bolt not only wen
through the whole mass, but the case
went through the eight inches of iron
and into the wood where the bolt left it
One other shot was fired at the same tar
get. rendering it useless for further trials
A few of these projectiles were made fol-
the large Ames gun which has been on tria
for so long time at Bridgeport, by Gen
Gilmore and s.af, and Commodore Hunt
This gun is by all odds the bes
which has ever been made, and OWNS
to the immense charges of pOwde
nsed in proportion to the size OF tn
gun. it has almost been an imposslblll
ty to get any projectile which woul'
bear the strain. Six of these projectlle
were fred from the gun with charge
ranging from twenty to thirty pounds o
powder, with the most decided success.


We understand that the extreme rang
Of these projectiles was seven miles and


quarter beyond the extreme range of an
other projectile fred from this gun. Tn
sub-caliber principle was discovered b
Mr.. Smith some years since, but it hs
only been possible by a long and cost
series of experiments to reduce it prat
teal use. That this has been successful
ly accomplished, the result of these tria
bear ample testimony. A company Ia
been formed fer the manufacture OF thi
projectile, under the title of the Bridgt
port Steel Projectile Company, with