Year: 1861




of tie most scientific mechanics of the country
have directed their attention to the improve
ment Of artillery. We find in late number of
the Utica q. Y Herald lengthy descriT-
tion Of a gun. invented BY a Mr. Geo. II.
Ferris of thai place. which is claimed to be
superior to any now in use. He has submitted
bis model 10 many military men and practical
mechanics, and every examiner has given it his
approval. Measures have been taken TO build
a large grn upon the principle, TO test its prac-
ticaI efficiency, as a preliminary to its use by
the Government.


The gun is constructed TO use a much larger
quantity of powder, in proportion to the
weight of the ball, than has heretofore been
used. In recent experiments with the great
Union gun, the powder Of the charge was
about one>tenlh the weight of the ball. In
the case of The Whitworth gun, the ratio of
powder to the ball is from one-seventh TO one
eighth; and for small arms, the regular cartridge
contains a litle more than one-Glth the balls
weight of powder. Mr.. Ferris proposes to re-
verse all this. ard 0 use powder not only equaI.
but nearly double the weight of the ball. If
this can be safely done, of course a vast in
crease # power. and consequently Of velocity
and desirnctive1ess, will be secured 1t is
claimed that thus a hundred pound ball or
shell can be accurately thrown a distance of
ten miles Strength therefore, is essential to
resist the internal pressure. and this is secured
by the mode of construction The core Or
heart Of the gun is Of wrought iron LAYERS or
washers welded together This core is encased
in rings Of wrought iron or s'eel. turned to me
chanical accuracy. and several coatings OF
these rings one about the other, may be added.
While this arrangement secures great strength.
the rings may be detached and the gun rem
dercd portable The gun is loaded at he
breech by an improved device, and the ball is
also new invention. The advantages Of This
gun over all others are thus summed up by the
inventor,


l. 1t will throw loo b. shot or shell, when
properly loaded. zen miles


. Being constructed in part Of fabricated
rings, which may be detached by the same in
genious arrangement with which they were
placed upon the gun, the weight Of the core
is reduced to "A portable SIZE.


3. The bseech ol the cannon can also be
detached in w minutes, aud the "swew
punger quickly separated from that, and
the whole gun, thus taken apart, becomes
portable.


4. This cannon is constructed 10 use, with
perfect safety. nearly four times he quantity
OF powder (in proportion to the weight of the
prnectile) ever used before either in this coun
try or in Europe Thus, if the weight Of the
shot or shell was 200 lbs the amount of pow
der burned in the chamber" would be nearly
200 Tbs and the gun is 50 constructed aud the
charge i so igniled N the center. as to insure
the fall amount of force to be expended upon
the ball or shell at the exact instant


.. The charge being placed in the chamber
is secured by cylindrical steel plates attached
to the end Of the ''plunger," which is driven to
lis place by double threaded screw passing
through the e brcech-chest" J" and the chamber
of the gun is cleaned at each discharge and
all leakage of gas prevented


6. These "steel pl,tes" are separately Sc
cured to plug" on the end of the pungel."
and can not only be cbaged if one fails but
the whole set can instantly be detached and
carried off rendering the gun entirely useless
in the hands of an enemy.


+ The ball is also a new invention. 1t is
cast iron, with lead band cast around it in
such manner as to prevent its flying off the
under side of the lead filing longitudinal bcv-
elled Stats in the ball 1t has also grove for
ward Of the lead covering. with holes in the
bottom running to the center, and these inter
secting one from the base of the ball. which
receiving the heat of the burning powder
forces lubricaed cloth band covering land
filing the groove) against the inner surface of
the cannon, and thoroughly cleans and ubrr-
Gates it after each discharge. By this perfect
lubricaiion lone of the great desideratums so
long songht forl the ball can be mHch more
sugged than heretofore without " leading the
barrel and much greater force obtained.


An individual called upon a jeweller in
Montreal, and stated that he had managed to
accumulate