THE NEW WHITWORTH GUN.

Evening Star, Issue 3103, 29 January 1873, Page 2

THE NEW WHITWORTH GUN.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIMENTS.

Experiments were made recently on the sands near Southport, with a new bfeechloading ninq pounder rifle gun, made by Sir Joseph Whitworth and Co. The weight of the gun is eight and three-quarters hundredweight. and of the carriage ten cwt. Both gun and carriage are made of the fluid compressed steel, commonly called “ Whitworth metal.” Instead of trying to hammer cast steel into its required solidity, Sir Joseph Whitworth’s method is to subject the molten metal in its fluid conditiou to hydraulic pressure, to get rid of particles of air commonly remaining in cast steel. Having obtained a perfectly ductile material many times stronger than iron, Sir Joseph W hitworth is enabled to enlarge with safety the powder chamber of bis guns. The experiments commenced with five rounds of common shell, 91b weight, at an elevation of three degrees, and with a powder charge of 2ilbs The longest range effected was 2,030 yards, and the shortest 1,860 yards, and deflections varying from one foot to eight feet. This was followed by the firing of ten rounds of common 91b shells at an elevation of 10 degrees, and a powder charge of 2|!bs. The longest range effected was 4,368 yards, and the shortest 4,251 yards, with deflections chiefly to the left, varying from 1| yards to 6 yards. Ten rounds of solid shot were fired at an eleva ion of 49 degrees, with a charge of 2|lbs. of powder, when the extraordinary range of 10,320 yards was made with a deflection of only 41 feet. Every one of the shots was projected upwards of 10,000 yards One of the most interesting experiments was made to show the strength of the metal. A cylinder, similar in every respect to the breech-end of a nine-pounder muzzle-loading gim cut off at the trunnion, was loaded with 14lb. of powder, the charge being screwed into the chamber by means of a powerful steel screw, thoroughly well lubricated, and through the centre of which a hole one-temh of an inch in diameter was ma de to permit th.e escape of the ga-'. The visitors all stood at a reasonable distance whilst the cylinder was discharged, and when fired it produced a strange rushing sound, more resembling the noise occasioned by ihe sudden discharge of steam from an engine than an explosion of gunpowder. The cylinder was thrown forward several feet, and the sand was blackened for many yards by the escape of gas j but when unscrewed the cylinder was uninjured; and, strange to say, two rings of fat which had be n placed in the chamber were not melted. The only result was the widening of the vent to exactly double its original diameter. At an elevation of three decrees the results were: —1,928 yards, no deflection; 1,911 yards, deflection one foot to the left; 2,030 yards, deflection three feet to the left; 1,860 yards, deflection one foot to the right; 1,925 yards, deflection eight feet to the right. A steel target, three inches thick, was then fixed in a sand bank 1 0 yards from the muzzle of the gun and at an angle of 45 degrees. The charge of powder was 2flbs, and the projectile shells, without bursting charges, of 91bs weight. The first shot bit the target obliquely. The second passed over it through a sandhill, and was found in a pool of water 150 yards off. The bullet was again placed in the gun and fired at the same range, when it passed right through the target, buried itself in the sand, and could not be felt when probed for at a depth of three feet. There was an experiment to show the effect of Pettiman’a concussion fuses intended to burst on the shell grazing the ground. The ten rounds of shrapnell were fired, the first at a range of 200 yards. The result was not satisfactory, owning to the softness of the sand iu which the shell became em-r bedded. Fve shots were fired in 50 seconds, 15 rounds were fired in 3 minutes 36 seconds, including a loss of 34 seconds from tubes missing fire. The gun was next fired at an elevation of two degrees, and ten shots were fired in 1 minute 43 seconds, or at the rats of about six to a minute. Then followed 10 rounds of case or cannister shot fired at a target of 28ft by 9iu., the object being to show the destructive effects of the gun and the projectiles. The range was 200 yards, and the number of hits obtained with the scattered shot on the target was 226.