Bursting of a Forty -three-Ton Gun.
The Collingwood, new barbette shin, ■went out of Forcemouth harbour on May 4th for a trial of her guns and machinery. The proceedings went on satisfactorily for some time. The right 43-ton gun in the after barbette was fired satisfactorily m ich common shell, but when the left gun was £red, the peculiar sound which followed the explosion indicated that something had gone wrong, and it was almost immediately ascertained that the gun had buret eight ieet from the muzzle. Fortunately no one ■was hurt, but one of the iron doors of the superstructure behind the barbette wa3 so shaken as to break off one of the heavy bolt iastenings. Cocoa powder was u&ed, and the charge was what is known as a threequarted one, consisting of 221£1b. of powder. It had been intended to carry out other trials with the 6 inch quick firing and anachine guns, but in consequence of the accident the experiments were abandoned and the vessel returned to Spithead. The gun which exploded is one of the new type of patent breech-loaders which lias met •with co much favour in official circles, and Tvith which the new ships of the navy and the Spithead and other forts and coast defences are being armed.
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Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 4
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214Bursting of a Forty -three-Ton Gun. Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 4
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