BIG GUNS.
Major-Geueral Maitland, in roply- : ing for the army at tho annual dinner ■ ■ of tho foremen engineers at London ■ recoutly, said that 50 years ago, when the Queen came'to tho throne, the heaviest gun cost Ll5O, and tho round . . about 80s. The heaviest gun now cost L 20,000, and each round nearly 'I L2OO. A 22-ton gun designed by him- ' , self, and made <it the Eoyal Guu Factory, had been lired at Shooburyness ; to determine the. ballistic data, the trajectory,'resistance of the air,and to ascertain the maximum rangos of ' bombardments. A shot of 8801bs wAfired with a velocity of 2800 ft , of 21,000 yards, which was just , twelve miles. It would be seon that long ranges wero a very sor,ous thing. A warship might bom- >-. bard a seaport or watering place, and yet, owing to the curvature of the ', . earth, not bo seen. He was told that ■ . the French turned out 1800 magazine arms per day. We have just got the pattern pretty well settled, and if tlicro was nothing wrong with it tho weapon would be in tho hands of tho troops in .7 ■ a few days, and that would bo a step in advance. Tho rifle might be loaded eight times in a few seconds, and would be most useful in preventing a rush. .
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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2961, 27 July 1888, Page 3
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217BIG GUNS. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2961, 27 July 1888, Page 3
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