The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

XXVII.—EARLIER TYPES OF NAVAL GUNS. WE have seen that tbe manufacture of ordnance was recominenced at Creusot about 1870, af ter an interval of three-quarters of a Century, and that five years later, it had passée! from an experimental stage, to a depart- mental industry. The guns made at that comparatively recent period—and during the ten years following—belong to the types not, indeed, obsolete to-day, but antiquated, and not adapted to the best conditions of modern warfare. The wonderful display of naval and other guns made by Mr. Canet at the Paris Exhibition of 1889 was one of the first, and certainly the best, illustrations of the great change in gun design and construction that had been inaugurated four or five years before, and which has been continuée! on the same lines since that time. The most important result has been the development of the quick-firing gun, which, at first made only of small calibres, has been now inereased to the rank of an armour- piercing weapon, and occupies a first place in naval armament. With this change came the necessity for longer range and flatter trajectory of projectile—demands that could be met only by modifications in design and greatly increased length of bore, together with the use of a more suitable explosive than the black or brown powders in ail their great varieties. The modem naval gun is therefore a very diflerent weapon to-day to that of fifteen years ago, and examples of the different types made by Messrs. Schneider and Co. on the most recent lines will be given. But it will be convenient first to describe briefiy some of the more important earlier types, which are still being manufactured by Messrs. Schneider to fill Orders they receive from varions Governments who continue to use such guns, either for the sake of economy or to maintain uniformity in their armament. These descriptions and | illustrations will indicate to a large extent the progress made in the construction of naval guns, not of quick-firing natures. The charges for naval guns of the earlier kinds were of black or brown powder and of the varions qualities to be described hereafter ; projectiles of all the different types may be fired from them. The projectiles fired from such guns consistée! generally of the following classes : Steel armour-piercing shell. Cast-iron common shell. Shrapnel. Steel shrapnel were not usually included, but for attacking batteries in action, shells eontaining cast-iron rings or sliot were used. The guns were generally fired with 9 millimétrés (.354 in.) percussion tubes. 75-Millimetre (2.95210.) Gun, on Boat Mounting. Type 1886 (Fig. 594).—Guns of this type have been delivered to the Portuguese Government for the gunboats Cacongo and Massabi. Weightofgun 100 kg. 220 Ib. ,, mounting 400 kg. 880 Ib. ,, shield ... 110 kg. 2421b. ,, projectile 4.6 kg. 10.21b. ,, charge (black powder) .45 kg. .99 Ib. Muzzle velocity 260 m. 835 ft. Firing pressure 990 kg. 5.8 tons per sq. in. The breech mechanism consists of the breech-piece, the obturator, and the striker. The breech-block is made with an interrupted screw, having three threaded parts and three interruptions : it is Fig. 594. 75-Millimetre Gun and Boat Carnage. carried by a hinged ring. The obturator consists of a plastic ring placed between the movable head of the breech- block and the front end of the breech-screw. The gun is fired by a percusssion bolt, the striker acting only when the breech is completely closed, so that danger of pré- maturé fire is entirely done away with. The breech is opened or closed by means of a lever fitted with a cam ; when the gun is ready for firing, the cam enters a mortice so as to prevent all accidentai opening of the breech-piece. The mounting consists of a bolster, a traversing platform, and a gun-carrying frame. The bolster carries the roller path, and is fixed to the ship’s deck. The traversing plat- form is fitted to the bolster, and rests on the roller path. The frame consists of two cheeks which carry the gun and pivot round a centre on the platform ; on these cheeks are fixed the recoil brake and the cylinder-rod for replacing the gun in position.