The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

MOUNTING FOR 15-CENTIMETRE QUICK-FIRING GUN. 223 section, a plug, and a gland. The pistons are provided in front with a projection that forms a hydraulic buffer for automatic return, and end in the rear in a screwed part for fitting to the gun. The spring recuperator is independent of the brake, and consista of two series of spiral springs, which Lear on the housing, and work by traction on the rods fixed to the gun. Weight of gun... 6250 kg. 13,775 1b. „ central-pivoting mounting, with shield ... 7990 kg. 17,610 1b. Weight of muzzle-pivoting mounting 5650 kg. 12,452 1b. Elevation + 18 deg. + 18 deg. — 5.deg. — 5 deg. Weight of light armour-piercing pro- jectile... 40 kg. 88 1b. Weight of charge, stnokeless powder 13 kg. 281 1b. Muzzle velocity... 820 ni. 2690 ft. Weight of heavy armour-piercing pro- jectile ... 50 kg. 110 1b. Weight of charge, smokeless powder 12à kg. 27 1b. Muzzle velocity... 730 ni. 2395 1b. The central-pivoting mounting consists of a movable part, slide and transom, made to turn, by the interposition of rollers, on the bedplate fitted to the deck. A wrought- steel shield is fixed to the movable part, with elastic couplings. The gunner bears on the butt, and points the gun by acting on two handwheels, the right-hand one for elevating, and the left-hand one for training the gun. The muzzle-pivoting mounting consists of a movable part, slide and transom, made to turn round a front roller path fitted to the bedplate, and round a racer in the rear, bolted to the deck. The gun is also elevated and trained by means of two handwheels. The gun is set by a scale and a foresight fitted to the housing, and the angle is unaffected by the recoil. The muzzle-pivoting mounting has two lines of sight, one on the right and one on the left. For night service a breech-sight is added to the scale, and on the foresight a point, both being provided with a small incandescent lamp. The rays of light in the scale fall on silver foil, while the lamp, combined with the foresight, lights a crystal cône fitted to the end of the point. The amount of light is regulated by rhéostats placed on the accumulator eheste ; the lamp connected with the scale may be detached to be used in the same way as a hand-lamp. This closes the description of the Schneider-Canet longitudinal slide mountings ; a larger number of examples might be mentioned ; the types we have chosen will, however, suffice to illustrate the dass. To complets this review of quick-firing Schneider- Canet mountings, developed from the 1888 pattern, it is necessary to add that, from their first appearance in service, the guns and carriages gave pi'oofs of remark- able qualities as regards quick-firing and perfect work- ing of the varions parts. They were adopted for regulär service by varions Governments, for the arming of fleets and for coast defence works. At the present time, Orders are in course of completion in Messrs. Schneider and Co.’s works, for mountings differing from the earlier types in matters of detail only. It must be remarked, however, that the 1888 pattern, while fulfilling the conditions now demanded of quick- firing naval ordnance in current service, requires a slow and complicated process of manufacture which it is almost impossible to hurry, whatever be the power and complete- ness of the plant used. Besides, as ships are now built in a much shorter time than was the case ten years ago, their armament is wanted much more prornptly. To meet this particular difficulty, Messrs. Schneider and Co., shortly after the designing of the 1888 pattern, were led to consider in what manner they could modify their first designs, in order to reduce the time taken in building up the ordnance to a minimum. This has led to a simplifiée! type of mounting, which has been supplied with the most recent armaments they have executed, or have now in course of completion at their works.