The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

322 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. derived from the use of the French smokeless powders : préservation of the guns, and their conséquent longer duration in service. Moreover, the difference in speed can be made good, by lengthening the gun by a few calibres, or by inereasing the charge, or better still, by combining both means. Diese explosives comprise a wliole series of distinct grades, for firing in all guns of all calibres. The following Table gives their classification (Figs. 1028 and 1029) : Machine gnns...............................................S 1 grade 47 mm. (1.850 in.) guns ... ... ... ... ... g 4 65 mm. (2.559 in.) „ ............................S 6 , 10 cm. (3.937 in.) ,, ............................g iq 138.6 mm. (5.456 in.) and 164.7 mm. ( 6.486 in.) gnns ... S 14 ,, 164.7 mm. (6.486 in.) „ 194 mm. ( 7.(537 in.) „ ... S 16 ” 240 mm. (9.449 in.) ,, 274.4 mm. (10.802 in.) ,, ... S 24 305 mm. ( 12 in.) „ 340 mm. (13.386 in.) „ ... S 30 The black and smokeless powders used in the manufacture of Schneider - Canet ammunition fulfil to a high degree all the conditions required of service powders. Ihsy hâve the benefit of the guarantees with which ail products manufacturée! in the French Govern- ment powder factories are surrounded. These factories have to keep the land and marine forces fully supplied, taking into account the most varied conditions as regards climats ; to obtain this, they liave at their disposai ail the funds and crédits required to keep their plant fully in a thorough condition of ad vancement. Figs. 1030 to 1033 show the standard forms of cases for holding cartridges and prismatic powder. Messrs. Schneider and Co. are therefore able to supply first dass ammunition to the countries who order war material of all description from them. Such advantages as those mentioned above would not be found in private powder factories, which have to dépend on the extent of their Orders to maintain a regulär output both as regards quality and quantity. EXPLOSIVE CHARGES. i.—Black Powder.—Armour-piercing shells, cast-iron Common shells, and the Shrapnel, which form part of the Schneider-Canet ammunition, contain explosive charges of black powder of special manufacture. This is made in fine irregulär grains; it is very quick burning, and developes in conséquence, and rapidly, a large volume of gas. It is supplied either in the shells, or in air-tiglit cases, in the shape of charges ready for insertion in projectiles. 2.—High Explosives.—For the destruction of certain classes of fiele! works, and for the attack of weak parts in protected ships, the Schneider-Canet guns are generally provided with shells of large capacity, loaded with more powerful explosives than black powder. Varions Govern- ments have adoptée! explosives of this dass, and have given them varions names; but all of them owe their main characteristics to the same series of substances, in which combinations of picric acid are largely resorted to. Among these explosives may be mentioned lyddite and roburite. These explosives have, so it would appear, con- sidérable destructive effeets, but their manufacture and manipulation require experience. Consequently, though they may be considered, in their present state, as sur- rounded with all the required conditions of safety when used in countries where special plant and trained men are at liand, they cannot well be used by those countries which, for many reasons, have not cared to go to the considérable expense of putting down plant for their manufacture, manipulation, and storage. Messrs. Schneider and Co. have endeavoured to produce an explosive which, while it is of the required quality as regards destructive power, does not demand any special measures of safety in manipulation and loacling. Their investigations and trials were directed to compounds which hithei'to had not been applied in military arts. Among the varions explosives made and tested by them, they have chosen one, known as “ Sclmeiderite.” Without entering into the énumération and proportion of the substances which it contains, the following claim for “Schneiderite ” may be stated : 1. Absence of picrate and chlorate compounds. 2. Absolute safety in all manipulations ; immunity from all accidents that would result with other explosives, from shocks or friction during firing, or through contact with other material. 3. Loacling of projectiles easily effeeted. 4. High capacity steel shells, with thin walls, loaded with “ Schneiderite,” possess considérable explosive power. Fig. 1037, Plate CLXVIIL, illustrâtes the bursting effeet of a “ Schneiderite ” free cartridge placed on a lead plate; and Fig. 1038, Plate CLXVIIL, the side of a bursting pit at the Hoc testing ground, after the explosion of a 47-millimetre cast-iron shell loaded with the same explosive. Smoke-engendering Powder.—The several considér- ations that rille in the designing of modern shrapnel shells, have led Messers. Schneider and Co. to perfect a powder which, though it be low in weight, may develope a cloud of gas sufficiently thick to insure visibility even at the greatest distances. In order to obtain this, they have carried out methodically a whole series of experiments, during which they noted carefully all the phenomena devcloped. Figs. 1034 to 1036, Plate CLXVIIL, are reproductions of the most interesting photographs taken. The smoke - engendering powder was placed in steel shrapnel shells, the explosive charge being fired electrically. After these experiments, which were carried out with varions kinds of substances, Messrs. Schneider and Co. adopted one compound they have styled “ Creusite,” the main characteristics of which are claimed as follows : 1. Simplicity in préparation, the compound remaining uniform in quality. 2. Low density. 3. Ease in loacling. 4. Production of dense smoke on explosion of the projectile.