New Piece of Ordnance

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" The United Service Gazette " describes a new piece ot ordnance for batteries and ships, invented by Robert Armstrong, 1st dragoon guards, Dublin. Its superiority over the old battery guns consists in its being capable of being brought to bear upon any object within an angle of ninety degrees without the necessity of moving its carriage ; therefore fewer men will be required to work it. A ship armed with guns of this description could bring the whole of her broadside to beai upon any small object within the angle of ninety degrees, without moving a single carriage. It is particularly adapted for bow and stern chasers. A ship either pursued or pur-sueing could bring at least two-thirds of her broadside to bear upon her enemy without altering her course one single point, which could not be done with the ordnance now in use. In the event of a bombardment, every gun in the short space of two minutes could be converted into an inverted mortar if required, i In batteries they possess the same advantages 1 over the guns in present use, as at least three i or four men less will be required to work t them, as there will be no lifting to the right t or left with hand spikes ; the metal of the gun is all that is moved when required to fire either to the right or left. He has also invented a field piece on the same principle; a ' battery of which, when brought into action will not require to have their carriage moved ' unless a change offrant 13 actually required, 1 and in which the sliding scale in the breech is dispensed with altogether.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 39This article was published with the title “New Piece of Ordnance” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 39 (), p. 306
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican06111853-306c

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