When was it published?

December 10, 1857 in Quasqueton Guardian

Domestic News December 10, 1857

Quasqueton Guardian

Q: What keywords are associated?

Dahlgren Gun, Us Corvette Plymouth, Naval Artillery, Gun Tests, Shell Weight

Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa

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What is this article about?

Description of the heavy Dahlgren gun on the US corvette Plymouth, including its weight, appearance, shell and shot weights, firing features, and successful endurance tests firing nearly 5,000 rounds without bursting.

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Full Text

The monster gun of the United States corvette Plymouth, weighs 16,000 pounds avoirdupois. It is covered with a coating of vermillion and beeswax, and therefore has a red instead of the usual black appearance of a ship's guns. The heavy Dahlgreen guns have two vents, which facilitate their rapid and safe firing. The weight of each shell they discharge is about 136 pounds and that of each solid shot 174 pounds. The sound of the shell and shot traversing a distance of three miles. is lost in the enormous space which it traverses. One peculiarity of the Dahlgreen guns is its enormous strength and thickness where the greatest force of the powder is expanded.
In experiments made to test the strength of these guns, one of them had been fired off nearly 5,000 times, with a large proportion of solid shot, without bursting

What sub-type of article is it?

Military

What keywords are associated?

Dahlgren Gun Us Corvette Plymouth Naval Artillery Gun Tests Shell Weight

Domestic News Details

Outcome

one gun fired nearly 5,000 times, including a large proportion of solid shot, without bursting.

Event Details

The monster gun on the United States corvette Plymouth weighs 16,000 pounds avoirdupois, coated in vermillion and beeswax for a red appearance. Dahlgren guns feature two vents for rapid and safe firing, discharge 136-pound shells and 174-pound solid shots, with sound lost over three miles. They have enormous strength and thickness at the powder expansion point. Experiments tested their strength successfully.