298 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
The plan thus devised was offered to the Ordnance Department three 
several times during the years 1845 and 1846. But they thought it im- 
Knap & Totten, proprietors of the Fort Pitt Foundry, Pittsburgh. They 
_ agreed to make a trial of the principle at their own expense and also to 
defray the expense of securing a patent, if he would assign one-half of 
his right in it to them. This he agreed to do, and the patent was ac . 
cordingly issued in August, 1847. Preparations were immediately com- 
menced and the first hollow cannon was cast at that Foundry in the win- 
ter of 1849-50. This was an 8-inch Columbiad. At the same time and 
from the same metal a solid gun of the same size was cast. en fin- 
ished, they were proved with a charge of 10 lbs. powder and one 64 
pound shot. The gun cast solid burst at the 85th fire: the one cast hol- 
manner, with only such slight variations as experience had suggested, 
The guns were of the same size as in the previous experiment. The one 
cast solid burst at the 73d fire, the other has endured 1500 rounds and 
of powder as possible. From these investigations, he came to the con-_ 
elusion that the old columbiad model was radically defective. He there- 
100% 
rounds, it only remained to increase the size of the guns thus X ey BE 
of a gun, whose bore should be 20 inches in diameter. Owing howev™ 
to the great 
© the great demand for large guns, of the size already made, no AN" F 
to cast this immense gun was made until the present winter. 
! 
Renae aah 
Eo eng he pe 
