344 
THE 80-TON GUN. 
of this method greater speed and safety will be attained for muzzle- 
loaders than has hitherto been achieved for breech-loaders similarly 
situated; since the great weight of the breech-closing apparatus neces¬ 
sitates special appliances, in addition to those employed for putting in 
the shot and cartridge. Length of bore thus no longer offers any 
difficulty, and the automatically attached gas-checks, which are ex¬ 
panded by the pressure of the charge to completely seal the windage, 
are found to be, if anything, more satisfactory than the lead coating or 
copper rings of breech-loading shell; so that, without specially advo¬ 
cating either system, it certainly seems to me that some of the most 
powerful arguments for a change in the construction of the English 
heavy guns are now turned the other way. 
Since, then, the question of length offered no difficulty, it was 
decided to make the bore of the 80-ton gun 24 ft.—or, in gunners' 
parlance, 18 calibres—long, the calibre being fixed at 16 ins. A special 
arrangement was devised for putting a strong screw, carrying a shackle, 
into the cascable, so that the gun could be readily lifted, and when in 
its place could be shortened by the removal of the screw. By this 
means the length of the portion of the gun behind the bottom of the 
bore was reduced to 33 ins., only one inch more than in the far smaller 
38-ton guns; the amount saved being, of course, a clear gain inside 
a turret or casemate. The diameter of the breech is 6 ft. 
With our constitutional notions, matters of this magnitude move but 
slowly; and eager spirits sometimes pine for an intelligent despotism, if 
only they could first catch the intelligent despot. It was not till 
March, 1874, that authority was given for the construction of the 
80-ton gun. 
The preparation of this vast piece of ordnance—weighing more than 
twice as much as any previously made for service—-may be divided 
into two parts; one being the actual making of the gun, the other the 
enlargement of lathes, the raising of roofs, the strengthening of cranes, 
bridges, and railways, with many other alterations which will readily 
suggest themselves. Besides these important points, there remain to 
be taken into account the projectiles and the carriage, while the powder 
question requires further consideration and experiment. 
It will be best to begin with the gun itself. Those familiar with the 
heavy ordnance of our service will have noticed that of late years the 
thin coils and many-stepped outline belonging to the Fier models 
of the Armstrong system have gradually given place to the bolder 
curves and massive coils of what is known as the “ Fraser ” construc¬ 
tion. The change has resulted in greater strength, endurance, and 
economy \ and, as will be seen later on, these qualities, as far as yet 
tested, have been amply realised in the 80-ton gun. 
The interior of the gun is formed by a solid-ended steel tube, pro¬ 
cured from Messrs. Firth, of Sheffield. The manufacture of these 
tubes is, to a certain extent, a speciality. Without entering into the 
various controversies always going on regarding steel, it may certainly 
be affirmed that no other firm in England has succeeded, up to the 
present time, in turning out the magnificent steel blocks required for 
our manufacture. That for the 80-ton gun weighed 16itons, and no 
flaws can be detected in it. The material used is entirely that known 
