Almanach der Kriegs-flotten, 1891. With 134 cuts of armored vessels. Published by Mittheilungen aus dem Gebiete des Seewesens.
Part I. is devoted to tables of measures and weights, and reduction tables for the English and metric systems.
Part II. Artillery of the different fleets. This comprises tables of the details of all classes of great guns, projectiles, charges, initial velocities, striking energy, and penetration, including all kinds of ordnance in use in the navies of Europe and of the United States; Krupp guns, their construction and ballistic data ; Armstrong guns of late construction; Canet guns; machine-guns; rapid-fire guns. These tables are revised and based upon the latest data.
Part III. List of vessels of the navies of the world, giving the dimensions, horse-power, armor, armament, speed, material, dates of launching; followed by 134 cuts of armored vessels. H. G. D.
Domestic Steels for Naval Purposes. By Lt.-Comr. J. G. Eaton, U. S. N. Printed in the Proceedings of the Society of Arts, 1889-1890, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The author begins with a short history of the steel manufacture in the United States, showing the marvellous development in the manufacture of domestic steels which has taken place within the last eight years, owing to the impetus received when Congress authorized the construction of our four first ships of mild steel of domestic manufacture.
A thorough account is given of the rigid inspection and various tests required prior to acceptance of material by the Government, the author dwelling at length upon this important feature. The use of steel in manufacture of boiler plates and stays, engines, anchors and chains, steel rigging, and especially in the construction of guns, is described, and the establishment of a high standard is shown to be the result of the Government inspection and requirements.
H. G. D.
Rôle and Organization of Sea-coast Batteries. By V. Fabre, Captain, French Artillery. Translated by First Lieut. E. M. Weaver, 2d U. S. Artillery. Published by Artillery School Press.
The translation appears in a 62-page pamphlet. The subject is divided into three parts: Part I. Rôle and organization of sea-coast batteries, showing the influence of altitude on batteries from defensive and offensive points of view, and the distinction between battering and bombarding batteries. Part II. A general review of the development of marine armor. Part III. Defense of the sea-coast. H. G. D.