The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-24
Biggest Gun Against Thickest Armor

Biggest Gun Against ThickeSt Armor.
At Indian Head this week may be expect
ed one OF the most extraordinary In the
progressive series OF contests between gun
and target which have taken place on that
famous proving ground
The trial for superiority is to be between
the attacking power OF the 13-inch breech-
loading rifle and the resisting strength OF
the 1s-lnch side armor Of the lO.2Ss-ton bat
tie ships. In other words. 1t is between the
heaviest gun and the thickest armor ever
made In this country. And oven that state
ment does not fully represent the case. The
13-inch rifle Is not only the largest gun ever
made here. but the largest likely to be made
for years TO come: and similar assertion
Is proper OF the thickness Of the ship armor.
In illustration OF this fact we may point
out that. although our newest and largest
battle ship. the Iowa, will have over 1000
tons more displacement than the three yes.
sells OF the Indiana class. yet. instead OF
carrying l3-inch guns. as they do. she is to
have as her largest. l2-inch guns. which
weigh one-fourth less. This reduction Is
In accordance with the new policy OF various
leading naviss. The I2-inch gun. with its
superior construction and powerful charges.
can penetrate at short range any ship
armor now ahoat. But the chief reason
for the new policy is found in the
Importance attached to the possible
manipulation OF guns by hand power.
so that In case Of injury to the
hydraulic or other apparatus they may not
DO wholly useless. Greater ease OF manipu-
lation and greater frequency OF fire have al
ways been advantages for the smaller
calibre. provided it is large enough to do the
penetrative or smashing work required of
1t. But decisive addition to these advan-
tages is that OF ability. in case OF need. TO
work the gun by hand power. which has
now been made available. by improved
mounts. up to the point required for the
largest calibres fixed upon for the British
navy and our own.
1t is true that even some time ago our
naval ordnance authorities desired to manu-
facture l6-lnch gun. one of the arguments
for using such a callbre being the increased
resisting strength given to ship plates by
the new suriace-hardening process. which
seemed to show that more power might be
required Of the attack. But no approprla-
ton has ever been made for such a calibre.
nor is any provided in the pending naval
bill In order 10 use such a gun. the plan
OF a vessel to carry 1t would come first in
order, and no such vessel is even recon-
mended. On the contrary. as in the Iowa.
the tendency is the other way. Hence. the
statement remains good that the gun 10 be
tried at Indian Head this week Is OF the
largest calIbre that our navy will see for
years to come.
Turning to the army. We find that the
largest gun 1t has ever manufactured or
has in prospect Is the l2-ineh. This Is
heavier. IL Is true. than the navy rifle Of the
same calibre, and is more powerful. not
needing the same limitations as to length.
weight, and other matters that are imposed
on ordnance 10 be carried In a ship. But
the navy l3-inch is much larger than the
army l2-inch. Gen. FLAGLER has argued
effectively in favor Of building l6-lneh guns
for our forts. holding that II some ships in
foreign nayies still carry such guns they
should be practicable for forts, where they
can be mounted. manipulated. and protected
more easily. Our ordnance authorities,
also. are confident that. prohting by the
experience OF the British ls-inch guns.
they could avoid the dropping tendency
and other defects which have pat those