Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-12-14
rnl woaLD,s L4aogsr CANNON.
IT WEIGHS l9e TONS AND SENDS A
PRoJRcrILE SIXTEEN MILES.

The largest gun ever built In the world
IL now being constructed ut the Bethle-
hem Iron works. This enormous piece Of
ordnance will weigh, when completed,
l20 tons. Il will exceed by six tons
weight the monster gun which krppp OF
Germany exhibited at the worlds fair 10
Chicago, and In length Il will be nearly
Ave feet longer than the German gun.
This monster weapon Ii being fabri-
partment. II ID the biggest order ever
given TO any establishment 10 the world.
The great gun Il being built under the
superlntendence Of John r. MelEe. for
merly lieutenant Of the United States
Navy and standard artillery authority
In this country. With him is associated
Capt. f. l.. Zslinski, United States Army
(retired). The government Inspection
work Il In the hands OF Capt. Ira McNu,t
Of the ordnance corp, OF the army. All
three gentlemen are on the ground and
personally see 10 every detail OF the I'm
mense undertaking NJ It progresses.
The Intention Of the war department,
Il Ii announced, is to mount the great
piece on a specially built foundation on
Romer Shoals. The protection for this
gun will be turret, which will wholly
inclose the crew and the greater part OF
the gun. From It's position on Romer
Shoals the great piece OF ordnance Will
have full sweep Of the channels leading
into New York harbor. There IL not,
Ii IL declared. vessel sfioat to-day With
srmor Of sufficient strength to resist It's
shot. John +. Meigs estimates that q
blow from the new gun would have n
striking energy equal to that ola 1000
ton ship when running ut full speed:
The shot from the gun, he adds. would
sms sh, crack, aud batter down any armor
which Il would be possible for any ship
to carry.
The calibre will be sixteen inches.
The length. from breech To muzxle, will
be forfy.nine feet two inches. Through
the breech In vertical line the gun Will
have measurement OF exactly i've feet.
Mr.. Meigs computes the weight OF shot
for the new gun ut little over 1890
pounds. That means more than ton OF
metal The heaviest shots fired In Eng
land have not weighed over 1900 pounds.
The powder charge for the American
gun Will weigh nearly 1000 pounds.
Provided extreme elevation for range
could he obtained, shot from the New
York harbor gun should be able to travel
more thsn sixteen miles. The greatest
kaown range ever attained was from the
famous Jubilee shot 10 England. The
distance measured about twelve statute
miles.
The United States has never before
attempted any heavier piece OF ordnance
for coast defense than l2-inch gun. The
weight OF piece Of the latter c,libre u
proximsiely fifty tons. In the l6-inch
gun there l. observed jump Of seventy-
six tons increase 10 weight.
The first ingot for the new lG-i0ch gun
was cast nj Bethlehem last week. II was
for the tube forging aud weighed 50 500
pounds. The jacket forging IL also out.
IL weigh. 70, 900 pounds. uuder the con-
tract made with the war department the
Bethlehem works will turn out all the
forgings for the great gun. The temper
Ing and annealing processes VIII also be
spplied at the Bethlehem shops. When
all the parts are out, the tube, jacket
and hoops will be shipped TO the United
States arsenal at Wsterville, West Troy,
NY. There they are To be assembled
together, and the gun itself riAed and
made ready for service.
All metal used 10 fluid compressed.
The specifications, which are being sd-
herrd TO, demand the most exscting ply
steal tests. Specimen pieces Of metal are
taken from all forgings and are subjected
to eiougstiop, breaking and bending
tests. Finslly, every part OF the gun
must be 81 forged metal. The tube, for
instance, hiss been cast and rough bored.
IL will next have nNndrel introduced
through IT, length, and thea be plsced
under the hammer.
For this latter stage the Bethlehem
works have the largest hammer In the
world. IL IL capable OF delivering a
blow OF l2o tons, or some ten tons more
,hsn the famous Krupp hammer.
The building OF the new slxteen-inch
gun IL An expensive undertaking. The
gun itself will cost about slO, 900. For
the single guus the average cost TO the
government for all fabrication work n
this country Is roughly 81 900 per ton OF
gun.
The cost Of the gun carriage and turret
will bring the cost up TO as much again
as the weapon, while the cost for founds-
ton will, Il Il estimsted. round out =
grand total Of At least $500, 900. The
foundation for the sixtcen-inch gun will
require depth. It is said, OF ffiy feet,
| II earth be the basis. This foundation
must be constructed Of concrete.-The
Philadelphia Times.