Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-29
WORLDS BIGGEST CANNON
Il Weighs 12e Tons and Shoots Sixteen
Miles.
1t Hurls . x,3OO-Pound Shell With
the Impact Of q 3,OOO-To. Ship
1T Fun Speed.

From the Philadelphia T1raes.
The largest gun ever built in the world is
row being constructed at the Bethlehem
iron works. This enormous piece Of ord
nance will weigh. when completed. 126 tons
1t will exceed by six tons weight the mon-
ster gua which Krupp of Germany exhib-
| tied at the worlds fair in Chicago. and in
length IT will be nearly five feet longer
than the German gun.
This monster weapon is being fabricated
| under the orders Of the War Department.
1t Is the biggest order ever given to any
establishment in the world.
The great gun is being built under the
superintendent of John r. Meigs, former
ly lieutenant OF the United States navy
and a standard artillery authority in this
country. With him is associated Capt E. l..
Zalinski United States army (retiredD. The
government inspection work is in the hands
Of Capt Ira McNutt of the ordnance corps
Of the army. All three gentlemen are on
the ground and personally to every de-
tail of the immense undertaking as it pro-
crosses.
The intention of the War Department 1t
Is announced, is to mount the great piece
on specially built foundation on Romer
Shoals. The protection for this gun will be
a turret, which will wholly inclose the crew
and the greater part of the gun. From its
position on Romer Shoals the great piece
OF ordnance will have full sweep of the
SHdhilSiS p>iuiHS lfllO view 1OTh II.
There is not. 1t is declared. a vessel afloat
today with amor of sufficient strength to
resist its shot. John F. Meigs estimates
that q blow from the new gun would have
striking energy equal to that of 1000
ton ship when running at full speed. The
shot from the gum he adds would smash.
crack and batter down any armor which 1t
would be possible for ship TO carry.
The caiiber will be sixteen inches. The
length, from breach to muzzle, will be
forty mine feet two inches Through the
breech in a vertical line the gun will have
a measurement of exactly five feet. MIR.
Meigs computes the weight of a shot for
the new gun at a little over Z. 300 pounds.
That means more than ton of metal. The
heaviest shots fired in England have not
weighed over 1000 pounds.
The powder charge for the American gun
will weigh nearly LOCO pounds Provided
extreme elevation for range could be OBJ
tanned, a shot from the New York harbor
gun should be able to travel more than six
teen miles. The greatest known range ever
attained was from the famous Jubilee
shot in England. The distance measured
about twelve statute miles.
The United States has never before at
tempted any heavier piece of ordnance for
coast defense than a Pinch gun. The
weight of piece of the latter caliber is APP
proximateiy fifty tons. In the sixteen-inch
gun there is observed jump of seventy-six
tons increase in weight.
The first irgot for the new sixteen-inch
gun was cast at Bethlehem last week. 1.
was for the tube forging and weighed So, SN
pounds. The jacket forging is also out. 1t
weighs $4,000 pounds. Under the contract
made with the War Department the Beth
lehem works will turn out all forgings for
the great gun. The tempering and anneal-
ing processes will also be applied at the
Bethlehem shops. When ali the parts are
out, the tube. jacket and hoops will be
shipped to the United States arsenal at
Watervliet, West Troy. N. Y. There they
are to be assembled together, and the gun
itself rif1ed and made ready for service
All metals used is fluid compressed The
specifications which are being adhered to
demand the most exacting physical tests
| Specimen pieces of metal are taken from
all fOrgings and are subjected to elonga-
| ton. breaking and bending tests. Finally
every part of the gun must be of forged
metal The tube, for instance, has been
cast and rough bored. 1t will next have a
mandIel introduced through it's length and
then be placed under the hammer.
For this latter stage the Bethlehem works
have the largest hammer in the world. 1t
or some ten tons more than the famous
Krupp hammer.
The building Of the new sixteen-inch gun
is an expensive undertaking. The gun it.
self will cost about $120OOO. For single
guns the average cost to the government
for all fabrication work In this country is
roughly $1,000 per ton of gun. .ie-7---
The cost of the gun carriage and turret
will bring the cost up to as much again as
the weapon, while the cost for founda ton
will, it is estimated, round out a grand to-
tai Of at least 100000. The foundation for
the sixteen-inch gun will require depth,
1t is said, Of fifty feet If earth be the basis.
This foundation must be constructed of
concrete.