The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-28
THE WORLDS LARGEST CANNON.
1t Weighs 1876 Tons and Sends Prolecte
Sixteen Miles.

From the Philadelphia Times.
The largest gun ever built in the world
Is now being constructed at the Bethle-
hem iron works. This enormous piece
of ordnance will weigh when completed
126 tons. 1t will exceed by six tons
weight the monster gun which Krupp,-
of Germany, exhibited ait the worlds fair
in Chicago and IN length it will be near
ly five fee! longer than the German gun.
This monster weapon is being fabri-
Gated under the orders of the war de-
partment. 1t is the bigge-lt order ever
given to any esta bl.ehm MT in the world.
The great gun is being built under the
Superintendent of John f. Meigs, foTt
merly lieutenant of the United States
navy and a standard artillery authority
in this country. With him IS associated
Capt e. L. zaiinslSl, United States army
(retird). The government inspection
work is in the hands of Capt Ira Nc
Mutt of the ordnance corps of the army.
All three gentlemen are on the ground
and personally see to every detail of the
immense undertaking as it progresses.
The intention OF the war department,
1t is announced, is TO mount the great
piece or q specially brtii, foundation on
Rcmer Shoals. The protection for this
gun will be q turret. which VII wholly
inclcse the crew and the greater part of
this gun. From its position ON Romer
Shoals tins great piece Of ordnance will
nave full sweep of the channels lead
ing into New York harbor There is not
Ut is declared a vessel afoat today with
armor of sufficient strength to resist
its shot. John E. Meigs estimates that
blow from the new gun would have a
striking energy equal to that of 1000
ton ship when running ait full speed The
shot from the gun, he adds, would smash,
crack, and batter down any az NOR which
1T would be Possible for a ship to carry.
The calibre will be sixteen inches. The
length. from breech to muzzle, will be
forty-nlne feet two inches. Through
the breecfl in vertical line the gun Will
have measurement of exactly five feet.
Mr.. Meigs computes the weight of a
shot for the new gun at a little over 1900
pounds That means more than a 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 1000 pounds. Pro-
vided extreme elevation for range could
be obtained, shot from the New York
harb Dor gun should be able to travel more
than sixteen miles. The greatest known
range ever attained was from the fam
ous Jubilee shot. in England The dis
tance measured about twelve statute
miles.
The United States has never before ait
tempted any heavier pisce of ordnance
for coast defense than a Pinch gun
The weight of a piece of the latter caEbre
Is approximately fifty tons. In the 16-
inch gun thsre is observed a jump of
seventy-six tons increase m weight.
The first ingot for the new 16-ton gun
was cast at Bethlehem last week. 1t
was for the tube forging and weighed
s2.SO0 pounds. The jacket forging is
also out. 1t weighs $4,000 pounds. I'm
der the contract made with the war de-
paltment the Bethlehem works will turn
out all forgdngs for the great gun. The
tempeTng and aDneallng proc sses will
also be applied at the Bethlehem shops
When all the parts are out, the tube,-
Jacket and hoops viii be shipped to the
United States arsenal at Watervliet
West Troy, N. Y. There they are to be
assembled together, and the gun itself
rifled and made ready fer Sc. vice.
All metal used is fluid compressed. The
specifications which are bang adhered
to, demand the most exactng physical
tests. specimen pieces of metal are
taken from all forgfngs and are subj scted
to elongatijcn, breaking and bending
tests. FINALLY, every part of--the gun
must be of forged metal The tube, for
instance, mas Deen cast and rough bored.
1T Will next have a mandrel introduced
through its length ami then be placed
under the hammer.
Fer this laittsr stage The Bethlehem
works have the largest hammer in the
world. 1t is capable Of delivering a
blow of 120 tons, or some ten tons more
than the famous Krupp hammer
The building of the nsw sixleen-inch
gun rs an extensive Undertaking The
gun itself will cost about $4,000. For
single guns the average cost to the gov
eminent for all fabrication work in this
country Is roughly 81 900 per ton of gun.
The cost OF The gun carriage and tur-
ret will bring the cost up to as much
again as the weapon, while the cost fer
foundation WILL, 1t is estimated round
out grand total of alt least $500, 900.
The foundation for the sixteen-inch gun
will mcguire depth, it is said, of fifty
fset, if earth be the basis. This foun-
dation must be CONSTRUCTED of concrete.