Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-01-20
GUN EVER MADE,
A Terrible Engine Of War Which Will
Fire a Three.Quarter Ton
Shot IL Miles.

The defense of the harbor of New
York is considered by the war Depart.
ment as deserving the earliest consider,
alton, say the New York Herald, and
the attention of the Chief of Ordinance
is particularly directed at the present
time to hurrying to completion the
great 16 inch breachloading gun now
under construction at Watervliet Ar.
senal.
This will be the largest gun yet built
by the United States, and will be the
first of 10 similar guns which it is pro.
posed in time shall constitute part of
the defenses of New York.
The contracts for the forging Of this
first test pun was made with the Beth.
lehem Iroa Works just year ago,
under the provisions of the Forti.
fication act of June 6, 1896. The ne
cessity of using nickel steel for the lar.
ger forgings has delayed the delivery
of materials somewhat and the progress
OF construction has therefore not been
as satisfactory as the ordinance officials
have desired. The forgings have been
at Watervliet, however, for some weeks
past, and it is thought that the parts
will be all assembled and the gun ready
for testing at the proving grounds at
Sandy Hook within eight months if no
unforeseen delays occur.
A great deal Of secrecy has long been
maintained by the Ordinance ard En-,
gineer Departments at Washington as
to where this gun was intended 10 be
set up. 1t is now known, however, that
both of these departments approve Of
the proposition of Representative Fisch'
er of New York, to mount six guns Of
this type in turrets on Romer Shoal.
Representative Fischer intends, i'm.
mediately after the holiday recess, to
90 before the House sub committee on
Notifications to urge that provisions for
his plan be included in the Appropra.
ton bill to be considered by this Con,
gress.
There are IS acres included in the
line of Romer Shoal, marking depth
of six feet or less, and, owing to the
abundance of material at hand this
could be filed up to about three or four
feet above high tide at comparatively
small expense. Mr.. Fisher proposes
to place there turrets, carrying two l6
inch guns each, on this IS acre artificial
island.
The turrets which are proposed will
be probably of the Gruson type, of tur
tie back shape, largely used by both
French and Germans along the Franco
German frontier, at Spezzia, Italy, and
other points in Europe. They will be
built on massive foundations OF concrete
inside which will be subterranean cham
bers, to include the machinery for
working the guns and turrets.
The advantages OF steel turrets of
this type in such location are com.
plete protection, limited only by the
thickness of the armor and the size of
the port. The curvature is unfavora.
bic to penetration, and it presents a
very small target. 1t has the advan.
tage of all around fire. Two guns are
combined in one protection, especially
overhead from shrapnel and spllnters.
The coming tower affords wide field
of view for aiming purposes. The cost
of each Of these guns is estimated at
100000, each carriage $4,000 and
each turret fully as much as one of the
guns.
Probably no ship will ever be built
that will be able to withstand the fire
OF 10 inch guns at range OF four or
FIVE miles, and vessel could not enter
New York harbor without passing in
direct range of the guns of the shoal.
The powers of the new guns are yet
to be tested, but it is estimated by
officers of the Ordnance department
that the impact OF shot from one Of
them on an armored ship of the size of
the Paris at distance of five miles
would be equal to the conclusion of
that ship gong at full speed with an
other Of 10000 tons going at the same
rate. 1t is also estimated that d shot
at such distance would penetrate 20
oak vessels chained together. Guns of
this type abroad have caused breach
20 feet deep in solid masonry. The
limit Of range Of the guns is about IL
miles.