The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-13
ORDERS A BIG Gun
Uncle Sam Makes a Contract
With Inventor Gathmann
For an Is Inch Gun Which
Fires Aerial TOrpedOes.
THE STANCHEST SHIP
Can Be Sunk by One of Its 12'
Inch Shells.
The New Weapon For Use In
Coast Defense.

r,bicaeo Feb. 13.-Iouis Gathmann,
the inventor of this city, has just re-
ceiyed an order from the government
to construct a new 1s-inch gun when
shall fire his aerial torpedoes, one OF
which is said to be sufficient to SINK a
battle ship. The order comes AFTER d
series of experiments carried out at
Sandy Hook, in which the inventor
demonstrated that by using shells con-
structed according to the Gathmann
system the stanchest man-of-war af1oat
can be sunk by a small torpedo boat
In the tests made 12-inch shells have
DESTROYED armor plates such as protect
the best ships in the navy. 80 con-
vincing have been the experiments tndI
Secretary Alger has directed Cain
mann to construct a gun using MS new
1S-inch shells, which will be placed IN
the government service for coast de-
Tense.
Mr. Gathmann believes this order IS
only one of many that the government
will give for his new torpedo guns Thelr
great success has attracted the atteh-
ton of army and navy officials during
the past three months ana many sen
ators and congressman have been con-
WINGED of their value by witnessing the
experiments at Sandy Hook When
seen at his home, as Lincoln avenue, last
night Mr.. Gathmann talked freely OF
his new invention. "Armor Will give
no further protection to ships, ne salo'
las I have broken every kind OF ar1nor
used by the government, from plate
five inches in thickness to one seven
teen inches thick, the most Of it being
armor which the ordnance OfhcerS
boosted was the best which could De
made Against the aerial torpedoes con-
structed according to the Gathmann
system a vessel protected by armor VIII
be no better than an unprotected
cruiser. 1 have demonstrated that an
1S-inch shell will destroy the largest
battleship.
Zone of my aerial torpedo guns of the
same cost and weight as a modern u
inch gun has an efficiency equal to that
of all the 12-inch guns of our navy
combined when tested at close range.
At a range of more than 5000 yards
it would prove superior to the guns OF
a first-class battleship. My aerial tor
pedoeS can be fired at long range as
well as short, and with perfect safety.
If an 1S-inch torpedo gun were placed
in the bow of a Katahdin in place OF the
ram she would have practically te!e-
seopic or detachable ram reaching for
miles The chances for the modern
battleship against such an opposing
craft would be doubtful in the extreme.
Torpedo guns could be mounted on
any man-of-war, but in constructing
new battleships I would suggest that
craft be built according to the plan or
the Ericsson destroyer, having a tor
pedo gun in the bow. The craft should
be heavily armored, so that it would
be practically proof against any of the
present guns. Any battleship of the
modern type would be destroyed in a
duel with such an engine of warfare.
As such torpedo boats may have
speed of twenty knots or more, it is
hard to see how any of our men of-war
could escape destruction in a single
handed fight.
1.-The cost of construction of these
craft would be about one-third that of
a battleship or first-class protected
cruiser"
A model of the craft suggested by
Gathmann is now in the possession of
the naval board at Washington. The
new gun ordered constructed will be
completed within eight months. 1t will
be built at the South Bethlehem Iron
works at South Bethlehem, Pa, and
will, when completed, be set up at
Sandy Hook for use in coast defense.
The shells fired by the new gun will
contain $50 pounds, of guncotton and
will be capable of splintering the largest
warship. Mr.. Gathmann is detained at