Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-07
GUNS FOR THE NEW NAVY.

Philadelphia Record
The lessons of the Santiago and
Manila Bay sea fights yhave teen sedu-
lousy studied in the bureaus Of the
Navy Department, and the results nf
this instruction are beginning TO pRpear
in the annual reports Of bureau chiefs
to Secretary Long. Not the least inter.
esting aud important feature of ths new
naval curriculum is that relating to
battery power. Shall heavy guns of
extraordinary smashing power be relied
upon Tor offensive attack, Or shall multi
plication uf rapid fire ordnance be the
chief characteristic OF main batteries?
To this query but one answer is given
in the sequence of Official reports since
the Santiago fight. In that memorable
engagement, the first on record in which
strictly first class modern war ships
were employed, the ships most actively
engaged in the attack were the cruiser
Brooklyn, with main battery of eight
S-inch and IL 5-inch guns, and the
battleship Oregon, with four 3inch,
eight S-iuch and four 6-inch guns--the
6-inch guns being rapid fire weapons.
Careful inspection of the wrecked
SPANISH ships after the battle had
ended failed to disclose any damage re-
sulting from l3.inch shell, or, indeed,
from many S-iuch proiecties. But the
shattered huls were riddled with shot
from the rapid fire battery of 5.inch
guns carried by the Brooklyn. The in.
cessant fire of these lighter guns drove
the Spaniards from the gun decks, set
the attacked ships on fire and rendered
successful resistance or escape alike
impossible. No further demonstration
was needed 10 install the rBpid lire gun
with pedestal mount as prime favorte
among Federal ordnance experts in tho
naval service.
As in heavy ordnance the 13 inch
calibre has been abandoned in favor of
II inches for the heaviest guns in
turrets, SO the tendency OF the Ord
names Bureau has been to set aside the
S-inch guns, which cannot he inanipu :
lated easily, and employ instead the
| new finch guns one Of which has heen
recently completed and tested under
department instructions These 7.inoh
weapons are light enough to be mounted
upon a single PEDESTAL they can be
handled Dy one gunner, and can fire
three projectiles Per minute, weighing
16o pounds each. As new and better
explosives are brought into use the
weight of the shells can be increased,
SO that it would not be surprising il line
finch proiectie should be eventually
almost as heavy and as destructive rs
the present 8inch shell of $50 pounds
weight. A main battery of such guns
mounted on ship like the Alabama
would render the gun decks Of an ad-
versary untenable. and rapidly reduce
to scrap iron and klndling wood the
upper works of any war ship as yet
turned out in foreign shipyards.
The drift of opinion III the Naval
Ordnance Bureau, then. is toward -
inch guns for turret installation and
7-inoh rapid fire guns for the classmates
OF the main gun deck. The S-inch gun,
now conspicuous feature in battle
ship armament, would be eliminated as
too light for smashing effect and too
slow and cumbrUus for sustained as /.
sault upon stubborn and we'll equipped
enemy. With the 7.inoh gun it would
bs possible to pursue middle course
between pulvei izing shots few and far
between aud rain of proiectiles not
heavy enough to cripple the foe 1t is
upon this class Of weapons that the
chief burden and responsibility o. future
engagements at sea will fall, since the
secondary batteries are too light to be
efficient at the dIstance-2, COO to 5000
yards-between ships in modern laval
battles, while the massive turret guns
are turned and aimed with difficulty,
and exert little or no demoraizing force
because of their inability to hit the
mark. After all, it is straight shooting
that wins in sea fights, as in other forms
of contest with firearms, and the men
behind the hest guns are most likely to
come off victorious.