Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-11-21
LARGEST OF EARTH's GUNS
Sixteen Inch Rifle Just Completed
at Waterville Arsenal.

Washington Times The largest gnu
in the world IS now practically com
pleted and awaiting its carriage in the
shops OF the gun factory az Watervliet,
y Y. II was planned ten years ago
and has been over five years IN process
of construction, II is the most powerful
engine OF construction known. When
compared to il the largest gun built in
the civil war times looks like a toy
cannon. Thisrew weapon Is known a.
a siXteen~inch brecch loading rifle, and
II Is intended for harbor defense. Forty
of these monsters were recommended
by he EndicOtt board for the harbors o.
New York. Boston, San Francisco aud
Hampton roads New York was to have
is, San Francisco ten ana Hampton
roads four According to present in
tentions. this number viii be somewhat
reduced
Some idea OF the size and power OK
! this gun may be had from the fact that
! II throws a projectile weighing 2,310
pounds. 1t requires 116 pounds of or
| binary powder TO do this. or $40 pounds
/ Of the new smokeess powder The cost
OF a single firing Of the gun Is over
Sl,500, of which the projee'ile alcae
costs 81 900. The gun has a range OF
Il miles It has penetrating power
/ that viii II Is estimated, bore ig3
/ inches into hardened steel The missile
! which II hurls Is nearly as long as "a
! man. Z feet inches II win throw
this projectile. II aimed AT an angle ot
a. degrees. To height in the proiee
/ tory of over FIVE miles II Mont Blanc
Q rot I'm ,,f a ytIu
would shoot over them, clearing the top
f, is computed, by 500 feet The time
between the shells leaving the gun and
! it's striking earth will be minute ana
"A quarter
The best performance Of any gun up
to this time is credited to a 9.45 oaliber
Krupp gun. In 1892 an exhibition was
given before the German emperor on
the Meppen range The greatest height
reached by the krupp shell In It's flight
was q ,45G feet, and the measured range
was found TO be 22,i20 yards, or twelve
and one-half miles.
This siyteen-inch breeeb -loauins gun
Is 80 feet Ia length Ave in diameter At
the breecb tapering 10 little over two
feet al the muzzle II weighs. excu-
sive OF carriage, 1870 rs. II is inter,
esting to compare thes, figures with
the largest gun built in l86i--namely
he Rodman smooth bore twenty -inch
This gun Is now at Fort Hamilton. New
York whore II was placed nearly forty
years ago II was never In practical
use, the largest guns seeing actual sery4
tie In the war being a teD-inch Par
rot Several of these were used at the
3iege OF Charleston where they wera
known as swamp angels
The twenty-inch Rodman gun is 20
feet long and In made in "A single east
ing II weighs IS tons. shoots round
bal Weighing about ! 900 pounds with
charge of powder weighing 50 pounds
It's range is about 5000 yards. or liz
miles. and 1t Will penetrate about six
inches In wrought Iron at short range
Dnly two guns OF this type were ever
made They were cast at Pittsburg Ia
iS64 During the war the ien-inch Par
rott guns we're regarded rs monsters
They are small even as compared with
the RodmaD.
Major Charles s Smith, Of the army
bureau OF ordnance, saws The new qua
viii he READY for the Official tests a.
soon as the carriage mounts are CON
plGteV