New-York tribune., 1902-12-05
BIG GUN AT SANDY HOOK.
Il CAN'T LAVE ANY MAN TAKE IT
AWAY" SAYS THE WATCHMAN-

Before the break of yesterdays dawn the big
16-inch gun-the greatest in the word-that
has travelled by water from Troy, began the
last fifteen miles of its journey--from Stapleton
to Sandy Hook The tugs l. : j Merritt and w
z. Chapman towed the lighter Captain Tom,
on which the gun rested. with the big derrick
Monarch dashed alongside. The total weight
was 80 tons.
Slowly, against the tide the tugs. with their
precious burden. made their way down the
Main Ship Channel arriving at the Ordnance
Dock Sandy Hook, at SO a. m. For two
weeks dock builders had been rebuilding and
strengthening the pier and laying a new rail
way track it to insure the safe transporta-
tton of the monster gun to its final destination,
two miles inland
Four hours were occupied after the arrival Of
the i.. fitting ehoelSs specially strong
fiatcar for the barrel of the gun TO rest on
The heaviest part-from the breech to the trun-
nion-was to rest a steel framed car brought
with the gun from watervlet Arsenal
All was ready a a few minutes after o'clock,
and the gum which had been hanging over the
pier from the Monarch's great derrick. was
lowered handsomely the sailor men say.
to its resting place on the two fiatcars An
empty fiatcar separated those that carried the
gun from the loeomotive-the most powerful one
on the proving ground. When the army officer
in charge Of the work gave the word the en-
gineer opened the throttle cautiously, so as not
TO start the load with jerk. but il required all
the steam he could muster to start with and at
frequent periods. SO great was the strain, sand
had TO be used on the tracks 10 make the wheels
grip.
There we're many anxious moments while the
great load travelled over the pier, for, of all the
big guns that have been landed at Fort Han
cock this was the biggest AS a soldier put IL.
This is the daddy of them all-the rest are just
sons OF guns
Extreme caution used, even after terra
firma was reached, and no time was the speed
Of the train faster than a man could walk
Half a mile from its landing place the gun was
switched to a sidetrack and left in charge OF
watchman who said. without q smile: Il have
orders sor, not to rave any man take it away
Major Charles Smith. in command or the
Sandy Hook Proving Grounds, when asked
about the final disposition Of the great weapon
said: I'VE shall the gun out on the track
about a mile and a half further. to point where
the big Gathmann gun was tested 1t VIII De
temDorariIy mounted on the crude carriage used
for that gun while we fire some proof shots.
we have found that when these guns OF Dig
calibre are fired as close half mile the shock
skaters about all the windows in our buildings
SO we now take them down the beach far
enough to protect ourselves. It will take some
DAYS TO mount this gun and after firing the
proof shots we may await the completion of the
disappearing carriage being made for the gun at
Watertown. n. Y
An intelligent conception of the size Of the
breech OF this giant cannon may be had by com
paring ii with the figure OF Foreman G- II
Thonna son, the giant of the Ordnance Depart
nent who posed for The Tribune's photograph
He measures 6 feet 424 inches In his stockings.
The work of assembling this e gun was begun @
at watervliet on May IA, lS9S- lt was com o.
oIa+ed ON June 10 1902 The gun is 40 feet
long. The diameter of the breech is D feet
inches and of the muZzle 2 feet inches 1T is
estimated that il will throw a shell Weighing
. 400 pounds twenty-one miles. The muZZe
velocity is calculated at $500 feet second, the
angle of elevation being 40 degrees 1t is teen
nicaIlv known as a 16-inch coast defence rifle
and If cost S150.000. Army officers are inclined
10 believe that the gun will be a success. The
Merritt &, Chapman Wrecking Company which
ancanted the contract to transport the gun by
water after the railroad had refused, is to re
ceive So 400 for its work