Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-09
TWELVE-INCH Gun IS WELk
General srOzisr Says il Wsuld Destroy
Itself in Short Engagement
wuzzlt VELOCITY 1sO HsHFOs LONG LIFE
chief of Ordnance WOuld Replace
This Gun with one OF Heavier
CaIiber. hut slower
Missile Action.


WASHINGTON. Nov. S.-The twelve-luch
gun now in use at most OF the coast forts
ncations OF the United states would not
last through an engagement Of two hours,
the period that would elapse from the time
the leading vessel Of a feet would come
within the range until the last vessel would
pass beyond the range Of the guns il the
statement made by BrigRder General Will
liam Crozier chief of ordnance, whose an
nual report was made public at the War
department today. General Crozier thinks
that it is OF the utmost Importance that
some new method be devised whereby the
necessary gun power can be secured with
less expense than that involved in using
the very high velocities OF projectiles now
employed, with the accompanying rapid
wearing away Of the rlhing in such a man
ner as to destroy the accuracy Of the gun
after a few rounds. The tvelve-inch gun
win last for about sixty rounds, and as
the gun is capable of firing for con-
siderable interval at the rate Of forty-five
rounds per hour, Il can be seen that the
limit OF the life OF this gun could be
reached in less-thSn an hour and a half
Smaller CaIibers Also weak.
Similar statements can be made with re-
gard to guns of smaller cslibers. says the
/ report, although as the caliber diminishes
| the velocity increases. BY lowering the We
| locity OF the twelve-inch proiectile from
$500 feet to 2250 feet per second the life Of
the gun is increased to 200 rounds The
power Of penetration or armor would be
| reduced by the process, that OF the twelve
inch gun at 1000 yards coming down from
| about ten inches to about nine inches and
the range at which its projectile would
penetrate twelve inches Of armor plate be-
ing reduced from about 5000 yards to 5000
yards.
| The chief Of ordnance says &c appears By
using in the situations requiring the great
est power a fourteen-nch gun with 2,150
feet per second velocity of projectile in
stead OF the twelve-lnch gum, with 900
| feet per second initial velocity, the army
would secure a better gun and a gun
which would last four times as long Gem
eral Crozier states that the Taft board
for the revision OF the report Of the Endi-
cot board on coast defensese recommended
this gun and that the department has de-
cided to use it in place of the twelve-inch
gun in situations where the highest power
is required. and the twelve-inch gun as
maximum caliber has been abandoned
Powder Factory 20 BE Built.
General Crozler says that plans ana speci.
hcations are in preparation for the army
y
gress at it's last session appropriated 1885,
900. and that upon the selection OF the
site the work Of erection will be pushed
vigorously to completion, but the site has
not been selected.
In speaking of small arms. the general
states the magazius rife 1903 model. was
supplied to the regular troops in the United
States for their use during the target prac-
tice, and that the improved rife of 1906
model with knife bsyonet and rear sights,
has been issued to the troops in the Philip
pine islands and will be issued to the troops
in the states and the first issue recalled.
As result of tests during the year some
changes have been made in auto-loading
magazine rifles, (which may eventually rem
der them satisfactory for service use. The
manufacture OF small arms ammunition is
somewhat more expensive than formerly
due to the increase In the cost Of brass
and lead $40 a!-
Among the changes made in the equip.
ment issued to cavalry, infantry and artll.
lery during the year was that of the cup
which was formerly made Of steel heavil,
Times, and which is now made Of alum.
mum 1t was adopted after an extensive
| service trial.
General Crozsr states tina. a number OF
militie batteries have been supplied Will
'Ho nc" thIco-iHCH Neio aruilery materia
and others are being rapidly furnished
! with It.
! In a chapter in regard to the personne
General Crozier refers to the act of Jun,
, p last. authorizing details from the lin,
TO that department after examination, an,
: says that under the stimulus of that Law
the. personnel will be recruited as rapidly
as the consideration that too many oficer
9 should not go out at the same time by OK
! piration of detail renders desirable.