New-York tribune., 1907-10-13
BIG GUNS AND BIG SHIPS
SUPREMACY UNASSAILED.
Highest Bursting Charge for Shells
Urged by French admiral.
Especial by French Cable to The Tribune.
ICopYright 1901 hv The Trihuna As.nciatinn

Paris, Oct. 12.-The adverse criticism on the
British battleship Dreadnought's guns made by
Admiral Germinet, the newly appointed COM
mander Of the Mediterranean Squadron-crit
icism which would apply with equal force TO
the 12-tnch guns of the battleship Maine and
other American ships tested In the recent tar
get practice off Cape Cod-has been somewhat
inaccuratey interpreted The highest French
naval authorities in France including Admrals
Gervais Fournier and Germinet.. express the
opinion that nothing has yet been discovered
that can replace the supremacy Of big guns and
big ships. This, however, does not prevent Ad-
miral Germinet from urging the adoption Of
the highest possible bursting charges for prof.
ectiles, such effectively used by the
Japanese at Fushima.
The Japanese remain absolutely silent in re-
gard to the technical artillery lessons OF that
battle, but trustworthy reports have reached
Paris through Russian sources showing that
Admiral Togo used armor piercing shot and
armOr piercing shell in that engagement. The
deadly effect recorded OF guns firing projectiles
with high bursting charge from which ema-
nate poisonous gases such oxide OF carbon
and dioXide of azote due to the fact that on
the modern warship the atmosphere for the
crew to breathe Is forced into the interior Of the
ship by air pumps and a highly charged shell
bursting on deck near a ventilator would fill
the ship with poisonous gases, aSphyXtatlng all
who inhale them. The of these high burst
ing charges is not specifically prohibited by
The Hague court and such explosives In
cluded in the regular supply Of ammunition
issued to the American. French, British. Ger
man, Russian and Japanese navies, and would
doubtless be used In case Of hostilities although
perhaps contradictory to the spirit Of The
Hague tribunal. No high bursting charge has
yet been made that at times does not give forth
poisonous gases when exploded.
A naval expert just returned from Russia
states that the Russian officers say that decks
provided with 2-inch armor will prevent pene-
tration OF shells with high bursting charges,
such as were employed by Admiral Togo at
Fushima, consequently all the new Russian
ships are TO have armor protection every
deck
Meanwhile new invention has been tested
by the naval authorities OF the United States.
France and Japan which enables projectiles
fred by 12-inch or 305-millimetre guns to with
stand without explosion the tremendous press
ure to which they are subjected. and thus per-
mits them to retain their enormous penetrating
power combined with higher bursting charges
than have ever yet been employed in actual war
fare. This invention is kept secret, but in prin-
cipIe It is said to be based upon double acting
time fuse.
In confirmation OF the overwhelming suprem-
acy Of big guns and big ships it is noted that
not only Russia. but Japan herself is building
battleships embodying the same principles as
the Dreadnought-that is. with artillery COM
posed exclusively Of 12-inch guns for battle and
smaller quick-frers for use against torpedo at
tacks C. -.