The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-10-12
GUNS
AROUSE CANADA
ALARM RAISED IN THE DOMINION
OVER ARMAMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES NAVAL
RESERVE VESSELS.

Considerable interest has been
aroused here by despatch from OF
tawa published il Chicago paper
last sunday, stating that the better
aiming of the United States ships at
taehed to the various divisions of the
naval reserves on the great lakes has
oecasioned a great hue and cry in the
nress of the Dominion of Canada.
Last spring while the Yantic was In
the ship yards at Sturgeon Bay being
oyerhauied and remOdeled, her old ar
mament was rplaced by new and
heavier equipment of guns, consisting
of Two one Founders, two three-pound-
era and two six-pounders These guns
are m,pcsh superior to the old ones and
enable the reserves to enjoy target
nractice similar to that available To
the tars OF the regular service, and
nractically all the ships OF the naval
reserves on the great lakes have been
similarly equipped. some having even
heavier guns than the Yantic. The
Nashville OF the Chicago naval bat
talon. has eight four inch guns, In adj
lion to two six-pounders, two three
pounders. two one-pounders and one
antomatic. This new garment Is the
OCCASION OF outbursts on the part or
the press of Canada, following the
recent target practice on Lake Mich
igan by the gunners of the NASHVILLE
which showed the efficiency of the guns
rnd the skill of the gunners. The ar
ticle referred to. goes into detail as
70 what the United states might do
and what Canada could not do In
case of war.
First Chance to Fire Real Shells.
''E,or the first time since the Nash
vile was brought inland from the At
lantic coast" says one paper. the IL
lino,s naval reserves have found, 1t
seems, an opportunity to discharge
regulation war shells from its bat
teries of four-inch guns and SIX
ponnders and three FOUNDERS. Untii
now the volunteer tars have had no
real opportunity to test thNnselves and
their weapons. Although the trim and
husinesslike Nashville has been used
by the reserves for two seasons efh-
Gent target practice on shiTboard has
not been a possibility.
Expert gun pointers indeed have
been developed among the the Chicago
shin divisions. They have had all their
practice by means of sub targets with
%
charged. Last fall the officers ana
crew attempted some real range work
AT sea. but met with baffling difficulties
both on account OF weather and IN
sufficient target arrangements.
Regulation Target Used.
This season the United States gov
errment, which has taken the naval
reserve boys OF the country close TO its
official heart came to the rescue.
regulation navy target, the kind used
nv marlxsmen on the men-of-war In
smashing world records with thirteen
inoh devastation tubes, was shipped 70
Chicago last week.
The Nashville's armament Is thor
oughly up to date. in contrast with the
obsolete allotment of ordnance usuaiiS
doled to a militiaman. The ships deatf
dealing eouipment consists of the fol-
lowing:
Eight four-inch guns, two six
FOUNDERS. two three-pounders, tw'
one Founders and two automatics
''The four-inch guns. which are al
on deck, hurl a shell weighing thirty
two pounds, which will penetrate tw'
inches of Harveyized steel at a dis
lance of four miles. Its velocity Is 2,
$50 feet the first second out OF Tn
muzzle. The terrific striking force
augmented by the fact that the pro
jectiles contain three pounds or secre
explosives.
Guns of 1910 Model.
These members of the principal bat
terry OF the Nashville are practfcail
of 1910 model. The tubes proper wer
part Of the vessels equipment when
was turned over to the state or Ill
nois. They had to be dismounted an
entrained when the ship passe
through Canadian water 20 lai
Michigan. But the mounts and ia
ance gear were shipped from Unite
States mills last spring and bear u
significant date. 1870 on their bra
labels
The total weight of each four-in'
gun is shout four tons. or this W
new mount claims two tons, ana u
barrel, sleeve. and top carriage piv'
the rest. The tiifficult and exacui
work of assembling the pieces WI
done entirely by reserve men. VINO a
able to perform every technical JOB r
quired on board their trim hghti'
machine.
I'm short, IL Is cheerfully admit.
that floating enemy of the Nashvil
type. stationed in Chicago harp'
could make a region -four miles
radius uninhabitable while range I'm
ers could pick out any given spot
building and strike the mark. Any q
Office building could be hemoiisn
with three shells from the Nashvih
Discussed in Parliament
''The permission given to the Unit
States to place war vessels on