The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-01-15
TEST BIGGEST GUNS
Broadside Breaks Dishes and
Wrecks Deck Boat.
Trial Of 1sIz-lnch Piece Of New sU-
perdreadnoueht Orion Marks New
Stage In Art Of War-Most
Powerful Warshlp Aflost

Portsmouth.-The trial OF the 1914
inch guns OF the new super-dread
nought Orion marks new stage In
the art OF war. They are the largest
guns ever fired at sea. There was
much interest in the question Of how
the ship would stand the shock.
The concussion VIXEN the ten big
guns were fired at the same instant
broke many small articles on the ship,
but did no damage to the hull
The Orion is now the most powerful
warship aaoat, but will not remain
long with that distinction. The Unit
ed States is building two ships Of en-
tirely similar construction, which are
to carry 14-ineh guns instead Of 1871.
The test firing Of the Orion took
place off Overs lightship. All the
ten big guns are, for the first time
in dreadnought, placed on the CEN
ter line, TO secure q full broadside
fire, and even the inner guns have an
angle of fire Of 10 degrees. First
with half-charges and then with full
charges of common and armor pierc-
ing shell each gun was fired singly,
and the mountings, which are nearly
half as heavy again as those Of the
12-inch ordnance. developed no de-
fects.
The supreme test, however, was the
firing of all ten big guns on the beam
with full charges. The seamen and
marine gunners and every person on
deck or the upper works had their
ears covered In with wool padded
leather flaps. The guns were fired 81
multaneously by pressing trigger OF
new patent appliance connected with
the range finders, and operated from
fre-control station ut the apex OF
the solitary tripod mast and in elec
trical connection with each gun.
The 1S.5-inch gun fires shell Of
1880 pounds-an enormous increase
upon the $50 pounds of the 12-inch
gun-and the force OF the discharge
10000 foot tons. would be sufficient
to drive the she'll at the maximum
elevation from Dover to Calais. The
shells. however were allowed to DROP
into the sea in shallow watere near
Selsy Bill. The force developed by
the combined explosion would be suffl
cient, it is calculated, to raise thirty
0rions foot.
1t shook violently from stem tc
stern, and yet the persons who were
least affected were the guns crew
They scarcely heard the explosion
and all they saw was the recoil of the
gun through the six feet OF space In
the barbette, which happened like :
lightning flash. The huge wire-wount
steel tube, weighing 76 tons, returned
to its firing position with equal We
locity under the influence of great
springs. whose work was controlled
by pistons with ports working in oil
cylinders.
Below deck all loose crockery and
pieces of lighter furniture had been
slowed away and they ratified omi
nously and dozens Of plates, cups and
saucers, etc. were smashed by the
force of the concussion. which was
even sufficient to burst open tins Of
syrup In the canteen. The hull itsell
withstood the shock well, and showed
no signs Of damage.
The thick glass of dozens of sky
lights and port holes was splintered
though the skylights We're protected
by armored plates fastened dowr
tightly with butterfly screws. The
most amazing damage of all was that
under the force of the concussion
chiefly from the central barbette. the
bottom OF boat fell clean out
The decks were practically undam
aged The area over which the flashes
passed was specially thickened with
armored steel to resist the tendency
to buckle under the plunging SHOCK
of the discharge of hundreds Of
pounds of cordite, and the injury done
was merely superficial
The force of the concussion was SC
tremendous that the windows of the
houses at Southsea. over 12 miles dis
tant, were heavily shaken in their
frames.