The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-16

The New York, Texas, Nevada and
Oklahoma each will have ten of those
weapons in their turrets. Ships now
in commission are armed with
tweive-inch rifles.
Naval experts calculate that a pro-
jectile for a sixteen-inch gun will
weigh about 1850 pounds and a
charge of $50 pounds of powder will
be required to hurl 1t beyond the
horizon. It is figured by one expert
that the shock of one sixteen-inch
gun is equal to the energy of ten
Pullman coaches travelling at seventy
miles an hour being brought to a
one of its projectiles will lift $4,000
foot tons one foot, which, in engineer
ing. is equivalent to raising $4,000
tons against the force of gravity
through the height Of one foot.
Great Destructive Effect.
The Imagination is heightened when
1t is considered what destructive effect
salvo or broadside of ten sixteen
inch rifles will have. The combined
weight of the ten shots fired at the
same time will be 2O.5OO pounds with
lifting energy Of half million
TONS
IF it were possible to take ship
like the White Star liner Olympic
otA0 PoS IL DIOOhlyu OTIu6G,
then lift it with steel cables attached
to the bridge. then the bridge, of
course, would collapse. Well. the
energy Of that projectile. you will see,
is sufficient to lift more than the
weight of the olympic one foot. The
olympic's tonnage is $4,000.
The Pennsylvania will be about $50
feet long and she will have beam OF
102 feet. She is expected to draw
{~ \.
oil probably will be used for fuel
To those unfamiliar with the con-
struction of warships. the enormous
volume of concussion resulting from
or course the range of a sixteen-inch
guns would appear to be almost more
than even a 30.000-ton craft could
stand without damage, but the expert
was of the opinion the great beam OF
the Pennsylvania will offset the shock
Not Farther. but Harder.
Asked what he thought the fighting
range Of the Pennsylvania would be
since 1t has been proved in target
ISa practice that 5000 yards is about
the maximum range for accuracy
with twelve-inch guns. the expert
said:
Il should think the great advant.
age of sixteen-inch guns would be
not to shoot further, but to have the
effect Of hitting harder blow" he
replied. THE horizon now is the
maximum range for our big guns
and at nine miles shooting isn't easy
or course the range of sivteen-inct
gun is greater than telescope car
pick up an object. However. it's ar
unlucky ship that gets in the way Of
one sixteen-inch projectile."
will the armor belt Of the Penn.
sylvania. do YOU think, he thicker
than that Of the latest warships?"
Il scarcely think so," he said. 1.-THE
main belt Of the newest ships is be.
ing held close to the eleven-incf
thickness Still. II sixteen-inct
where from 6. 900 to II, 900 Yards, 9 yo,
can figure out for yourself what's 60
ing to happen. That's one shot. Il
a well-aimed salvo finds the mari
thereIl be few splinters flying
about. I suppose"
Officers also are astonished at the
magnitude Of labor and skill that will
be required to handle the triple tur.
rets. and the necessary strength te
Withstand a recoil of three sixteen.
guns will be loaded with telescope,
rams. operated by electric motors
The men in the turrets will be picket
for their physical qualities. the gun
pointer. perhaps. being the only light
weight in the crew.
Follows British Order.
1t was pointed out that the report
ed decision of the naval general hoart
to put in sixteen-inch guns is due t.
the order of the British government
Just given. for a monster battleshir
that will have guns of very large
caliber. The decision by the British
government further to increase tn.
size of their guns. it is thought, II
part is what means sixteen-inch gun!
for the Pennsylvania. In a battle
between ships of 10000 tons or more
those armed with the heavier wea.
pons, 1t is conceded. will win. The
damage that can be done by one
sixteen-inch rifle. experts concede
will be more destructive than two
eight tinch or two ten-inch guns.