Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-09
HUGE FIELD GUNS
RIDDLE SOLDIERS"
5 MILES DISTANT
Latest Field Pieces in Uncle
Sans Service Compare
Favorably With Famous
Busy Berthas of Ger
mans.

A battery Of four siege guns, the largest
and most modern field pieces in the serv-
ice Of the United States Government, has
been tested in ranging practice at Fort
Dupont, Del, and found satisfactory
Officers who directed the final practice Of
the year were pleased with the results
given by the Little Berthas."
The guns are of the latest type Of field
artillery, and although much smaller
than the famous Busy Berthas of the
German army they are built along the
same general lines and are more porta-
bic, eight horses being sufficient to drag
them into position.
They weigh four tons each making
them the heaviest portable artillery in
this country To batter down fortiica-
tions is their chief duty. but with their
range of three and half miles the guns
could effectually prevent hostile war ves-
sells from attacking Philadelphia.
Major H. L. steele, commander OF the
coast defense, expressed himself as
highly pleased with the showing made
by the guns. He was an interested spec
tetor and was especially observant OF
the big wheels and long trails wallowing
in the sandy soil with each report. The
handicap of an unstable foundation, he
said, did not seem to detract much from
the accuracy of the fire which the guns
maintained.
FIRING OF GUNS REALISTIC.
With the exception that the signal
party exposed itself to view of the "ene-
N.Y." situated on Pea Patch Island. to the
northeast, the firing was done as il in
actual warfare and was realistic. AS dis
covered through glasses and "aeroplane
ttu ba CT pf IL
en- figures representing columns of in
fantry and platoons of artillery in sill
houette.
Captain L. S. Ryan, of Company 112,
Coast Artillery, and senior officer at
Fort Dupont, directed practice from a
windswept knoll. With him were Major
Steele, Captain Burt of Fort Mott; Lieu
tenants Barlow and Walshimer and the
signal corps. The four guns manned
by Company 112 were concealed In a
cornfield below. Clumps of bushes cut
off a view of the island and the olive
colored guns were screened by drab corn
shucks, behind which the men in olive
drab uniforms operated the pieces. Can
noneers, cannon cassons and limbers
melted into the background. so that they
were. hard to detect.
The range, DETECTION and other data
were furnished the gunners by the signal
party which used geometric calculations
in determining the distance of the "ene-
my" The data were sent to the battery
by telephone and megaphone. and sub
sequent firing was corrected by the sig
nal party, which observed the effect OF
the shots.
SHELLS WEIGH 125 POUNDS.
Thirty rounds of shrapnel were sent
across the intervening one and three
quarter miles of water with deadly"
effect. With every cannon roar and
cloud of dust a shell Weighing 1876
pounds whistled across the sky, and IL
seconds later the watchers on the knoll
saw a squirt of white cloud above the
island as the time fuse burst the shrap-
balls upon the "enemy's' heads. Six
seconds later the faint report of the
explosion was heard.
Examination later in the day OF the
havoc wrought on the island showed an
entire line of infantry rlddled with
shrapnel balls; one unfortunate wooden
soldier carried not fewer than II wounds
A battery commander" standing be-
side his "gun" was pierced in the
"heart." The shrapnel which failed to
explode In the air tore great holes in
the sand or ricocheted into the river
beyond.
Captain Ryan Is proud of his pets, each
OF which costs about 5000. They We're
made at the Rock Island Arsenal and
represent the highest type of siege gun
the Government has yet produced. The
recoil system is similar to that OF the
Krupp guns. The recoil cylinder filled
with oil and springs, is above the gun
cylinder With every detonatlon the re-
coil cylinder is forced backward, relIev-
ing the strain on the trail In spite OF
this, two OF the guns burrowed deep
into the loose soil
Besides the battery which was I'm ac-
ton, another battery of four guns OF the
same type is In storage at Fort Dupont
and Fort Sill. okla, and Fort Smelling,
Mimi. each boasts of battery OF the
new siege guns. The 6-inch projectiles
cost sl2 and may be hurled 11s miles
up in the air,