The Washington times., 1914-10-19
ALLIES HAVE NO GUN
TO MATCH GERMANS
yes of World Watch Feats of
Great HoWitzers in Crum-
bling Forts.
By JOHN SNURE.

Neither England nor France nor any
her Of the leading military nations,
far as is known in Washington, has
nything in the way Of a siege gun
which approaches the German eleven
rch howitzers. by means Of which Ant
.verp was reduced. The United States
4as no such siege weapon, though
american ordnance officers hitherto
ave felt they were keeping abreast Of
arullery developments in other coun-
Lries
The best information here is that if
ne allies are called on later in the war
lay siege to Antwerp or any Of the
German strongholds the largest siege
gun they can bring to bear will be the
six-inch. howitzer. This is of the same
caliber as the largest siege gun adopted
N the American army. So far as Ant
werp is concerned, the forts are now
much weakened and the allies might
ne able to retake them with six-inch
suns.
All over the world, in military circles,
The eleven-inch howitZer of the Ger
mans has aroused intense interest. Sci
entists are giving them close attention.
Military men in Washington are de-
vouring every scrap of information they
can find about them. The new Krupp
Eun, which numbers Liege, Namur, and
Antwerp among its victims, is described
rs a cross between q rified cannon and
a mortar. 1t is shorter than a cannon,
but somewhat longer than a mortar.
To speak technically il is ten calibers
'ong or ten times as long as the dame
Ter of the projectile. The ordinary siege
a-lIn is longer in proportion than this,
nd the ordinary mortar is shorter In
0roportion.
Shell Weighs $50 Pounds.
The l1-inch howitzer fires a projectile
which WEIGHS $50 pounds. This is six
md a half times as heavy as the pro-
ectile of the 6-inch siege gun, which
Weighs but 40 pounds. The weight d.
finishes rapidly with the lessening of
re diameter. Thus the projectile from
ne American 4.7-inch siege gun weighs
e.Ntv pounds. These smaller projecttles
hemselves do terrific damage against
Publications and buildings, but nothing
Ike that done by the 11-inch howitzers.
Should the allies lay siege to Ant
werp, they would doubtless use not only
heir regular siege guns, but would also
ring up some of their powerful naval
Euns. The obstacle in the way is their
ansportation, but this doubtless could
2 overcome. 1t would hardly be feas-
lie, however, to take naval guns far
inland. unless perfect railroad facilities
we're provided. Thus, If the allies reach
a point in the campaign where they
eek to batter down forts along the
cult to transport their naval guns so
Tar from the vessels.
Experts Want Facts.
The experts want to know a lot Of
things about the 11-inch howitzers and
ne German siege artillery IN general.
1t has already become recognized by
military men that the powerful nature
of this siege artillery has made 1t of
IN 90 Co. e.
AGAINST land attacks, The ordinary dirt
Notifications which soldiers throw up
N the field are more useful.
Just what is the nature of the ex-
J losive used by the Germans in the 7S0- |
ound projectile of the 11-inch siege
howitzer is disputed. But the force
Nth which it explodes is appalling.
When il strikes the turret of a fort
he conclusion kills the occupants,
-oldiers gathered within 100 feet of
"here the projectile explodes are killed.
The new howitzer is fired about as a
Mortar is fired, with the gun pointing
early straight UP in the air. The
charge Of powder is gagged according
20 the distance between the gun and
ne target.
Talk Of German 16-inch siege gun is
iscredited here and not believed. For
at matter, the ordnance officers OF
ether armies did not believe Germany
lad an 1l-inch howitzer she could use.
was given out that tests or these
eapons had shown them a failure. |
o MS was the more readily believed as
- is hard enough to TRANSPORT the g. |
0ch siege howitzer and the difficult |
cs of Transporting the u-inch gun are |
,.reater. II is to be remembered, how
yer, that in Western Europe the mill |
ary roads and strategic railroads are |
UGH superior to the transportation |
4cilties which would be available in |
must other parts Of the world, in the
nited States for instance.
Apart from heavy siege artillery, the
:. lies have quite as good weapons as
rue Germans. The field artillery of the
French and English is equal. If not
EGpcrior. to the German. The Russ an
cid artillery is reported excellent. Am
r -ican army men believe the field ar
llery in the United STATS military
-ervice is as good as any in the world.
T be trouble is. they say, there is not
nough Of 1t.