Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-27
OF
ARTILLERY BEING
! CLOSELY WATCHED
United States Army Officers
Take Keen Interest in News
Coming From Batt|efields Of
Europe.

fsy sosslrs JOURNAL spteIsl lrssso wlrsi
Washington, November 26.-ln
common with the military observers
of every other nation. United States
army officers are watching with
keenest interest the artillery develop
men Of the warning nations OF Eu-
rope as disclosed upon the battleflelds
lof Belgium and France Every news
dispatch that mentions the great Ger
man guns Is read closely and photo
graphs are studied with greatest care;
but so far nothing conclusive has been
found to confirm the report that the
Germans are placing their main reli-
lance upon forty-two centimeter mo-
bile howitzers
American officers believe that the
Germans have accomplished the de-
struction Of opposing forts with stand
ard eleven-inch howitzers and modern
high explosives which are virtually
the same for all nations. The key to
German successes OF this character,
they say, Hes in the thoroughness with
which the work is done and the ac-
curacy of their shooting with. eleven
inch weapons,
Photographs Of the forts before
Liege. Namur, Antwerp and else
where in war zone show turret forts
completely wrecked by German fire.
There Is nothing TO indicate, however,
that the damage was inflicted by elev-
en-inch or even smaller shells, ord
nance experts believe. The enormous
destructive force Of these shells has
been well known ever since the fall
of Port Arthur in the Japanese
sian war.
Studying Siege Niortars.
The city was taken by the japanese
Notwithstanding modern Notifications
-of the highest type; naturally stronger
than any that have been assailed dur
ing the present war. since the forts
were located on high hills rendering
tufret projections against fire unnec-
essary. They were reduced by eleven
inch coast defense howitzers brought
from the Japanese coast with great
labor and mounted after the exercise
of engineering skill of the highest or
der to get them over the rough
ground and into place where they
commanded the Russian fortresses.
once established behind nearby hills,
absolutely safe from the fire of the
Russian guns, the howitzers disposed
VI the tittIUe > DOdfltb Qtltnotc WIN
the same case that the German guns
have battered TO pieces the Belgian
forts.
American officers have studied with
interest photographs of the Austrian
mobile siege mortars. No scale has
accompanied these pictures but
comparison OF the size of the men as
shown in the pictures with the bore
80 4. a tna
they stand, indicates the guns TO be
not greater than the eleven-inch and
In many instances even smaller.
The most novel feature about these
weapons to military eyes Is the sys-
tenn OF transportation employed by
which the gun and its carriage are
divided on two trucks equipped with
trimmed wheels and special devices to
distribute the enormous weight over
us much road service as possible. The
whole train is hauled by traction en-
CINE propelled by steam or gasoline.
Undoubtedly this has served to in
crease the mobility of the giant weap
ons; but officers are not satisfied that
the necessity of carefully preparing
the ground upon which the guns stand
when discharged has been done away
with. 1t is still a job for engineers
to place the weapons and the long de-
lay necessary TO permit the emplace-
ment of siege weapons, while a little
reduced. is still factor in military
operations.
The United States Is not eontem
plating the construction Of very large
siege guns because the roads Of the
country are not suited to carry such
enormous weights. The radius of ac-
ton of the weapons would be limited
TO the immediate vicinity Of a few Of
the larger cities or a highway here or
there that has been improved for a
long distance. In the event of inva
sion II would be impossible TO confine
operations TO territories best suited
for defense and the guns would be
virtually useless.