Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-19
SECRET OF kRUPP SUCCESS.
Use of Nickel CrusibIe Steel Gives
Great Strength and Lghtness to
Their Guns.

inelf 1UhSs
3 washington Cor. New York Herald.)
1t has been suggested in weil-in-
formed circles that the resolution Of
inquiry proposed by Representative
Gardner, Of Massachusetts,, with re-
gard to the preparedness of this coun-
try to engage in war might profitabIy
include an investigation into the rel
alive merits Of American artillery
and Krupp guns.
It is well known here that Krupp
ordnance is built up from crucible
nickel steel, and despite contentious
to the contary, it is maintained that
Krupp crucible nickel steel is I'M
equaled in the world. This fact is
appreciated by many American man
ufactures, who make a practice of
importing Krupp crucible nickle steel
for use in working parts of machinery
where there are abnormally large
stress demands.
As late as 1909 Krupp was supplying
some of the private builders of British
warships with crank shafts. This work
was largely in connection with torpedo
boat destroyers when the indicated
horse power installed in single craft
Appropriated 10000.
It is "a well-known saying in the
Essen shops that such a thing as a
broken or fractured Krupp crucible
nickel steel shaft has never been
known. When one considers the fire.
Quency, one may almost say, with
which shafts have broken in some of
the heavy ships of the United States
Navy in the last few years the facts
with relation to the Krupp equipment
become almost startling.
Still another assertion is made at
Essen and made with calmness born
of conviction, namely, that such a
thing as burst Krupp crucible nickel
steel gun, using service charges. has
never been known. Krupp has burst
guns on the Neppen range, 1t is de-
clared, but such guns were marked
for destruction, and the bursting was
a part of the experimentation work of
Krupp engineers.
The Essen works of Fried. Krupp
employ under normal conditions about
2S,G coo men. The total number of en-
plovces at all the Krupp plants is
about SO 900. Gun construction is con-
fined to Essen. In addition the Essen
shops turn out armor plate. steel rails,
steel tires for railway wheels. heavy
forgings for ships and engine parts.
Crucible nickel steel Is used in all gun
work and also for shafting and heavy
duty engine parts.
Tho crucible nickel steel department
is only one branch of the great Essen
establishment. It is also the one part
of the Essen shops to which callers
are never admitted. Krupp once IN
formed an American, to whom every
courtesy was being shown, that ne re-
GREETED that the rule with reference TO
the crucible nickel steel department
couId not be set aside, for, said the
ironmaster, "even If you saw the
nrosress in vogue you could not utilize
If in America because you have not
the experience nor the organization.
The Krupp attitude with reference
m artillery is summed up in state
wont heard so often at Essen and
which is the crux of the situation,
that unless Krupp is at all times nVe
RI six wears ahead of every other gun
making establishment in the world, ne
is not Krupp.
The German Government maintains
no ordnance bureau as In the united
States. Krupp relieves the government
of that expense. Krupp BUILDS Tor tho
world and for any country so long as
that country is not at war, ana When
germany herself wants guns the order
is mt in to Krupp in the same manner
as one would order a suit Of clothes OF
his tailor.
THE German Government has never
a+teunted to define or limit the Essen
works. Whenever it has been deemed
necessary to rebattery the army krupp
voc done II and the latest model gun
voc ALWAYS been at the disposal first or
all of Germany.
To better understand conditions at
1<r,pp's il should be born in mind that
-,,natever Krupp has accomplished Is
the result Of logical development. The
s,,,n of 1912 model is a logical develop
ynent. step by step, to the present DAY
,,e,t over the 1911 model, and the 1914
model is a logical development step
nv step. to the present day.
Herein lies the aH-important oller-
ence between methods in vogue IN Ger
MANY and abroad. In this connection
II is related by a well-informed man
that when the question OF supplying
recoil rapid-fire field guns tor the
United States army came up, some
years ago, Krupp was invited to send
a field piece to Sandy Hook for test In
company with guns of other makes.
Krupp declined, it is said. the Essen
officers taking the position that no test
of whatever description or sort at
Sandy Hook or anywhere else could
exceed the experimental record at
Neppen and that these records we're
OMEN to inspection.