Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-10-21
new GERMAN GUN !.
IS QUITE LIKELY
No Grounds for Doubt as to
Accurateness of Report
ed Addition.

The Hague, Oct. 21.-To the rumors
that the Krupps works at Essen are
building 56-centimeter guns. has now
been added another-the claim that
the same plant is turning out 56-centi-
meter pieces. While 1t is hard to be-
lieve this. 1t must be borne in mind
the existence Of which was doubted
before the war. has become convinc-
ing, reality. as has also the Austrian
SO.5-centimeter piece, which even
after the outbreak of the war was
looked upon as the object Of very
interesting fable.
To be sure 30.5 centimeter (about
12-inch) gun was not In itself q
novelty. But that the Austrlans
mobile for field purposes was thought
out of the question. The same pro-
cess of reasoning was applied to the
German 42-centimeter or 16 1-2-inch
gun. A mathematical relation OF
cause and effect, In this instance. the
ability Of steel to Withstand the shock
Of the propelling explosion, and the
weight which such a machine of de-
struction would have, led to the COZ. con
possible could not be transported
easily enough to permit its use in the
field. Nevertheless. 1t was shown
that. though the German 42-centime-
ter gun weighs about 26 tons. trans
portation difficulties had been over
come largely with the aid Of motor
traction and other devices.
Since the increase in weight over
Doubt Cleared.
Since the increase in weight of g
56-centimeter, or 22-inch gun over q
42-centimeter gun would not be very
great. and since the increase in
centimeter or 23 1-2-inch gun over a
22-incher would be an almost negligt-
pieces need not be doubted in this
respect. If 1t is possible to move
over ordinary roads and across soft
fields a 26-ton piece, 1t Is not unrea-
sonable to expect that a gun Weighing
IS tons would offer no new transport
alton problems. The case is one Of
increase in motive power instead of
new aspects in transportation.
No attention need be paid to popu-
many that the new pieces are de-
signed to lombard the English coast
from the coast Of France. The e.
treme flight of the 16 1-2-inch shell
has recently been given as about IL
kilometers for the "krumbahn' or
high trajectory pieces, and is kilo-
meters for those having datter
course. Since the increase in calibre
from 16 1-2 to 20 1-2 does not neces-
ing Of range. it is not at all likely
that the English coast cities opposite
Calais and other channel points will
make the acquaintance Of the "Brum-
mers''-asl the; Germans have, come TO
calf their large siege pieces
The 56-om and e0-om pieces,
should they actually exist would find
their uses. and these. as more. or less
well.informed circles here aesert.
base on the channel which the: Ger
mans hope to establish during
course of this war. 1t is maintained
that Calais has been decided upon ss
the best locality for such base, and
that the great activity In the Krupp
works is in a measure due to this.
$4,000 Men at Work.
There is an authentic report that
in this establishment over $4,000 mer.
are busy day and night turning
war material. \,nlie large per-
centage of this force must be employ
ed in supplying current demands G
ammunition for the field pieces and
replacing Losses In this arm, 1t is
force could in part be employe
the making Of new and larger "Brum-
mers." That the works are turning
out new additions to the 42-om equip,
ment is known, for only few days
ago six new pieces Of this class were
taken to the vicinity of Antwerp.
1t Is of some interest to know with
what the French oppose these heavy
pieces. According to an article in the
Berliner Lokal Anzeiger Of Septem-
Der %, the French use 27-om NOR
tar-smaller than the Austrian NOR
tar piece-and 120-millimeter and
150-millimeter fiat trajectory gun.
In addition there is 13s-nnillemeter
gun Of older pattern. To facilitate
comparison. the Austrian, French and
German equipments are given in
table of millimeters:
Calibre
=.