The Washington herald., 1914-11-22

IeCLlNeu066 OF dILllleEy as a pow
L er Of ofenss. Liege and Namur
and Antwerp. besides many fort
resses on the Franco-German frontier fell
before the accurate, deadly fire of the
great Krupp guns In the hands OF the
Germans. Just how large and how dead
ly are these guns 10 as much a mystery
to the allies a. 10 the wonderful new
turpenite she'll Of the French.
1t is, however, known positively that
Liege and Namur fell before the assaults
Of the famous 11-inch mortars of the
invaders. These guns were used at Ant
werD, too, but how many and how much
larger guns will probably not be known
definitely for months, II not until after
the war is over.
Mach has been written about the "a
sCd 45-oentimeter siege pieces the Ger
mans are said to have in use or ready for
use. But well-informed strategists
laugh at these reports, pointing out that
the difficulty Of moving these giant
weapons would eliminate them as Of
fensive weapons. But with the advent
Of the motor traction engine, "caterptl-
lEr" wheels and carriages with fanges
that can be run over available railroad
lines. the mobility Of granite cannon
tccCmes more and more practical. True,
Utmost perfect roads IN the best OF con-
dition and with every possible climatic
rivantAge are necessary for the use Of
tie huge motor traction engines as q
pulling or propelling power. But these
kinds Of roads are found II Belgium and
in France. where just now the heavy at
tecks Of the Germans are being directed.
Railroad. too. are almost everywhere
laid. go that the guns can be moved from
city to city on their own carriages, which
sre fitted with fanges that At neatly on
the rails. Thus modern civilization. as
Sxem plihed by improved means OF COM
munication, is eagerly seized by the
makers Of war to make their trade more
terrible.
The 114nch mortars which reduced
Liege and Namur weigh, with their car
with caterpillar wheels for use over
rough and soggy roads. The Germans
seemed to experience little trouble in
moving about these unwieldy pieces and
70 bring them before forts and field fortl-
hcations almost at will. These are the
pieces also used for defensive work in
France, where the long German line held
the allies for weeks. The guns were
ehristened Jack Johnsons" by the Eng
MSh soldiers, probably because when the
shell burst II sent up pillars Of dense,
black smoke.
Although the mobility Of the 11-inch
pieces has been established, such is not
the case with the ~ and 45-centimeter
cannon. OF which so much has been writ
ten, but so little is known. The Ger
mans, naturally. have done their
best to keep a veil Of secrecy over these
new and untried weapons, and in this at
least they have succeeded admirably.
One German writer who claimed to
have an intimate knowledge Of the
Krupp works. where the great guns are
made, declared that the I2-centimeters,
or roughly, a 10. 5-inch bore gun, could
be drawn lover good roads" by six
horses. 1t is improbable, however, that
conditions often would be such that
horses could move the giant pieces about.
TIE carriages, however, are rested on
fsuge wheels for use on railroad tracks,
and this seems to be the most practical
way OF moving such Tremendously heavy
and unwieldy weapons. Motor fractions,
too, might be Of use when roads were
sn Doth and firm.
II is probable that the 16. 5-inch guns
weigh at least twice as much as the for
ty-ton 11-inch guns, and probably much
more. So great Is the recoil that pneu-
matte buttresses are attached to the gun
carriage, which would increase the
weight accordingly. These are the same
type Of guns with which the Japanese
reduced Port Arthur, but the Japanese
guns were lighter and fired much light
or shell than that said to be used by the
6SgnSnL Despite these two savings n