The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-10-20
GERMANY, BUILDS |
MONSTER Cannon
REPORT THAT kRUPPS ARE
BUILDING A % IL INCH GUN
is CONFIRMED.
viii be the Most Powerful Mobile
Gun in the World and viii Mark
a New Era in Ordnance.

Tne Hague, Oct 19.-To the ru-
mors that the Krupps work at Essen
are building 56-centlmeter guns, has
now been added another-the cain
that the same plant is turning out
56-centimeter pieces. While it 8
hard to believe this. 1t must be borne
in mind that siege piece of AZ cen
timeters, tae existence of which was
doubted before the war has become
convincing reality, as has also the
Austrian 305-centimeter piece, which
even after the outbreak Of the war
was looked upon as the object of
very interesting fable.
TO be sure a 30.5-centimeter (about
l2Inch) gun was not in itself novel
| ty. But that the Austrians would be
able to make such a piece mobile for
fled purposes was thought out of the
question The same process of rea-
soning was applied to the German
AZ .centimeter or 16 1-2 inch gun. A
mathematical relation of cause ald
effect, in this instance, the ability o.
steel to Withstand the shock of the
propelling explosion, and the weight
which such a machine of destruction
would have, led to TIE conclusion that
! rs IL inch gun while possible
could not be transported easily
enough to permit its use in the field.
! Nevertheless, it was shown that
though the German 42-centimeter
gun weighs about 26 tons, transporta-
ton difficulties had been overcome
largely with the aid of motor trac
ton and other devices.
Since the increase in weight of a
| 56-centimeter or 22-inch gun over
42-centimeter gun would not be very
great. and since the increase in a
60.centimeter or % ~ inch gun over
22inches would be an almost negli-
! gib.e quantity, the existence of such
pieces need not be doubted in this
respect. If it is possible to move over
ordinary roads and across soft fields
a 26-ton piece, 1t is not unreasonable
to expect that a gun weighing 70
tons would offer no new transporta-
ton problems The case is one OF in
crease in motive power instead Of
new aspects in transportation.
No attention need be paid to popu-
liar rumors making the rounds in Ger
many that the new pieces are design
ed to lombard the English coast from
the coast of France. The extreme
flight of the 16 IL inch shell has re-
Gently been given as about IL h'o
meters for the "krumbahh' or nigh
trajectory pieces, and l6 h,ometers
for those having a flatter course
Since the increase in calibre from IL
1.2 to % 1-2 does not necessarily
mean proportionate lengthening o.
range. it is not at all likely that the
English coast cities opposite Calais
and other channel points will make
the acquaintance of the "Brummers
as the Germans have come to cal
their large siege pieces
The 56-cm. and 60 en-. pieces
should they actually exist would fins
their uses, and these, as more or less
well-informed circles here assert
would consist of arming some nava
base on the channel which the Ger
mans hope to establish during the
Icourse of this war 1t is maintained
that Calais has been decided upon as
the best locality for such base, aAC
that the great activity in the KrupI
works is in measure due to this.
There is an authentic report tla
in this establishment over 10000 mer
are busy day and night turning ou
war material. While a large percent
age of this force must be employed
in supplying current demands OF am
munition for the field pieces and re
placing losses in this arm, it is only
reasonable to assume that this huge
force would in part be employed y
1.-THE making of new and larger "Brum
mers." That the works are turning
ont new additions to the 42-cm. equif
ment is known. for onIy a few days
ago six new pieces Of this class wers
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