Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-11-18
THERE IS NO GUN
TO MATCH GERMANS
Eyes of World Watch Feats of
Great Howitzers-U. S. Mill
tary Men May Experiment.
BY John snure.

Washington, Special.-Neither Eng
land, nor France, nor any other of the
leading military nations, so far as is
known in Washington, a anything in
the way of a siege gun which APP
pfoaches the German 11-inch howitzers,
by means of which Antwerp was re-
duced. The United States has no such
siege weapon though American ord
nance officers hitherto have felt they
We're keeping abreast of artillery de-
velopments i'm other countries.
The best information here is that if
the allies are called on later in the war
to lay siege to Antwerp or any of the
German strongholds. the largest siege
gun they can bring to Dear will be the
6-inch howitzer. This is of the same
in he American army. So far as Ant
werp is concerned. the forts are now
much weakened and the allies might
be able to retake them with 6-inch
guns.
All over the world. in military cir
cles. the 11-inch howitzer of the Ger
mans has aroused intense interest. Sci
entlsts are giving them close attention.
Military men in Washington are de-
Vouflng every scrap of information
they can find about them. The new
hrupp gun. which numbers Liege, Ma
mur, and Antwerp among it's victims.
is described as a cross between a rifled
cannon and Il mortar. 1t is shorter
than a cannon. but somewhat longer
than q mortar.
To speak technically. it is 10 calibers
long. or 10 times as long as the diane
ter OF the projectile. The ordinary siege
gun IS longer in proportion than this,
and he ordinary mortar is shorter in
proportion.
She'll Weighs $50 Pounds.
The l1-inch howitzer fires a projectile
winch weighs $50 pounds. This is six
and a half times as heavy as the pro-
Jectile of the 6-inch siege gun. which
Welghs u l2O pounds. The weight di-
mln1shes rapidly with the lessening of
the diameter. Thus the projectile from
the American 4.7-inch siege gun weighs
90 pounds. These smaller proiectiles
themselves do terrific damage against
notifications and buildings, but moth
ing ike that done by the 11-inch howit-
zers.
Should the allies lay siege to Ant
werp. they would doubtless use not oniv
their regular siege guns, but would also
bring up some of their powerful naval
guns. The obstacle in the way is their
transportation. but this doubtless could
De overcome. 1t would hardly be FEAST
bic. however. to take naval guns far
inland. unless perfect railroad facilities
were provided. Thus. If the allies reach
a point IN the campaign where they
seek to batter down forts along the
AAOAlicIs Iucy WUIQ ma 1t diff.
ficult to transport their naval guns SO
far from h vessels.
Experts Want Facts.
The experts want to know a lot of
things about the 11-inch howitzers and
the German siege artillery in general.
1t has already become recognized by
military men that the powerful nature
Of this siege artillery has made 1t of
little use to spend a sums for forts
against I'M attacks. The ordinary
dirt Notifications which soldiers throw
up in the field are more useful.
Just What is the nature of the ex-
pIosive used by the Germans in tho
siege howitzer is disputed. But the
force with which It explodes is appall-
ing. When 1t strikes the turret of a
fort the conclusion kills the
Soldier. gathered within 100 feet Of
where the projectile explodes are killed.
The new howitzer is fired about as a
mortar is fired. with the gun pointing
nearly straight up In the air. The
charge of powder 10 gagged according
e he distance between the gun and
Talk "a n German ,s.,r,h .,... -.