The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-11-08
BIC GUN SHIP
.SOONADDED To
THE j. s. NAVY
Battleships Now Building
Will Be Armed With
14-inch 50-Cal. Rifle.
BE THE.EQUAL OF
15-IN. FOREIGN GUN
California, Mississippi and
Idaho to Garry Mon
sters in Turrets.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Washington, Nov. 7.-Battleships
now building for the United States /
navy will carry 14-inch, fifty caliber
guns which are believed by ordnance
experts to be the equal of the 15-inch |
weapons in foreign navies although of
lighter weight. In his annual report,
made public tonight, Rear Admiral
Joseph Strauss, chief of the navy ord
nance bureau, says:
with the object Of keeping pace
with the increased range of modern
naval warfare the bureau has in
creased the power of the 14inch guns |
for the California, Mississippi and |
Idaho by increasing the length of the |
gun to so calibers and charging its
chamber capacity. In order that these
latest, additions to the navy should
carry the highest type of artillery
the bureau took the bold step of or
dering their guns without manufac- |
turing trial gun. The bureaus con-
fidence in its design has been fully
justified. The first gun proved not
only gave the designed velocity and
pressure exactly, but it's additional
longitudinal strength which has been
provided for has resulted in these
guns having less droop than any
guns of large caliber heretofore pro.
duced. AS it stands these guns, al
though Of lesser caIiber and weight
than the 15-inch guns now mounted
abroad, are capable of penetrating
the heaviest side arnor at oblique
impacts and at the greatest effective
battle range, and give US the advan-
tage Of fatter trajectory, with great
er volume Of fire due to the increased
number that we are permitted to-
mount on any ship of equal displace-
ment.
"In August, 1914, a type 16-inch
gun of 45 calibers length was tested.
This gun fulfilled the highest expec.
tations of its design, and the bureau
believes it to be as powerful a gun
as is in existence today"
GUNS IN GOOD SHAPE.
The report shows that the navy's
armament had been kept well up to
date, older type 5-inch guns having
been replaced on all ships of the first
line; that anti aircraft rifles of sizes
up to 4-inch rifles have been designed,
and that mounts for the disappearing
guns for submarines have been built.
The latter weapons will be given an
increased elevation so that they may
fire at aeroplanes.
Difficulty has been encountered in
placing contracts for sufficient num-
Der of the new arrnor piercing pro-
jectiles for big guns now being used
by the navy. The rise in price due
to the war is indicated by the fact
that projectiles were purchased in
1913 at 1920 each while those con-
tracted for in 1915 cost $415. Part
OF the increased cost, however, is
due to the new design. Satisfactory
8-inch projectiles have been produced
at the naval gun factory and larger
shells are now being made there.
As to the value Of arncr piercing
shells the report says experiments
during the year have strengthened the
view that missiles of this type but
carrying high explosive IN limited
quantities, are superior to high ex-
plosive shells that depend wholly upon
the force Of an outside explosion to
accomplish their mission. A French
official report is quoted to show that
plain shells carrying high explosive
in large quantity were absolutely
poweriess" against arTnor Of any I'M
portance.
| INCREASED SHELL OUTPUT.
The Indian Head powder factory
turned out 100000 pounds above its
1914 output last year as a result of
improved methods, and with increases
authorized by congress is expected to
make 5000, 900 pounds In 1916 and
100000 in 1917, the report states.
In this connection the report adds:
sowing to the increase in the out
put of the Indian Head powder fac
tory, contracts for private manufac-
ture of smokeless powder have been
greatly reduced, and at the present
time there is only one contract out
standing, amounting to T90, 600
pounds, with the Carneys Point plant