Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-10-06
HIGH POWER GUNS
Long Range Weapons That Are
Used In Land Warfare.
TYPES OF HEAVY ORDNANCE.

Field and Siege Guns, Howitxsrs and
Mortars Are Very Much Akin, and u
10 Difficult to Say just Whore One
Ends and the Other Begins.
There is no sharp and distinct I'M
Outstanding on the part of the average
person as to the difference or distinc-
gun, the howftzer and the mortar. The
precise line OF distinction or mark Of
distinction between these classes Of
weapons might be difficult even for an
ordnance technician to define 1t is
certainly difficult for layman to tell
just where the gun ends and the how
itzer begins, or where the howitzer
ends and the mortar begins.
Considered IN broad and general
way, the special purpose Of the gun
was and Is to destroy other guns in
march or in position, to destroy troops
In the open and to batter down objects
behind which troops find shelter. The
projectile Of the gun by high powder
pressure was given high velocity and
a relatively fiat trajectory, which
means that the shot passing from the
gun to the target did not rise high
above the earth or above line joining
gun and target To Withstand the
powder pressure required for this work
the gun was heavy In relation to the
weight Of the proJecttle. From the
fact that the shot travelled in path
relatively Of slight curve, its slope OF
fall or its angle Of fall was not steep.
1t would go through stone wall. or
perhaps smash 1t. or would go deep
into dirt embankment, but 1t was not
easy to put shot inside a narrow deep
trench, or to plant shot so close be-
hind an embankment as to kill men
sheltered there.
The shot from the gun was good at
penetration. but Ineffective In search
ing the rear of cover. To accomplish
that purpose another style OF gun was
devised. The pressure per square inch
of powder chamber was decreased, the
angle of elevation Of the gun was In
creased, the angle Of departure Of the
shot VISA greatly increased and the
shot after reaching the summit Of its
path fell so steeply that If the range
were known and the practice good the
shot would land in a trench or fall so
close behind an embankment or para
pet that men would find no shelter
there
This being possible by reduction OF
inch nf
chamber surface and consequent re
duction In the speed of the projectile,
II was found that the weight Of the
gun in relation to the weight of the
projectile could be diminished. thus In
creasing its mobility or the facility
with which 1t could be moved from
place to place
1t was found that the barrel of this
gun could be very much shortened.
thus effect1ng saving In weight But
IN making the changes In this gun
instead Of absolutely decreasing Its
weight the gunmaken enlarged its
bore and increased the size Of its pro
jectile. thus increasing its efficiency.
This type Of gun. though not In the
narrow and technical sense "gun." b
ordnance and an element OF artillery
and was given the specific name how
itxer."
The mortar was a gun that could
give a higher angle Of IRE and more
piunging nre than howitSer. 1t was
a very short piece Of ordnance. fred
from a platform and held down by
ropes. Forts and mortar boats used II
for getting a high angle OF Ore and
moro plunging fire with larger shell
than could be had using q howitxer.
The range used to be obtained by vary
ing the power charge. At this day
morcars weighing at least four tons,
fitted with an elevating device and
range scale and with recoil and counter
recou or recuperator devices. are haul
ed around ON wheels, set down on
platform also carried on wheels, and
producing vertical fire with high ex-
plosive shell weighing $50 pounds with
or without delay action fuse.
The field gun for the purpose Of fir-
ing over ridges. getting at troops on
the reverse slope of ridges or across
hills, giving to shrapnel the proper
slope of fall for effective distribution
and keeping the load light on the
horses has veered away from the gun
as developed in ship and fortress ar
tillery and In the direction of the how
itzer-like properties. Field guns have
had their trails split that the breech
may be further depressed. thus giving
them a higher angle of fire designed
for use against air craft. and In effect
ing useful compromise between pow
er and mobility the trajectory Of shots
from this gun is high and the slope Of
fan quite steep.
Guns Of high power-high powder
pressure, high velocity and long range
have been built to give vertical IRE
or nearly vertical elevation against
aeroplanes or dirigibles.
So, as announced. it IL not an easy