Evening star., 1915-03-18
u. S. WARSH|P GUNS
BIGGEST IN WORLD
Sixteen-Inch Rifles to Be
Placed on New American
Dreadnaughts.
INDIAN HEAD TESTS
DELIGHT NAVAL MEN
Engines Of Destruction Weigh More
Than 100 Tons and Have
Great Range.

The two batt1eships provided for in
the current naval bill may be armed
with sixteen-inch rifles, the heaviest
naval guns ever designed
While tentative plans for the new
ships contemplate vessels similar in
general design to the s2,ooo-ton giants
of the California class now building.
ment are being given unusual atten-
tion by navy designers, and the re-
suits obtained from the flfteen-inch
and German battleships are being
closely watched.
New Gun Is Tested.
Already the new sixteen-inch navy
gun has been subjected to tests at tho
Indian Head proving ground, and
while details Of its construction and
performance are closely guarded, It is
known that the gigantic weapon has
given proof of its efficiency which de-
lighted navy ordnance experts. The
gun was built at the naval gun fac
tory and has been undergoing tests
for several months.
Some idea of the probable size OF the
new American gun may be gathered
from the fact that each of the eight
tleship Queen Elizabeth weighs
ninty-six tons, while similar rifles de-
signed in the Krupp works for Ger
man battleships laid down this year
each weigh more than eighty-two tons
The fourteen-inch rifles of the battle
ships New York and Texas weigh
6s.S tons each, and 1t is certain that
the new sixteen-inch weapon weighs
more than 100 tons without its
mounting.
One Designed by Krupp.
Krupp engineers have designed q
sixteen-inch gun which fires a projec-
tile weighing 2.o28 pounds, against the
1.675-pound mass of steel hurled by
the f1fteen-inch rifles adopted for the
German navy and the 1.720-pound pro-
jectiles poured into Turkish fortresses
of the Dardanelles by the British bat
German or British vessels of the first
line carry any weapon exactly similar
to the American fourteen-inch gun, a
jump having been made last year from
the standard twelve-tnch rifle TO the
ffteen-inch type.
The New York. Texas, Nevada and
Oklahoma each carry ten fourteen-inch
guns, while the Pennsylvania, Caltfor-
MIA, 1OdhO ana MlSSlSSlppl edCu VIII
carry twelve. placed three to a turret
These weapons throw projectiles weigh
ing 1,400 pounds, as is the case with
the fourteen-inch guns designed for the
four Japanese battleships estimated for
in 1914.
With the increase in size, the life Of
the gun Is shortened by erosion, due to
the heat generated by the explosion OF
the huge charge of powder necessary
to hurl nearly a ton Of metal fifteen
to hn t,n ran
American sixteen-inch weapon. The
rifiing of the gun burns out under the
blast. Drops of melted steel are vfsi-
BILE in the bore after each shot and 1t Is
beth's ffteen-inch weapons Is less than
100 shots each. After that the gun ts
so inaccurate as to be virtually use
less. Navy gun designers have over
come that obstacle somewhat, 1t Is
said. with the new American sixteen
inch gun: but the life of the gun Is still
far below that Of the fourteen-inch.
Erosion Is Decreased
The Krupp works. before the out
break OF the present war. announced
that a process of steel and powder
manufacture had been evolved that de-
creased erosion; but the factory Is un-
derstood to have refused to contract to
supply a large number Of great guns
under guarantee of ESQ rounds accu-
racy-flre life.
In placing aboard the Queen Eliza
beth the fifteen-inch weapon designed
for her class British navy officials are
understood to have depended upon a
cheap process for refining perfected
life of the gun. If that be true it is
probable the Queen Elizabeth soon may
be compelled to return to England and
have new guns placed aboard If the
steady pounding at the Dardanelles
forts exhausts her main battery.
1t has been suggested that sixteen
inch guns could be substituted for the
fourteen-inch batteries of the Ameri-
can battleships now under construc-
ton, placing them two to turret In
eight guns each instead of twelve
Navy officers say, however, that the
cost of such an alteration would be
very great. If it could be made at all
They also hold that the American four
teen-inch gun is the equal of the Brit
ttcal purposes.
Better Chance for Hits.
With any target in plain view. it is
said, the American gun has equal
range and nearly equal penetration.
the difference being more than counter
balanced by the larger number Of guns
carried. Thus in action against such
ship as the Queen Elizabeth the
Pennsylvania would have twelve four
teen-inch guns against eight fifteen
inch, and would have SO per cent great
er opportunity for scoring hits. For In
direct fire, such as the work in which
the queen Elizabeth shared In the Oar
daneiles, the ffteen-inch guns greater
range would be important. but 1t Is not
believed 1t would be factor In pure
ly naval battle.
During the present war big-gun naval
engaeements have been fought at a
range Of from seven to ten miles. ef-
fective distance for either twelve or
fourteen inch guns.
As matter of fact, 1t has been
pointed out that the German eight