Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-03
DANIELS AMPLIFIES STATEMENT
CONCERNING 14-INCH GIN

WASHINGTON, May I'm his re-
cent letter giving a detailed review
OF what had been done TO improve and
strengthen the navy since Wilson was
inaugurated. Secretary Daniels made
this statement:
THE Bureau of Ordnance has devel-
oped fourteeninch gun that will
shoot farther. shoot straighter and hit
harder than any gun now in use or
known to be designed by foreign
country"
There has been much interest in the
matter OF the effectiveness of the guns
of the navy, and yesterday Secretary
Daniels gave out the following con-
tanning Information simplifying his car
Her statement:
The question OF the proper caliber
Tor the main battery guns OF our bat
tleships is one that has received the
most careful consideration on the part
OF tho Bureau of Ordnance and the gen.
eral board.
There Is an axiom with regard to
calibers which amounts to this: that n
snip should mount the smallest big gun
that Will pierce the enemy's armor over
Vltals AT the maximum probable Eight
ing range. Tho fourteen-inch guns OF
the Pennsylvania will get through ,bc
maximum armor anoat, so far as our
knowledge goes. ut range of l2.Ooo
yards. Tho Queen Elizabeth's fftcen-
inch guns will do little more than that.
III our information is correct as to the
velocity OF the British fifteen-inch gun.
the fourtecn-inch guns on the Penn
syi'ania VIII range n lIttlc farther
than the Queen EliZabeth's fifteen-incb
gun. Tho natter trajection of the four.
teen-inch gun gives it increased prob.
ABILITY OF hitting in comparison with
the ffteen-inch gun
Ihe PENNSYLVANIA mounts twIeyc
guns TO the Queen Elizabcth's eight.
Therefore, the volume OF fire OF our
ship exceeds the volume OF fire of the
British ship by so per cent
THE Navy Department has built and
proved sixteen Inch gun superior to
both the flfteen-inch and fourteen-inc
80 far as penetration OF armor at fight
ing range Is concerned. II the Penn
sylvania' were to be armed with the six
teen-inch gun she could carry only
eight as against the twelve fourteen
inch guns now assigned her II we
adopted the fifteen-tnch caliber we
would have to make sacrifice in num-
her OF guns as great or nearly as
SicH', rs WIS QOnc IN the design of the
Queen Elizabeth.
counting volume Of fire and nroh,
bility Of hitting. We see that ut bat,,e
range the number OF blows delivored
by the Pennsylvania in a given time
VIII exceed those given by the oucen
Elizabeth by 20 per cent. The fifteen
men gun, 1t is stated, fires a she'll
weighing 1920 pounds. Our fourteen
inch shell weighs 400 pounds. The
bursting effect of the larger shell will
be greater. of course. but we have lit
tie doubt that the destructive effect Of
the burst of the fourteen inch will be
quite sufficient for it's task. No one
can doubt the ACCESSIBILITY of deliver
ing seventeen hits to ten OF the enemy
Added to all of the above. we must
recollect that the chance of having gun
lire survive rests with the shin carry
ing the greater number
Now, If we compare these runs ar
range greater than battle range or
armor-piercing range and merely
count the ability to reach the enemy's
decks or unarmored parts, we find that
the Pennsyvania's guns range quite as
| far. at maximum. as those of the
Queen Elizabeth. Both guns range
farther than they would have any hope
of hitting a ship; that is to say. over
1000 yards. or something like twelve
la nd