New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-27
Henry Beach Needham.

America, If her industries were modified would
astound the world with her production OF guns
and ammunition due to automatic machines
There is in this certainty deal Of comfort and
satisfaction; for in warfare as it now obtains on
the Continent shells play most important part.
England is in the throes of ministerial crisis be-
cause of the she'll question France, Of all the
Allies is able to regard her situation with fair
degree of satisfaction. This is because her IN
dustries ale mobilized-and because of American
machines But don't forget, there is man be-
hind the gun always! -,
At -Creusot was shown q new siege gun, .
monster howitzer, which, if you will keep in mind
the linen collar you wear, Mr.. Man, is described
as "quarter-sze" smaller than the German AZ
ccntimetre gun you have heard SO much about
I saw a 42-centimetre shell-one fired by the Ger
mans on the French positions near Verdun, and
which did not explode. 1t had been cautiously
rendered harmless by the French, and stood side
by side with the projectile Of the new howitzer
The nose of the 42-ccntimetre shell was not so
blunt; otherwise it was scarcely larger than the
projectile to be fired from the new French howit-
ger.
This mighty gun, christened "Le Vainqueur,"
is intended by the French for the bombardment
Of Metz Strasburg and the German cities Of the
Rhine. | wish | might be permitted to disclose
its calbre-to set going by house-to- house wire
death from which the Germans will receive
messengers. But may, perhaps, convey some no.
ton of the sort of projectie fired from this howit
ger.
Compare it with the hot water boiler which
stands in the average American kitchen. Imagine
your hot water boiler made of heavy steel in
stead Of galvanized iron, and packed with high
explosive. Imagine this "hot water boiler" of
steel so loaded with menite shot miles through
space and exploding buildings occupied by
Germans That's about it.
In the beginning France lacked heavy artillery
to support the feld-champon soixante-qunze.
But Creusot and Bourges have supplied this lack,
calibre. At this time, so we'll off is France, that
Creusot is permitted to make heavy guns for Rus
sia Serbia and Italy-Itay, for a while, condition
ally.
My visit to Creusot occurred a week before
Itays declaration of war to Austria. was shown
some heavy guns, built to be hauled about by trac-
tors, which were billed" for Italy. These guns
were ready for shipment and were about to be
shipped when the Salandra ministry fell. Immedi-
ately this happened the French War Office ordered
Creusot to hold up the shipment France
unwilling for these great guns to remain idle. II
Italy would use them-use them against the enc
mics of France and good But if Italy in
tended to reserve them for military maneuvres,
no! The guns were shipped Immediately the
Salandra ministry received its new lease of|lfe.
Armored cars, drawn by armored engines, werc
leaving Creusot for the front. The guns, craning
their muzzles from the turrets like telescopes
from an observatory, were larger in bore than any
guns ever mounted to be fired from railroad
trucks Not content with this achievement, the
Schneiders preparing to mount much great
err cannon, towering, as it WERE above two trucks.
Returning to the figure sbove-when peace comes
again, perhaps astronomers, taking their cue from
the makers, will mount giant telescopes
steel trains and move them countless miles, bet
ter to make their observations. Even the star
gazers may learn from war
- And the women too! | wondered what would