The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-09
POWERFUL GUNS
FOR u. S. NAVY
They Are 14-Inch, Fifty CALDER, But Are
Believed by Ordnance Experts to
Be as Powerful as l5-lnch
Weapons in Foreign
Navies.

Navies.
Q Washington, Nov. o.-Battleships now
, building for the United States navy viii
carry l4-inch, so calibre, guns which ar,
believed by ordnance experts to be the
! equal Of the l5-inch weapons in foreign
navies, although Of lighter weight. In
his annual report, made public last night
Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss, chief OF
: the navy ordnance bureau, says:
with the object OF keeping pace with
the increased range of modern naval war
, fare, the bureau has increased the power
: of the 14.inch guns for the California
Mississippi and Idaho by increasing the
length of the gun to so calibers and en-
larging 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 ordering
their guns without manufacturing a trial
gun. The bureaus confidence in its de-
sign has been fully justified, The first
gun proved, not only gave the designed
velocity and pressure exactly, but its adj
ditional longitudinal strength which has
been provided for, has resulted in these
guns having less droop than any guns of
large caliber heretofore produced. As it
stands, these guns, although of lesser
calber and weight than the l5-inch guns
now mounted abroad, are capable of
penetrating the heaviest side armor at
oblique impacts and at the greatest eff
| feetive battle range, and give MS the ad-
vantage Of flatter trajectory, with great
er volume Of fire due to the increased
number that we are permitted to mount
on any ship of equal displacement.
"In August, 1914 type l5-inch gun
of As calibers length was tested. This
gun fulfilled the highest expectations of
its design, and the bureau believes it to
be as powerful gun as is in existence
to-day
The report shows that the navy's arma
ment had been kept well up to date,
older type fve-inch guns having been
replaced on all ships Of the first line;
that anti-aircraft rifles Of sizes up to
four inch rifles have been designed, and
that mounts for the disappearing guns
for submarines have been built. The lat |
ter weapons will be given an increased
elevation, SO that they may fire at aero
planes.
Difficulty has been encountered in plac.
ing contracts for a sufficient number of /
the new armor piercing projectiles for
big guns now being used by the navy
The rise in price due to the war is indi-
Gated by the fact that projectiles were
purchased in 1913 at 1920 each while
those contracted for in 1915 cost S4I5
Part of the increased cost, however, is
due to the new design. Satisfactory
eight inch projec:iles have been produced
at the naval gun factory and larger
shells are now being made there.
As to the value OF armor piercing
shells. the report says experiments dur
ing the year have strengthened the view
that missiles of this type but carrying .
high explosive in limited quantities, are
superior to high explosive shells that
depend wholly upon the force of an out
side explosion to accomplish their mis-
sion. French official report is quoted
TO show that plain shells carrying high :
explosive in large quantity were "abso-
utely powerless" against armor of any !
The Indian Head powder factory turned :
,ut 100000 pounds above its 1914 output :
asst year as result Of improved meth !
IDS, and with increases authorized by l
congress is expected 10 make 100000 c
pounds in 1916 and 100000 In 1917, the
eport states In this connection the re-
,ort adds:
"Owing TO the increase in the output !
4 the Indian Head powder factory, con- !
racts for private manufacture Of smoke.
ess powder have been greatly reduced,
nd at the present time there Is only one
ontract outstanding, amounting TO 700, Z
% pounds. with the Carneys Point plant =
( the Du Pont company The facilities =
or the production Of smokelcss powder y
nd other explosives in the United States
ave been enormously increased owing to >
he demands Of the belligerents for these =
II has taken many months Of =
ime and enormous expenditures Of mon !,
y 20 develop these facilities. and their =
for the benefit Of the United :
tates government in time Of war i a
rohlem which viii require the most !:
lrcful consideration Of the department =
hen the European war is over and the :
resent demand from abroad has ceased {;
Great strides In development Of the =,
line planting equipment OF the feet in =
he last few months arc recorded in the ::
port. II saws;
"Tho Dubuque has bern fitted out as .