The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-18
16-INCH GUNS MAY
ARM NEW SHIPS
New Instrument Of Destruction Is SAID
to Have Been Given Proof OF Ell
ficiency When Tried Out BY
U. S. Navy Men.

U. S. Navy Men.
Washington, d. O., March lS.-The two
battleships provided for in the current
naval bill .may be armed with l0-ineh
rifles, the heaviest naval guns ever des-
ignated.
While tentative plans for the new
ships contemplate vessels similar IN gen
eral design to the $4,000 tons giants oil
the California class now building, details
of armament and engine equipment are
being given unusual attention by navy
designers and the results obtained from
the l5.inch main batteries OF the new
est British and German battlcships are
being closely watched
Already the new l6-inch navy gun mas
been subjected to tests at the lhdiah
Head proving ground ard while detalls
of its construction and performance are
closely guarded it is known that the e
gantic weapon has given proof Of its ell
cheney which delighted navy ordnance
experts. The gun was built at the Amer
lean naval gun factory and has been un,
uHT4OlIln tests lbI stNtlai hANhN''N'
Some idea of the probable size OF the
new American gun may be gathered from
the fact that each of the eight l5'lnch
guns of the British battleshlp queen
Elizabeth weighs 90 TONS while similar
rifles designed in the Krupp works Tor
German battleships laid down. this year
each weigh more than 50 tons. The IA
inch rifles of the battleships New YORK
and Texas for the five new American
dreadnouphts now under construction,
weigh 633 tons each and it is certain
that the new l6-ineh weapon weighs
more than 100 tons without its mount
| ing. -
Krupp engineers have designated 10
| inch gun which fires projectile weigh
ing OOPS pounds against the l675-pound
masses OF steel hurled by the l5.inch
rifles adopted for the German navy and
the I,720- pound proiectiles poured INTO
| Turkish fortresses of the Dardanelles by
the British battleship Queen Elizabeth.
None of the German or British vessels OF
the first line carry any weapon exactly
similar to the American l4-inch gun,
! lump having been made last year from
| the l2.inch rifle to the l5-inch type.
| The New York, Texas, Nevada and
| Oklahoma each carry ten l4-inch guns,
while the Pennsylvania, California, Idaho
and Mississippi each will carry IL placed
| three 10 a turret. These weapons throw
proiectiles weighing 400 pounds, as =
the case with the l4-inch guns designed
for the four Japanese battleships esti-
mated for in 1914,
/ = L.. IL d the lItp OF
the gun is shortened BY erosion, due TO
the heat generated by the explosion OF
the huge charge Of powder necessary 70
/ hurl nearly ton OF metal 10 miles that
/ is said TO be the range Of the American
l6-inch weapon. The riiing of the gun
burns out under the blast. Drops Of
melted steel are visible in the bore after
each shot and IL Is said that the life OF
the Queen Elizabeths l5-inch weapons
| i less than 100 shots apiece. After that
the gun il so inaccurate as TO be virtual
| " useless.
Navy gun designers have overcome
| that obstacle somewhat. IL is said, with
the new American l6-ineh guns but the
life OF the gun is stll far below that OF
the l4-inch.
The Krupp works before the outbreak
OF the present war, announced that 9
process OF steel and powder manufacture
| had been evolved that decreased erosion.
| but the factory Is understood To have re-
fused TO contract TO supply a large mum
Der Of great guns under guarantee OF $50
rounds accuracy-tire life
In placing aboard the Queen Elizabeth
the l5.inch weapon designed for her
class. British navy officials are under
stood to have depended upon a cheap
process for refining. perfected by their
engineers. to Offset the short life Of the
g,ip. II that be true il is probable the
Queen Elizabeth soon may be compelled
20 return 10 England and have new guns
placed aboard II the steady pounding at
the Dardanelles forts eXhausts her main
battery
n has been suggested that l6.iuch
GUNS could be substituted for the l4-inch
batteries 81 the American battleships
now under construction, placing them
two 10 a tnrret instead Of three and civ.
me the ships eight guns each instead o.
liz NAVY officers say. however that the
cost Of such an alteration would be very
great II Il could ~ mede AZ all They
also hold that the American l4inch gun
= The equal ~ the British OF German -.
inch for al practical purposes.
with any target in plain view, u y
said. tie American gun has equal range
and nearl, equal penetration, the differ.
epce being mere than counter balanced
Inv the larger number Of guns carried.
Il Taus. in action against such a ship ~
the Queen Elirabath. the Pennsylvania
would have ~ l4-inch guns against eight
rs inch guns and would have 80 per cent.
Greater opportunity for sroriue hits For
indirect Ere. such AZ the work IN which
lthe Oneen Flizat4th shared IN the Oar.
ldanelles. the IS inch quu's greater range
would ~ important 'gIt i i not be
llierea Il would b. q factor in purely
naval hattie.
During the present var. Big gun naval
engagements have brrn fought - a ranre
81 from seven % ten miles effective DIS
ltance for either l2l n l4tnch guns.
A. matter Of fact i has been point
"a out that che German eight inch guns
|augrauqrd larger British guns hecause Ct
ne higher gun elevation provided ~
'Cprmau designers. German naval guns.
aa q rrle. haze maximum eleraftan -
- degrees against DE- degrees aboard
/. prfish ard Amefffan slifs- THIS b an
s#sar rraflrm uf.vn widrh American o.
a5rrers aTs ronafrtrntiur ntteniion On