The Detroit times., 1915-06-03
Our National Defense.
l6-INCH COAST Guns
GAN DEFY ANY NAVY
BY { JAMES

1.-THE lrlnch guns az the German ana British
ships carry prolec-iles OF less Ne.gn, than those
used by the direct fire type % seacoast suas,
ard owing 70 their greater length ana higher
powder pressure they have a range from 1900
20 3.oo0 beyond the l+inch coast guns.
Eight modern battlesNips carrying l5inch guns
can throw is pro.ccrles a minute against our
Qualifications
This j., an Official statement made by Gen
" ". NotherSpoon, chief OF staff az The tnyc@
States army. ia report 20 the secretary OF aat
K means that fleet or eight pr's1nou~At>
carrying the i5lnCh guns which are he feature
OF the armament OF the new German AID British
ships can stand off mile and hall beyond tn-
range OF any American fertilization except th-
coast defense a. sandy Hook one OF the guar.
dams of Nev York harbcr. and hurl Us PrCiec
tiles. Weighing about Loo pounds each, aga.ns.
these forts every minute.
How long these walls OF steel and masoo~
could withstand the destructive force OF iap
tons OF armCr-piercing shells exploding against
them every minute only those who have seen
the wreck OF NAmur aud other supposed ,0r'-
resses can understand
But our American optimist asks VIVA.
would cur great fleet Nith submarines b. do-uz
While the euemy's dreadnoughts stood beyond
the range ~ our land guns battering away ar
the coast fortificatons-'
True. oar fleet IS the first line OF defense
Such a bombafGment % The second line, the land
Qualifications, could only take place after the
first lnc had been passed But let the opt.mis'
remember our fleet ranks third among the
nayies IN the world. our coast line is long ami
our insular possessions far Oft.
II Is the possibility 20 break in our first line
OF defense that has caused the war department
to decide on l6-nch guns as the future arma
merit OF our Notifications.
sEtserIneh Guns Greater
New 1sinch coast guns. the equal and proba
bly, the superior Of the guns Of that type which
have been tried out al Sandy Hook. are now BE-
ing constructed AZ the government arsenal AZ
Wateryliet ~ Y. for the new fortress Ar Cape
Henry Va. which Is 10 guard Chesapeake bay.
and for the new Los Angeles forfi;ication-
These guns weigh 10 tons each. They fire
projectile weighing 1900 pounds. bi2 pounds ~
which g. the powder charge The muzzle yeiJe
ity is 2i50 feet a second and the muzzle energy
Of the gun g. 77o0o footfons. The projectil-
wiH penetrate Al inches Of armor plate az thu
UuzZle
The sandy Hook 16-lnch guns viii shoot over
Il miles At a distance OF IL miles. the projec-
tiles o. these guns viii pierce II inches Of ar
NOR plate
Tie question Of how far our coast guns. or
IN fact am gun. viii shoot depends entirely
upon IRE elevation. Brig Gen. Crozier, chief o.
ordnance of the United States army. has figured
out that 10 SGT AT an elevation OF a. degrees. our
Pinch coast guns will carry projectiles 81 miles
TIE ls-inch guns al that elevation would prob
ably carry over 20 miles
Army officers however, point out that an"
such range h. Improbable because you could
not see nor hit such small target a. a battle
ship All our coast guns are ser in their car
riages 90 fire az an angle OF IS degrees Tho
greater elevations are used only for the morfar-
With the exception o. the Sandy Hook guns
our biggest land guns are Of the i4inch type
Ne have only 81 81 these. though others are be.
irg constructed for the ueW fortifiCatnns ar Ma
Mia These 81 are scattered about various forts
Even these guns are not match for the new
I5i1Ch naval guns. In his recent report 70 thu
secretary o. Nar Gen. Wo'herspoon. after point.
ing out that fleet o. eight modern battleships
with 15inch guns can throw rs proiectfles =
minute against our Qualifications. recornrn ended
that serious consideration be given 10 the
length. caliber and powder pressure ~ our new
guns" he also recommended the adoption Of
furrets 90 protect the Runnrrs Most American
Qualifications are ~ the Endicotr type. equipped
with disappearing guns. AMI have no overhead
protection from the terrible rain % debris thar
would b. incident 10 a bornbardrnent even were
he Qualifications N withstand the shells
Concluded Tomorrow