The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-04
DANIELS CLAIMS US. NAVAL GUNS
 MOST EFFECTIVE
Secretary Gives Figures to Show That Pennsylvania
 Can Best the Elizabeth.

In his recent letter giving a detailed review of what had been done to inn prove and strengthen the navy since Wilson was inaugurated. Secretary Daniels has made this statement:
 .'The Bureau of Ordnance has de- ve1oped A inch gun that will shoot farther, shoot straighter, and hit hard CT than any gun now in use or known to Joe designed by a foreign coun- try.'
 There has been much interest in the matter of the effectiveness of the guns of the navy, and yesterday Sec retary Daniels gave out the follow ing containing information amp lify- ing his earlier statement;
 The question of the proper cali Der for the main battery guns of our battleships is one that has received the most careful consideration on the part of the Bureau of Ordnance and the General Board.
 There is an axiom with regard to calfbers which amounts to this: that a ship should mount the smallest big gun that will pierce the enemys ar nor over vitals at the maximum probable fighting range. The 14- inch guns of the Pennsylvania will adoat, so far as our knowledge goes, at a range of 12,OOO yards The Queen E1izabeth's 15-inch guns will do little more than that If our in- formation is correct as to the velocity of the British 15-inch gun, the 14- inch guns on the Pennsylvania will range 9 little farther than. the Queen E1izabeth's 15-inch gun. The flat tery trajectfon of the 14-inch gun gives 1t increased probability of hit l ting in comparison with the 15-inch gun.
 The Pennsylvania mounts twelve guns to the Queen EIizabeth's eight Therefore, the volume of fire of ouI ship exceeds the volume of fire of the ]! British ship by 50 per cent.
 i The Navy Department has buili and proved 16-inch gun superior tc 1 both the 15-inch and 14-inch, so fal as penetration of Narmor at fighting range is concerned If the Pennsyl- yaala. were to be armed with the 1S- 1 inch gun she could carry only eight as against the twelve '14-inch guns 1 now assigned her. If we adopted the 15-inch caliber we would have tc 1 make sacrifice io number of gum as great or nearly as great, as was | done in the design of the Queen EIiza, beth.
 ssCeunting volume of fire and prob i ability of hitting, we see that at bat tie range the number of blows deliv cred by the Pennsylvania in gfve1 time will exceed those given by the Queen Elizabeth by TO per cent. Tn, 15-inch gun, it is stated, fires a shel weighing 1920 pounds. Our 14-inc1 shell weighs 14OO pounds. The burst ing effect of the larger shell will b, greater, of course, but we have little doubt that the destructive effect o the burst of the 14-fnch will be quit sufficient for It's task. No one cal doubt the advisability of delivering + hits to 10 of the enemy. Added t. all of the above, we must reco1lec that the chance of having gun fir, survive rests with the ship carryinl the greater number.
 Now, if we compare tthese guns al range greater than battle range O armor-piercfng range, and mere1! count the ability to each the enemy
 decks or unarmored parts. we fin, that the Pennsylvania,s guns rang,
 quite as far, at a maximum, as thos
 Of the Queen Elizabeth. Both gun l range farther than they would hay lany hope Of hitting a ship; that is tt
 say,s over 21. 900 yards, or somethin, like 1z land miles"