The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-12

locked on previously constructed con-
crete foundations, ready for instant
operation The bill only asks for S10,
100000 at this time for the manu-
facture of guns, mortars, with their
supporting cars and for the purchase
ana preparation of a sufficient num-
ber of concrete foundation sites to test
the system in any area which may be
designated by the secretary of war.
Has Many Advantages.
in an interview given exclusively
for the State Journal, Mr.. Lueller
said the mobile artillery system had
many advantages over an attacking
fleet, heavy guns mounted on cater
pillar treads, like the 42-centimeter
guns. and over other tested forms of
heavy gun armament. Summarizing
these advantages as he sees them af-
ter many months of personal study
and conference with generals in the
war department, Mr.. Luellen said:
1.-The objective point of attack of an
enemy's navy DESTROYS of making
landing parties is a suitable location
upon land for a base from which to
operate an army Our navy may be
oVerpowcred or evadCd until such
base is obtained by the enemy. Under
present conditions we would, in all
pr1ba bility. be powerless to then at
tack such base after a large force was
put ashore. The Luellen mobile arma
n1ent system. however, could be used
not only against the enemy's fleet
but also against landing parties, and
later against the encmy's base should
they be powerful enough to establish
one. Gan fire ashore, when fired
from a solid foundation, is more ac-
curate than gun fire afloat. Our sys-
tom, therefore, has greater accuracy
of fire.
Battery Hard to Destroy.
IA modern battleship offers an ex-
pensive and comparatively large tar
get as compared to the mobile arma-
ment car of our system. One shot
Well placed on a battleship will cause
its destruction together with all its
men and large number of guns. while
one hit scored against the mobile
armament car loses one or two guns
and comparatively few men.
IAN attacking navy offers a target
within sight and the possibility of OBJ
serving where the shots fall for re-
calculation on the next shot, while the
mobile armament car may be fired
from secluded spot behind hills or
In deep railroad cuts, where the enemy
cannot so readily observe and direct
the fire. or often where the direct fire
of the fleets guns cannot possibly
reach. No mortars are mounted on
battleships. The fleets guns have lit
tie or no chance of being used to ad-
vantage against land operations, while
our system can be used effectively on
the coast waters and on land. Another
opportunity of seeking out and locat-
ing an enemy's fleet than they have
of locating the mobile armament cars
Can OutTun Battleships.
"Feint attacks by the fleet may be
used to advantage against a slow
moving army or guns mounted on
caterpillar treads or movable plat
forms, but not so with our cars as
they can be brought into action as
quickly. and moved more rapidly on
land, than the battleship can move
Through the water.
"Fixed Notifications in the United
States are really used for harbor de-
!. fenses; our extensive coasts limit their
vuse as coast defenses. Our system
scan be used more effectively as coast
harbor and city defenses than fixed
Qualifications because it has just as
accurate fire and gives added strate-
gle value to heavy guns. Fixed fortifi-
cations are helpless when the enemy's
guns have a longer range O. have
succeeded in locating the guns in the
fort. Our system may shift its guns
to points of advantage or to secluded