Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-04-04
Great Guns.

f1uQSOn mdAlHl, Tie luESitoi, oSSioi
ed in a statement regarding the bonn
bardment of Paris by the new German
cannon, that it is entirely possible tc
secure a range of over 10 miles with
gun, but that there is nothing new II
the idea.
81 understand that the projectile is
practically of nine-inch caliber," said
Mr.. Maxim. "With nine-inch CUR
from 40 to so feet in length and with a
maximum elevation of As degrees pro'
jectile may be thrown to a distance OF
more than 20 miles.
"Now, as we double the caliber OF the
gun, we quadruple the area OF the base
of the projectile. If we we're to make
a gun of l8-inch caliber, and shoot a
nine-inch projectile from that, we would
have four times. the propelling energy
on the base of the shell during the en-
tire flight of the projectile through the
bore of the gun.
at would be perfectly possible to
employ a gun for such purpose of ~
inch caliber, throwing subcaliber pro-
iectile of nine inches. Then we would
have a good deal more than fourtimes
the area upon which the powder gases
could push against the projectile.
"There is nothing new in this idea OF
a subcalber projectile. Subcaliber
projectiles were used in the old l5-inch
Zalinski dynamite gun in order to ge,
greater range.
"With a gun of 20-inch caliber, made
from 80 to 100 feet long, it would be
perfectly possible to get the maximum
range attributed to the Germans. The
gun would probably be what is gener-
ally designated as knock-down gun
one shipped TO the firing line in sections
and erected in place. The gun, how
ever, would be so long that it would
not support itself without dropping. 1t
would have to be supported by an eX-
ternal structure. The mounting OF the
gun would be somewhat of bridge
builders job.
"The best kind of powder charge for
such a gun would be cordite compo-
sition, consisting of about 50 per cent
nitroglycerine and so per cent guncot-
ton.
"This gun, when fired at a maximum
elevation of As degrees, would throw
the projectile above most of the atmos-
phere of the earth, so that at least
half of the travel of the projectile would
be through a partial vacuum, and the
total resistance which the projectile
would encounter in say, 60 miles, would
not be more than it would be in sc
miles, if the projectile were passing
through atmosphere as dense as it is al
the earth's surface.
81 understand it is rumored the
proiectile now reaching Paris are partly
driven by propeller during flight. If
this is a fact, the Germans are ac-
complishing the result by method not
so simple or as good as that which
have indicated, for the flight OF the
proiectile would neither be as accurate
nor as sure as If the projectile should
derive its entire energy from the gum
The United States Government is
said to be experimenting by which it is
hoped to cripple or destroy the German
fleet, firing from a distance as great as
los miles.
This departure in ordnance inven'
ton, it is claimed, was offered to the
government a year ago by Charles G
Armstrong, of the Singer building, New
York, and after a number OF ex'
periments the use Of long range pro-
jectiles was regarded as impractical a
the time. The matter has been re-
considered, and the Washington author
tiles have been put in possession of ad
ditional details, and further experiment:
will be made, although the gun anc
its specially constructed projectile:
have practically been perfected.
1t is permissible to state that tflt
gun will hurl projectile loaded will
2,5OOpounds of dynamite across a dis
tance of los miles, and also a projec
tile loaded with 5,000pounds of dyna
mite over a distance of so miles. Th'
gun can be discharged from land or or
board a ship with the same effective
ness, and the projectiles may be used
if necessary, in any guns from II to l.
inches, or larger.
From the drawn plans it is seen tina
the accuracy of the gun is not by an!
means a matter of doubt. Its princi
pal drawback at first was the absence
of glasses, making visible objects l0'
miles distant, but it is understood tina
this objection has been overcome.
Far more terrible is this new inven
ton than the gun hurting shells int
the French capital. Around its cart
ridge, as is necessary in using sub
caliber projectiles, are placed rings o.
soft steel, which fit tightly in the bore
of the gun.
Before firing the gun has TO be wrap
ped with bands of some material tina
is known only to the government. Aftei
the projectile is placed in position
charge of a high explosive is place.
back of it. The gun has also to b'
mounted on a specially constructed
carriage to take up the recoil.
An arrangement is also attached tt
the gun to tell how hard the wind il
blowing and also to determine the den