Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-11-02
MONSTER NAVAL
GUN USED IN F|EtD'
Greatest Employed Ashore or
Afl0at in Present War.
manned BY NAVAL CREWS
Throw Heavier ProjectiIe And Have
Greater Velocity Than Any
Land Weapon
Known.

Neutrality-suspicious. OIL Iuc achieve
nent of the Navy Department in max.
ing available fo- use on the western
front the great naval guns, which press
dispatches have reported to be ham,
mering the German railway centers
back Of the Oise,Serre front, were
made public by Secretary Daniels.
: The naval guns, which have been in
operation since September 16, original
~ were intended for new battle cruis.
ers, but change in the design of the
vessels left the guns unavailable for
that use. Rear-Admiral Earle, chief of
the navy Bureau of Ordnance, then
recommended that the guns be sent to
the western front and he was directed
TO proceed with the design and con.
struction.
The guns are manned and operated
by officers and men Of the United
States Navy, under the command of
Rear-Admiral Flunkett, former direc-
tor of the Office Of gunnery exercises
and engineering performance.
The great party of officers and men
to handle the guns arrived in France
IN June 8; the first shipment of mate
rial Left this country June 20 and the
entire organization was completed and
ready to move to the battle front in
France late in August.
The guns are said to throw
heavier projectile and have a greater
muzzle velocity than any weapon ever
placed on mobile land mounting. The
weight of the explosive used with each
is many times greater than
that used in the freak German long
range guns, and in point of their de-
force they are Incompatible.
The organization to man one gun re-
quires an entire train, including the
gun car itself, ammunition cars, a
crane car and construction, sand. tim
Der. kitchen, fuel. workshop, berthing
and staff radio cars. Many of the cars
were especially manufactured by the
Standard Steel Car Company, and the
locomotives, S3-ton types with four
pairs of drivers, were built by the
Locomotive Works. One car
is complete machine shop, equipped
with forge, lathes, grinders and drill
presses. The gun car, as well as the
cars, are heavily armored.
1.6eO square feet Of plate being re-
CURED.
The gun car is convertible into a
+orm of pit foundation to permit fire
It high angles of elevation, and it was
laid the entire process of placing the
yun in that position and restoring it
o complete mobility requires only a
ew minutes. Under test. on its steel
Ear mounting, the gun has shown &C
'uracy OF fire at longer ranges than
'ver before possible with guns of such
:reat caliber. Direction of the fire
lpon any target is made possible sim.
by by shifting the position of the gun
Mount on the tracks.
Plans for the gun mountings as we'll |
Is for the trains were worked out at |
he Naval Gun Factory in Washington
within 80 days and contracts were let
January Is. The first gun was com.
'leted in April and tests were held at |
ne Army Proving Grounds at Sandy
look, N. j., the only field large enough
n the presence of army and navy off.
'"!s and representatives of the Allied
Governments.
The training of the men to operate
he big guns was of most intensive
ature. The gun crews, who are com
'osed of officers from the regular
laval forces and the Naval Reserves
nd Of men taken for the most part
rom the Great Lakes Training Sta
ion. were employed as inspectors a.
he plants manufacturing the guns.
his training, combined with expert.
nee gained in handling heavy projec:
lies and power charges at the Naval
rowing Ground, Secretary Daniels
aid, made possible the obtaining of a
thoroughly efficient force
Details of the construction of the
uns and the part they have played in
he victories on the Western front
ave been withheld for military rea.
ons.