Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-26
! y
GUNS RO(JT FRITZ
Sixteen.Inch Cannon Drop.
ping Largest Projectiles
of War
BUILT FOR WARSHIPS
Operated by Officers and Men
of Navy and Mounted on
Movable Railroad Cars
BUILT FOR WARSHIPS

| Details of the construction and capac.
ity Of Philadelphia made big guns. the
largest ever placed on land mountings
| by any nation. we're rfade public for
the first time today by Secretary of the
Navy Daniels
Permission to publish these details
was given only after II had been offici-
ally annctinced that American sixteen
inrh cannon were firing on German rail-
road centers back Of the Serre-Oise
fropt. east OF st. Quentin. The guns,
operated by sailors cooperating with
the French, were dropping the largest
projectiles yet used in the war in the
vicinity OF Vervins and Rozoy.
The big guns themselves were built
al the Eddystone plant of the Midvale
Steel and Ordnance Company the cars
upon which they are mounted were built
bv the Standard Steel Car Company,
which has n plant at Butler. Pa, and
tho huge engines required TO haul them
from point to point along the front are
the product of the Baldwin Lomcomo-
tive Works.
Operating Since September 10
The guns have been operating in
France since September l6, but this Is
the first time II has been permitted to
all operated and manned by officers and
men of the United States navy, under
command of Rear Admiral Charles p,
plunlSett. formerly director of the Of
flee of gunnery exercises and engineer.
ing performances.
They were built originally for new bat
tie cruisers, but changes In the design
of the cruisers left then available for
use on land.
To make them successful they must
he provided with a completely mobile
railway base. SO that they might be
operated without being based at any
particular spot. For this reason it Was
necessary to provide railway cars to
cars sufficient to accommodate all the
accessories and operating personnel
Each mount had to have an inde-
pendent train. The equipment included
gun cars, ammunition cars,
crane cars, construction, sand. timber
and kitchen. ruel. workshop and
staff radio cars. cars for officers. bat
terry headquarters and miscellaneous
purpose cars.
High Angle Firing
The locomotives built for this pur.
pose were standard consolidation type,
of the engine alone is approximately
tons. and the weight O.
the tender approximately fifty-six tons
A form of pit foundation Is provided to
enable the guns to be fired at high
angles of elevation. The removal of the
gun from over the pit formation and
its restoration to complete mobility is
but the work of "a few minutes The
entire mount is covered with armor
81. f~1t,,
required BY shifting the position of
theseun mount on the tracks the gun
can be brought to bear on any desired
target and the proper angle of train
obtained.
When the first gun car was COM
pleted last April. gun and mount were
put through the severest tests and
showed acctrate fire at much further
ranges than had ever before been pos
sble with projectiles Of such large size.
There was then only one proving
ground in the United States, that at
Sandy Hook. n. j.. owned by the War
capable OF permitting
ranging at extreme distances. and this
was. on request Of Secretary Daniels.
utilized for the proving tests.
Every effort was made to secure
a pid construction. work being begun the
lay the contracts were awarded. The
Baldwin Locomotive Company built the
ngines and the STANDARD Steel Car
Company thu box cars. The huge steel
orders were fabricated by The American
Bridge Company. some of the plates
,eing 80 large they could not be pro-
luced at its Pencoyd works and had to
'e manufactured in Pittsburgh. Work |
It all these plants proceeded night and
lay. and the material and completed
MOUNTS and cars were produced in rec
,rd time. Many of the important parts |
II the gun mounts were made at the |,
laval gun factory Washington. which !
worked under forced draft and had its |
,art of the work done ahead Of schedule |
Is did the other builders.
First Gun Left April sb. 1918
The FIRST gun. mounted complete. left |
he Baldwin shops on April rs, 1918, in ,
harge OF Captain T. A. Kearney. as
istant clfief. Bureau of Ordnance. and
lieutenant Commander l.. b. Bye, also
I the bureau. for the army proving
round at Sandy Hook. where the tests
'ere made in the presence OF officers
DEATHS