The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-07


such as they have never dreamed Of
in the past but there will be spe-
cial need for these organizations of
women which are founded upon Chris
ton ideals, and there is none greater
into the chamber by hand. Next the
big gun was directed against steel
target several hundred yards away.
The visitors were then directed to 60
into dugout. Each man in the mean
time had filled his ears with cotton
ordinarily sufficient precaution But
inasmuch as splinters of steel which
fill the air for miles around when
steel shell, travelling at great velocity,
strikes steel target, are dangerous to
eyes and even faces, all visitors are
forced into position where they VIM
be protected Down in the dugout the
visitors awaited with impatience and
yet with certain trepidation for the
explosion. There to the front stood an
electrician with one hand on a switch
board and the other holding a teie-
phone to his ear. He was seen to
speak through the telephone and to
nod his head. He had received the sig
nal that all was prepared. With a DELI
cate pressure of a forefinger be turned
current into the chamber of the gun
and the earth rocked. The detonation
was comparable to nothing which any
one of the visitors had previously
heard. 1t was as the rending of the
worlds structure.
After a moment the visitors were
permitted again into the open. The
target was shattered but not pene-
trated. The big shell, itself torn almost
to fragments, was buried into the
walls of the target, but it's nose no.
where protruded. 1t was explained that
that test had not been test Of the
| gun but of the target. The steel Of
the target. therefore, had been sub
jected only to the punishment similar
| to that which armor plating, if pro-
tecting the body of an attacked ship.
would be in danger of Subsequently
in a test of the power OF the gun a
different charge was used and the big
shell hewed with apparent ease 4
clean-cut path. This steel target toyed
with in experiments cost the govern
ment $4,000.
TURNED DOWN THE RIVER
When the muzzle of the 16-inch gun
was turned down the river, and there
was no danger from splinters, the Wis
itors were stationed to the rear and in
the open. The only precautions suggest
ed was cotton wadding for the ears and
warning against a reclining posture.
The force of the air reverting from the
exploding gun is strong enough to
push body back an inch or two,
and il one is not standing erect, he runs
the danger of an overbalance. When the
gun was fired. the recoil lifted it on its
giant hinges to practically rectangu-
lar posture, from which, with tedious
grace. it slowly regained its natural po-
sition. The movement of the gun, the
deafening roar, the startling flash Of
fire from the mouth Of the chamber
all were diverting circumstances; but
not sufficiently diverting to cause one to
forget that the splash of the shell in
the river might, after fleeing mo-
ment. be observed. And soon the splash
came. The shell simply fell into the
river, and the river, as if OVERLOOKING,
spewed up mountain of its surplus
water-and it was all over. The dis
lance was not great-perhaps two miles.
The extent of a guns reach depends in
great part on the elevation of it's bar
rel.
This 16-pounder, incidentally, Is the
biggest gun for accurate shooting that
the navy knows about. Recently the
76-mile supergun, used by the Germans
in Smelling Paris, attracted attention,
and at the present time the navy is con-
siderng drawings for the construction
of gun capable of sending shell 1o5
miles. But military authorities in Wash
ington believe the German gun is po-
litical gun-one used to affect morale
rather than a gun prepared for accurate
destruction. The big gun Of the Ameri-
can navy is perfect weapon in every
respect, and Is the largest such gun the
navy knows of. The Italians used an.
1S-poundcr. but it's calibre is only go
whereas the calibre Of the American
weapon is So
FOUR-POUND HOWITZER
A pretty death instrument, which
might be termed cute" was produced
following announcement that DEM
onstration would be given of the four
pound howitzer. This gun is ABOUT 10
feet in length, and does not impress
one with it's latent ability to kill. 1t
is used exclusively in submarine war
fare. It's shell is small and is driven
forward by only four pounds of pow
that one can easily follow it's course
with the naked eye. The shell is
trained at an angle of about 80 de-
Erers. and rsoves la erac cful curve
just as an iron ball. heaved by boy,
would move,
But the gun contains surprise for
those unaware of its secret When it
was fired the visitors watched the
graceful flight Of the shell until IL
touched the edge of the w2ter. And
then the visitors circulated express
sions .: amazement when the shell was
seen to explode with such force that
the water was driven pell NELL in ev-
cry possible direction. The experts
then explained that the she'll OF the
four pound howitxer was like q beet
carried it's seinger in the rear. In the
shell, in other words is 40 pounds OF
explosive. This explosive operates on
schedule, and does the real work. The
shell itself would do little harm to
submarine. hut the explosive would de-
stroy it,
DEMONSTRATE SMOKE SCREEN
Another very interesting demonstra-
ton was that Of the smoke screen. In
the navy Of the United States there
are three varieties, two adopted from
the British. and the third. simpiest OF