The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-07
HOW FRENCH GUNS
SMASHED BERTHA
Range Cannon, Making Fifty
Font Rent.

Paris, May ga descriptions Of the
destruction by French artillery OF one
OF the long-ran cannon with which
the Germans have been bonn harding
Paris is published by The Petit Pari-
sien.
"Ail the signs that Bertha, "a
French nickname for the big German
guns. referring to Bertha krupp), was
going to fire had been noticed. The
smoke curtain had gone up. All
around there was a chorus Of loud
reports. Undoubtedly Bertha and
two or three hundred -miilimeter
naval guns were all firing simultane-
ousiy 10 disguise the whereabouts Of
the big cannon
After short pause the firmly was
resumed. This time ten naval guns
supplied the obbligate. French air OBJ
servers were on the outlook however.
and French guns opened fire in their
turn. The svfators signalled quickly
that the result or the first sslvo was
most promising. Two heavy shells ex-
ploded $50 yards north of the big gun.
tearing up the railroad tracks leading
10 the concrete gun platform. The FIR
ing was continued. getting closer and
closer, until finally two enormous
shells went through the camoufage.
Two formidable explosions were heard
Bertha damaged beyond repair, with
a rent fifty feet long in the barrel
The aviators reported that they
could see plainly through the csrou-
rage two gaping craters in the plat
form
French gunners then set about
preparing 10 destroy the third Bertha,
but thus far they have not succeeded,
for shells arrived in Paris again dur
ing the small hours OF the night
The long-range gun continued
last night 20 fire upon the Paris dis
trict, says an Official announce ment-
There we're no victims"
X il noted that the official bulletin
continues 10 speak OF but one wea pom
employed in the bonn ba rdment using
the word gun in the singular mum Der
The statement that the gun continued
10 fire is not intended to indicate a
steady bonn oardment- The firing was
intermittent only few shells having
fallen.
The German people are inform ed
that the long-range guns now bonn
harding Paris marx The greatest
progress in the development OF fire.
arms since the invention OF powder,
in a enlogistic article sent out by
the semi-officisi Wolf bureau and
published in the German newspapers
under n Berlin date on March -.
The text Of the Wolf dispatch fol
lows
In vain cur enemies are racking
their bra ms TO solve the secret OF our
giant cannon with which we are bonn
harding Paris. They believe they have
found the solution in an Austrian long
barrel cannon,
In view % these reports, II must
be stated that for this latest war
u witch with lang n
and accuracy represents the greatest
progress In the development Of FIRE
arms since The invention Of powder.
we have 10 thank solely German
science German technical skill and
German Industry"
The Cologne Gazette OF March 81, 4
copy OF which has been received here.
in an article headed The l2o- Kilcme-
ter Cannon SAYS.
The - -centimeter n7ortars in Au-
gust. 1914 smashed the fortresses
which up until then had been consid =
cred as modern and inpregna bic. Al
that moment there bega u ii new period
- s&se consir u3aiion Of .ortresses
The Sist Of March. 1918. brought
the technical wonder Of the ! 90 kilo =
meter cannon and with it the he
ginning o. d new era IN the history
OF the construction of cannon. which
however. may be or far greater i'm e.
portanee on the course Of 1he war.
and. perhaps, for peace han the 49,
certim eter mottars
Now that The possibility 81 such
technical achievement has been de d
monstrated, there will not be much to
prevent the hcillg.reut nations from
manufacturing such cannon, OF
course such giant cannon viii be the
exception in artillery oQu(pm emit, for
they are expensive heavy and pro oa~
bly, may be used only FOR a limited