The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-26
HUGE NAVAL GUNS
FROM AMERICA hit
HUNS IN FLANDERS
Blue Jackets Man Rail
way-Mounted Cannon
in Big Drive.
KEPT A S &c E T
Germans Convinced No
Modern Defenses Can
Withstand New
Weapon.
KEPT A seer E T

Washington, Oct. 23.-Navy Of
fsials today admitted that a bat
tory OF huge naval guns, mounted
upon railway trucks and manned
by American bluejackets, have
played a great part in driving the
Germans from the Flanders front.
Military experts say that the
manner In which these great en-
gincs Of destruction have spread
death among the retreatinE enemy
ever since September 10 proved
dominating factor In bringing To
the German general stan the re-
alixalion that no modern defen-
siye system. either in Belgium or
on the Rhine. could withstand the
new weapons which American in
genuity had devised. forged and
placed In action ON the western
front.
tp to this time. al, particulars. OF
the new mobile naval guns for land
use have been jeaiousiy guarded by
the navy department That the navy
had devised a weapon rivaling the
German guns which steIled Paris WAS
limited at last April, when Samuel M
Nauctain. general manager OF the
Baldwin Locomotive works, announced
. that the first of Americas greatest
eeige sans had left the Baldwin shops
navy department refuses to permit
publication OF the exact caliber and
power OF the new guns. IL ss an open
secret, however. that the guns have "A
range which exceeds that OF the Brit
ish and French mobile naval guns.
B Hres pons which easily shoot twenty
miles. Mnrscver. the American gun
shoots much heavier and more d.
structiYe proj@ctile than do the guns
of the allies
Venture Full Of Exploits.
From the day when the plan for the
production OF the great guns for mo-
bile purposes on railway lines in
France was adopted until the picked
men In charge OF the battery went into
action, the venture has been eharac
terfzed by a series OF exploits and feats
OF engineering and administration
which will be the basis for one of the
brightest pages in The history OF
Americas participation in the great
war.
During the closing days OF 1917.
Il was found that change in design
OF a series OF projected battle cruisers
would prevent the use of a specially
designed gun OF great range and with
q record muzzle velocity. With the
consent OF Secretary Daniels, the
navy's experts proceeded 10 the design
I and construction of railway cars
mounting the guns, locomotives and
operating personnel, together with am
munition trucks. repair shops. cranes
and other factors necessary.
In less than thirty days the designs
were completed. and on January rs
1918, work began. A large part OF the
preliminary designing was done by
Captain A. L. Willard. Commander
Harvey Dclano and G. A. Chadwick.
Tho guns were forged In one OF
Americas greatest ordnance factories
and were placed upon the special
trucks AT the plant of the Baldwin Lo.
connective works in New Jersey. The
locomotives were built at this place
E The weight OF the locomotive alone
Is approximately eighty three tons
and the weight OF the tender Atty.
six tons.
The railway truck contains = pi,
formation which permits OF high eie
walton for the rife. The body Of tn,
truck can also be swung to any angle
thus permitting fire upon any poini
in the compass. The first gun cal
was completed in April. The Stand.
ard Steel car company built the boz
cars. used for ammunition. and the
huge steel Orders were fabricated b,
The American Bridge company.
The units of the trains are com
Dletely covered by heavy arnor plate
1000 square feet OF plate being re
ouired to protect the gun mount alone
Most of the important partS OF thu
/. run-mounts were made at the nava
IA gun factory at washington, hut man,
81 the plates were so large that nee
essary machinery for their production
I was 10 be found in only one plant II
Pittsburgh
shipped at Night to Be Tested.
After the first gun was completed
Il was shipped at night to the arm,
proving ground at Sandy Hook. N. 7.
the only proving ground in the coun
nv where it was possible to obtain
great range safely. When word wen
ant that the navy was to take BIZ
Guns into France and aid In BLASTING
way for the allies through the Ger
man hordes, every bluejacket quail
a. for gun crew service began to i'm
fortune his officer for transfer to thu
i raw units. The officers also wer'
rullinr every wire they knew to gall
place IN the corps.
VS. However, plans for the personne
had been formulated almost from tn
srav that the factories began work Of
ma new guns. When the FIRST gul
ffsnnftnued IN paRe Two.