Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-10-26
UNAVAILABLE FOR VESSELS
Change in Warship Design
Causes Transfer of Ord
nance to Battle Front.
GERMANS FAR oUTSTRlPPED
Hun Long-Rangers Are En-
tirely Out of Comparison
With Our New Ones.

oANt NNAs AOs--APtAdllN
OF the achievement OF the navy de-
partment in making available : for
use on the wetsern front OF the great
naval guns. which prt.s dispatches
have reported to be ha.nmerlnE the
German railway centers back OF the
Oise-Serre front. were made public
tonight by Secretary Daniels.
The naval guns, which have been
in operation since September l6,
originally were intended for new
battle cruisers, but a change in the
design OF the vessels left the guns
unavailable for that use. Rear Ad-
miral Earle, chief OF the navy
bureau OF ordnance, recommended
that the guns be sent TO the western
front and he was directed to proceed
with the design and construction.
The guns, are manned and oper-
ated by officers and men OF the
United States navy. under the COM
mand of Rear Admiral Plunkett,
former director OF the office OF gun
merry exercises and engineering per-
formance. The first party OF Of
ficers and men to handle the guns,
arrived In France June 9; the first
shipment OF material left this coun-
try June 20. and the entire organi-
Zation was completed and ready to
move to the battle front in France
late in August.
Outstrip Hun Guns.
The guns are said to throw a
heavier projectile and have a greater
muZzle velocity than any weapon
ever placed on a mobile land mount
ing Thu WaiRhf nf tha nynlnaiHa
used with each projectile is many
times greater than that used in the
freak German long-range guns. and
in point OF their destructive force
they are Incompatible.
The organization to man one gun
requires an entire train, including
the gun car itself. ammunition cars,
crane car, and construction. sand,
timber, kitchen fuel. workshop berth
ing and staff radio cars. Many OF
the cars were especially manufac-
tured by the Standard Steel Car
company and the locomotives. So
ton types. with four pairs OF drivers.
were built by the Baldwin Loco
motive works Ope car Is a com
plete machine shop, equipped with
forge, lathes, grinders and drill
presses, The gun car az well as the
dIl IlIllulllllNlU CARS arc HPdNllN AR
mored, 1900 square feet of plate be-
being required.
The gun car is convertible into
form OF pit foundation to permit fire
at high angles, and 1t was said the
entire process Of placing the gun In
that position and restoring II to COM
plete mobility requires only a few
minutes. Under test, on its steel car
mounting, the gun has shown &C.
curaCy OF fire at longer ranges than
c'a' before possible with guns OF
such great caliber. Directions Of
the fire upon any target is made
possible simply by shifting the po.
sition OF the gun mount on the track
Plans Prepared In 30 Days.
Plans for the gun mountings as
well as for the trains were worked
out at the naval gun factory in Wash
ington within thirty days and con
tracts were let January 25. Tho first
gun was completed in April and tests
were held at the army proving
grounds at Sandy Hook ~. J.. the |
only field large enough, in the pres
OF the allied govern
ments.
The training OF the men to operate
the big guns was OF most intensive |
nature. The gun crews. who are |
of officers from the regu- |
lar naval forces and the naval re-
serves and OF men taken for the most !
part from the Great Lakes training |
station. were employed az inspectors |
al the plants manufacturing the |
guns. This training combined with
experience gained in handling heavy |
and power charges at the
naval proving ground, Secretary |
Daniels said, made possible tho oh.
aiming Of thoroughly efficient
'orce