New-York tribune., 1918-03-25
Monster Cannon Is i'm St.
Cobain Forest, West :
of Laon
CAPITAL Bombarded
Again for S Hours
Shells Fall Every Twelve
Minutes, but City
Remains Calm

BERLIN via London), March 24.-
"We have bombarded the fortress of
Paris with long distance guns," says
the official war statement given out
here this evening.
PARIS, March "a. - The German
monster cannon" which has been
bombarding Paris has been located in
i. the Forest of ST. Gobain, west of Laon,
and exactly 122 kilometres (approxi-
mately IS miles) from the Paris City
Hall.
The gun bombarded Paris during the
greater part of to-day Sunday. The
day was ushered in by loud explosions
from the 10-inch shells, and immedi-
ately the alarm to take cover was
sounded. This occurred at 6:55 o'clock
and many persons sought shelter, but
greater numbers of them appeared in
the streets on their way to the
churches, which were almost as we'll
filled as usual. The women who sell
palm leaves on Palm Sunday did their
usual thriving business.
A. first the shells began arriving at
intervals of twenty minutes, and the
dctonations, considering the Sunday
calm, seemed louder than those of
Saturday. Their power to disturb the
equanimity Of the populace, however,
seemed less, the people refusing to be
c+r SoI boi hob to
any great extent.
Bombardment Ends at l O'clock
For the benefit of that portion of
the populace which had been led to be-
lleve the Germans had broken through
the line and were bombarding Paris
from nearby positions, semi-official
note was issued during the day. This
warned the people against believing
pessimistic reports.
"The French front is intact" said
the note. ANY assertion to the con-
trary is lic."
The bombardment OF the capital
ended around / o'clock, and as late as
} o'clock no explosions had been heard
for more than an hour. The "clear
signal" was sounded at $3.50 o'clock
Although during the earlier hours of
the bombardment the shells arrived at
twenty intervals, later in the
day they began arriving every fifteen
minutes on the average, and some of
them even fell twelve minutes apart
Comments of French Press
The comments OF the French press
fhie orpiro ucra ahout eyopIv Ii,yiIo1
between the big gun which is bonn
harding the city from back of the
German lines and the terrific battle
raging on the British front. The tone
Of the comment on the bombardment
is one of astonishment at the FEAST
oility of the performance, while as to
the battle, the favorable ending Of it
is confidently expected.
The newspapers do not conceal their
admiration for the mechanical feat Of
the Germans in constructing their new
useless barbarity Of the bombardment.
The "Matin" says it is consoling to
note that the number of victims is
small, but it asks for reprisals on
derman cities.
Professor Paul Painleve, former
Premier and president Of the Academy
Of Science, told the Excelsior" that
ny using tungsten in the fabrication
OF the projectile the tungsten shells
would be Of about half the diameter
oi steel shells of an even weight, and
mat therefore the atmospheric resist
ance would be less, this accounting for
tne extremely long range. He also
toacned upon the possibility of pro-
peiier being employed on the projectile.
or No Military Value
AIRED Capus. in the Figaro" al
lades to the making of the gun as
great mechanical feat, but points out
shat az military factor the weapon
ehtirely ineficacious. The "Petit
Iaiisich comments upon the lombard
a,ens az an extremely minor incident
=, .vnpAted WIN the gigantic battle
~ progress on the British front.
:, lie Petit Journal sayg that Inles
verne had foregeen this gun and Il
neciarss moreover that it is French
.u'ehtion. More than a year ago" It
aoas' We Uncovered the secret Of fir
."k our cannon more than 100 kilo-
metres. The secret lies in the greater
soppfeasIon Of the atmospheric resist
shce The "Echo dc Paris" declares
ne ne pombardment IL designed TO give
ne ne mpression that Paris is within
we range OF the German guns. 1T is
says.
g, r,,renier CIemeneeaug Newspaper,
nhommc Ljbre," says that the pass
-ord 81 the hour IL confidence "Ger.
many IT declares, "bas wished to
maHe ~ complete offensive on all
.a0nts.- the land, water and air fronts,
~ well 81 the front Of the rear We
zrc facing an enemy who wishes to end
~ soon az possible. That suits us.
Eyery she'll that falls into Paris drives
deeper into us the confidence IN an
ultimate victory"