Evening journal., 1918-03-27
HUGE GERMAN Gun
HAY Be AMERICAN S
New York Engineer Re-
vealed Plan for Electro
Magnetic Weapon in 1913
IDEA REJECTED
BY UNITED STATES

NEW YORK, March 2i.-Ihe propel-
ling agent OF the mammoth gun with
which the Germans are said to be bonn
harding Paris from a point more than
evenly miles away may be not an e1-
ploslve, but eiectro-msgnetlsm. Paul T.
kenny, an electrical engineer Of t2O
Broadway. says he con0ded the prin-
ciplcs of such weapon TO the German
War Department In 1919, after his ideas
bad been rejected In Washington, and
he thinks 10 possible that Is what the
Germans are using now
Mr.. Kenny was 8n assistant TO AM
5assador Gerard IN Germany carly in
the war He said yesterday he began
experimenting with the magnetic force
n 1900, and after eight years Of work
decided TO apply for a patent on tho
electromagnetic gun Reasoning, how
syer ihst the principles Of the gun
should be kept secret, he went TO Wash
.nglon and saw Luke T.. Wright, Sore-
Barry OF War.
Secretary Wright" said Mr. Kenny,
twas so Interested in the idea that he
sent me 20 the head Of the Ordnance De-
parlmcnt After voluminous correspon.
ience upon my offer 70 construct 8
working model Of the electro-magnetic
mn my plan was turned down because
SO the explanation was made. there was
no appropriation available 10 pay for
making such a gun. ! had offered 90
prove that The gun could throw O shell
from New York to Philadelphia
"In 1918 | was IN Berlin on business
at the time Of the marriage Of one of the
Kaiser's sons, when war seemed very
remote because of the interchange Of
loving compliments among the Gar, the
King OF England and the Kaiser.
wrote TO lhe Kaiser and offered 10 lay
my invention before the German War
Department. Immediately ! received an
invitation TO visit The War Department
after ] had set forth The principles
Of my gun was sent 10 the examining
committee Of five ordnance experts
They seemed to agree with me that my
run was practicable. They asked me TO
remain In Germany and direct the con-
iiruciion Of the model. The managing
lirec,or OF the krupp works at Essen
allied on me several times 90 urge me
10 go 20 Essen and carry forward the
construction OF the first gun.
But at that time business called me
90 Paris / left Berlin, and The press Of
other business drove the entire matter
out Of my head. / heard no more from
! the German government on the subject
| but the examining committee had thl
complete secret OF the electromagnetic
gun as ] had perfected IT,"
Several patents for an electro-mag
netlc gun are on nle In Washington
d One Of them was obtained by Professo
! kristian Birkeland of Sweden. All hav
J the same principle series OF electrl
! coils surrounding a gun chamber S
J that the proieciile is pulled along N
chamber at an increasing velocity unit
% leaves the muzzle Mr.. Kenny say
that his gun would be a telescop
shaped funnel Of steel from 200 to 80
feet long, open at both ends and sup
ported by steel struts so that the muz
lle Is elevated and moveable. Com
pared with the i6-inch powder-usin
gun this weapon would be light, 70
there would be no strain except IL
own weight
The gun would be wrapped from th
4 breach 90 the muzzle with coils througl
which the current would pass Their
would be fifteen coils-small wire 10
a light current at the breech. and in
| creasingly heavier wire and q heavie
load of electricity In the succeedin
coils until at the muzzle the last cot
would have a pulling strength equiva