Evening journal., 1921-10-08
new POWDER
TEST SUCCESS
Coast Defense Rifles In
visible When Charged
With Flashless
SUPER-GUN TO BE
ADEQUATE GUARD

RDEEN WING
GROUNDS. Nd. oct. s.-The latest
wonder in warfare, fashless powder,
was demonstrated last night to an
audience Of 1900 army men and
munition experts, after a day filled
with marvels.
During daylight, two OF the three
largest guns in the world sent 240O-
pound projectiles hurting through
the air for thirty miles. impell9d by
$50 pounds of powder at each firing.
With the successful tests Of these
super-guns came into being new
method OF coast defense. SO perfect
have been the results OF the Bar
bette" carriages supporting these
guns, coupled with the demonstra-
ton Of fiashless powder, that the old
type of disappearing gun as a coast
defense will soon be eliminated.
In the new system, as proved prac-
tical today the 16-inch ordnance
will be placed at various strategic
points along the coast. The guns
would be placed at some distance
apart in order to balk any air or sea
attack against any one battery, and
at the same time give a greater de-
fensive value to the coast weapons
With the complete tests. it was
said by army officials that the gov
ernment Is ready to contract for i'm
mediate delivery Of fourteen more
guns OF the 16-inch type.
all vi Cd
with mysterious flashes marking the
progress Of shrapnel shells and anti
aircraft explosive bullets the flashes
showing at from ? to As seconds
after the discharge OF the gun and
enabling the gunners to correct their
aim.
over the entire $4,000 acres
making up the government reserva-
tion there was the whirring note OF
airplanes, OF the huge bing type.
circling overhead and cutting circles
about a big blimp, splendid in the
sunlight in its silver covering.
Great caterpillar tractors on which
heavy guns were mounted. played
the part OF clowns. cutting all kinds
OF capers. and some with water
proof motors and transmission, play
ing in the pool OF water like sea
mosters.
At intervals amid the noise OF the
guns would come the roar and earth
shaking shock telling Of the landing
in the waters Of the Chesapeake of
the largest Of aerial bombs, some
Weighing 1000 pounds.
The experts. however, we're most
interested in the tests OF the new
nashiess powder.
This completely justified It's name
and after the first shot was fred and
the spectators realized that the in
vention was a success there was an
outhurst OF cheers and applause.
The test was convincing in every
way. A as NM. with a sixty-pound
powder charge was used. All the
electric lights In the section OF the
grounds were extinguished so that
perfect note could be made OF the
effect.
Five preliminary shots were fred
with service charges OF smokeless
powder. At each discharge there was
a torrent Of fame following the shell
and the grounds were Illuminated
for hundreds OF feet around. The
crowd extended for three hundred
feet or more in a great semlcircle
about the gun and at every discharge
with the service powder, such as was
used throughout the war. the faces
OF all in the throng we're clearly
visible.
Then came the notice Of the first
| Of the shots with the fashless pow
der and there was strained attention
on the part OF the experts. Many
despite reports Of private tests being
successful were frankly skeptical as
to the ability OF the inventors to
overcome the gun-nash.
As usual. two whistles were
sounded before the shot so that spec
tators could hold their ears. as the
seventy-hves make more of a rumpul
than the larger guns When the roal
OF the gun came a faint glow could
[ be noted at the guns mouth for an
instant from distance OF fifty feet
Spectators two hundred feet distan
did not even notice this glow. Ther'
1 was absolutely none Of the illumina
ton which had followed previou
shots.
All ten trial shots brought tn
same result and demonstrated be
yond question that the new powde
will prevent an enemy locating gun
during the night firing by means o
the flares following the discharge.