The Washington times., 1922-10-05
BIG R A IL
GUNS HOLD.
SEA COAST.
14-lnch Rifles and 16-Inoh
Barbette New Features,
Says Major Somers.
BY ROBERT 8. THORNBURGH,
Cosmopolitan News Service.

ny nODChl .. 1hONINDONuD,
Cosmopolitan News Service.
War-if It comes-will find
America ready both from a mill
tary and industrial standpoint.
The Atlantic and Pacific coast
defenses are regarded as practic-
ally impregnable.
Invading navies could be stop
ped with the minimum loss of
American life.
These facts were disclosed today
by Major R. H. Somers. Ordnance
Corps, in connection with announce
ment of the annual demonstration
at the Army Ordnance Corps at
Aberdeen, Md, Friday.
Coast Well Defended.
Coupled with the epoch. making
bombing Of warships off the Virginia
coast by airplanes a few days ago,
the ordnance corps has a new coast
defense system which will make ,he
seaboard for a hundred miles out
nearly uhtenable for seacraft of large
size.
There is less than thirty miles Of
which cannot be reached on short no.
tice by our new railroad artillery,
which will be seen in action at Aber-
deem" declared Major Somers. "The
Pacific and other coasts are already
well protected"
Americas newest war machines
will be displayed at the ordnance
demonstration to military experts, in
dustrial executives and manufaCtur-
ers. termed the country's secondary
defense"
Secretary Of War Weeks will head
the official celebration.
There are two new rifles which
will be viewed officially for the first
time-the fourteen-inch railway
mount, the last word in railroad ar
tillery, and the sixteen-inch barbette,
both designed primarily for coast de-
fense.
The barbette shoots a projectile Of
2,34O pounds about thirty miles, and
is declared by ordnance experts TO
he the most formidable piece OF ar
tillery in the world. The muzzle We
lkcity is 2,740 feet a second or great
er than that Of the army service
rifle. The highest point reached
in the flight of the projectile Is over
eight miles.
ally the end of a warship.
The fourteen.inch rifle is used like
a piece of fire fighting apparatus.
The guns are to be stationed along
the seacoast. At an alarm from any
point the gun and crew are available.
Because of commercial railroads on
all seaboard of America and along
international borders, little track
laving would be necessary for ade-
Quate protection.
A projeCtile Of $50 pounds is fired
thirty miles by the gun.
12O.Mile Gun.
Experts have figured out on paper
q gun which will work effectively at
12O miles. They say that is the
maximum range attainahle with
powder manufactured today. The
fourteen and siXteen-inCh guns may
be developed to nearly double their
present range.
In the night firing demonstration
the ordnance association will observe
use of flashless, moisture proof
powder. This means the elimination
Of the tell-talc gunflashes, which dis
closed location Of batteries and
troops at night
Great stress is laid by ordnance ex-
perts on defense against airplanes,
and one of the most effective
weapons is the thirty-seven milimeter
gun firing n shell so sensitive that
4. will explode against an airplane
wing.
I For the infantryman, a self.loading
shoulder rifle, firing as does the
automatic pistol. will he demon
strated. 1t is expected this rifle will
replace the Springfield.
TwO-tOn Bombs.
Airplanes will demonstrate use OF
two-ton bombs.
A "barrage OF fire." formed by
dropping phosphorus bombs from
planes, will show how an enemy can
be annihilated in flames.
1.-THE object of the ordnance assG.
citation is to maintain industrial pre-.
paredness," Major SOmers said. The
War Department plans to go as far
as possible in time of peace in plac-
ing war contracts. Manufacturers
are keeping their plant equipment in
pace with development Of new war
engines"
To develop this system to the high
est point the country has been laid
off into districts with headquarters IN
Boston, Bridgeport, Conn; New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh,
Rochester, Cleveland, Detroit, Gin
cinnati, St. Louis. Chicago, and San
ranCiSCO