Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20

headquarters and NO. l gun was aStlr even
earlier than usual on Saturday morning.
Breakfast for all was quickly disposed of.
1t was rapidly approaching o'clock.
After smoke pots in the northern corner were
ordered lighted the order for loading was given
and all sprang to with will. The proJectile
was hauled over on the ammunition track,
hoisted to the loading platform and its tray
locked to the massive gun breech. The crew
that had done this in practice so often fitted
the rammer carefully to the base, slid the
projectile forward to the end of the powder
chamber, carefully turned it to fit into the
grooves in the gun and then with a mighty
heave rammed it home. The powder charges
were already coming up to the loading plat
FORM the first was slid into the powder cham
Der, then the second Each was pushed forward
into place with the rammer. Then two tiny
pressure gauges were fitted into special sockets
in the wall of the chamber and the braSs-caSed
base charge was put in. The gunnery officer,
with his sergeant inspected every move criti-
cally, the order to close the breech given
and, with the turning of the crank, the huge
block of steel moved across, sealing in the
projectile and powder. The block locked
in place and the crew scrambled down from
the platform. The sergeant inspected and set
the firing mechanism and signaled "All'S
ready to his officer. At once the switch was
closed and, with the hum of the elevating
motor, the great gun began to rise to its firing
position.
The gun was up; every one was out of the
way who had no special function. The eleva-
ton was carefully set, checked by a special
quadrant and by a second gunner. All was
ready The gunnery officer had all adjacent
batteries on the phone and when he received
the final signal that the elevation had been
checked he called to all to stand by for the
order. At exactly TIT he gave the order on
the phone. Instantly heavy guns, north, south
and west, fired practically in unison to confuse
enemy sound-ranging units. second later the
order given to the Paris gun sergeant.
With a terrific, crashing roar the great gun
belched forth huge cloud of orange-red smoke
and incandescent gas The projectile had gone.
WITHIN an hour the service of the great
gun was becoming matter of routine to
most of its crew. Not so, however, to the
balliStic officers. Calculations without end
each time the examination of the pressure
gauges, measurement of the state of wear of
the gun, checking of the powder temperature,
barometer wind. A different weight of powder
charge for each separate shot. The seventh
shot at 9:01, with appreciate overcharge,
showed a high pressure. The projectile prob
ably fell miles beyond the target outside
OF the city walls. Nothing could be taken for
granted with this gun. During lunch time
word was received that the Kaiser would
arrive about 1 pm The resumption of firing
was therefore delayed and everything about the
gun was put in perfect order. He arrived with
others from headquarters before l pm. and
examined the whole installation with keen in
terest and satisfaction and remained for the
first few rounds, beginnings at 1887. Not
many gun crews had had the honor of serving
their pieces under the eye of the Kaiser-a
ong-remembered privilege for this crew. He
departed after several rounds had been fired
to inspect the other emplacements.
While at lunch the next day, when gun No. 3
was in action, alternating with No. 1, the
q m in oho nf fIn ol1AI -
the phone to talk with headquarters. Every
one was expectant; it must be news. THE
French papers report a heavy bombardment
of Paris on Saturday by some German long
range guns. No such range as these guns seem
to have has ever been known. The life of the
French capital is completely demoralized. The
battery is instructed to continue the lombard
ment"
The admiral's face reflected the news as he
listened to the report. The crew were hilarious
when he told them the details; they must drink
to such success Wine and glasses were pro-
duced and the toast drunk "Hooch!" Hardly
had the glasses been filled a second time how
ever, when the crash of something which had
exploded in the meadow below set the shelters
windows rafting. How could it be? But there
was no mistakng it-a projectile of the heaviest
caliber IL inches or longer. 1t could only have
come from French railway gun, and it struck
midway between guns l and g. This was to
be real war, then, for the Paris gun batteries.
The opponent had struck back and accurately.
within 80 hours of the first shot. But how
could they have learned of the locations?
Another heavy shell crashed farther over in
the clearing This was no joking matter
Twelve to fifteen inch shells at five-minute
intervals, and close as those two, were not
to be taken lightly The admiral called con-
ference to decide what to do. 1t was decided
to cease the bombardment for a few hours
and to observe carefully where the shells fell
Perhaps it was only guesswork on the part Of
the French. Distinctly lucky for the French,
but most unlucky for the gun crew. Shortly
after o'clock heavy shell struck a tree near