The Washington times., 1937-06-29
l6-INCH GUN 5
. TO PUT i. 5.
!. FAR AHEAD
BY EARL GOODWIN

llC w p1oAAAAASbS ANNHJ
which in times past has built
wooden ships which have been a
moving part in Americas naval
history. is about to step forward in
world interest again as the one
place on the continent which is
equipped to make the new tremen-
douS 16-inch guns to arm the two
new battleships just authorized.
Eighteen tremendous rifles, so
large that there are only one or
two steel concel. us in America
which can cast the vast lump of
steel necessary for their barrels;
so intricate in their design and
rifling that only the Navy can
trun them out q finished product
and onlv the Washington Navy
Yard is now equipped for the fine
precision work necessary for the
final touches.
1t is probable that the 10 great
16-inch guns. which will make our
fleet the master of the seas as far
as heavy long-range guns 60, will
be cast in Is huge Jumps at some
great steel works in the East-and
the mass of steel shipped here to
be worked to fine finish.
To Center on Guns
Whether the work on these huge
rifles will increase the personnel
at the washington Navy Yard a
year or two hence, when the guns
are being finished, is question.
Naval authorities today are in
clined to think that there will not
be much increase in force and
that the Navy will put aside all
other Washington Navy Yard
work and concentrate on the is.
inch guns, which will take many
months to make.
The United States Is the land
Of the long rifle, whether in the
Blue Ridge Mountains Of the pio-
neer days or the modern Navy.
The reason for the long-range,
large-mouthed 16.inch naval gun
is because of the fine visibility in
the waters guarded by the Amer.
lean fleet. You can see farther
and therefore aim and shoot bet
ter; hence the 16-inch gun as de-
veloped by American naval Off.
GERS. However, in the interest Of
So-called disarmament and the
reduction of naval costs the
United States was willing to limit
new ships to 14-inch guns. But
there is Semiofficial assurance
that the Japanese government
has gone the whole hog and re-
fuses to limit herself to any mere
14-inches-h ence the United
States reluctantly goes on a 16-
inch basis for the two new battle.
ships.
Puts U. S. Ahead
That gives the United States q
rather imposing lead in long-range
naval rifles. The U. S. Navy has
now three ships with eight 16 inch
guns apiece; the Colorado, the
West Virginia and the Maryland.
These battleships have four turrets
with two 16-inch guns apiece; the
two new battleships will have
three turretS with three big guns
each, a new thing for American
ships, although the British Navy
has two ships with that combina-
ton.
When the new battleships are
built and the Washington Navy
Yard has contributed its share in
the way Of 16-inch guns the two
new battleships will be the equal
of the famous British Nelson"
and Rodney" said to be the
"mightieSt ships afloat."
Bethlehem Drops Guns
On paper, at least, then the
U. S. Navy would be No. l Navy
in l6-inch guns. Unless the other
countries move quickly, the U. S.
Navy will have AZ guns of 16-inch
caliber, Great Britain 10 and
Japan 16.
The Washington Navy Yard has
finished all the 16-inch guns the
Navy has, including the mount.
lngS. The last guns, now on the
Colorado, Maryland and West Vir-
GINA, were finished ere, but cast
by the Bethlehem Steel Works,
which is now out of the gun
business.
1t may be that the entire Job Of
casting and rifling these new guns
will have to be done by the Gov.
eminent