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Show 1 jjjj H Remarkable Picture of the New Monster 16 Inch Coast Defense Gun and Its Crew Photo Taken at jm ' I 1WT fr fe" ' the Testing Grounds of Sandy Hook IBb. V f The First of the New Coast Defense ' ' ' ' 'r4m$Rw Monsters Arrives in New York ' Harbor and is Being Tried Out to JwW See if the Giant Will Bo All Jmw ir-orHHis I hat is Expected of It sHf7 There It that Its Bring load of smokeless action jW JBSSr n!,.J Powder (666 oounds) irf eculva The forts at the Atlantic entrance THE biggest gun In the world oa3 jut arrived in New lork harbor It la being nursed and petted and encouraged and tried out to see If there Is anything wrong with it and to make sure that it will do an that It is ex pected to This is the first of the giant eoast-deXejase uas which will eventually be scattered around Ihe "harior -defense of otr tig coast cities and the Panama Canal It Is the biggest gn eTer con struded Some of the great tier man cannon are of slightly larger Calibre bat they are mortars a different kind of weapon, and do not weigh nearly so much. There are to be many of these huge guns according to the 'War Department s present plans Seven ot them are to be mounted in the forts that guard the entrances of the Panama Canal Just how many will be provided for the Coast de-. de-. fences of the United States proper is as yet a government secret but an official board quite a while ago reached tie conclusion that eighteen should be. mounted for th ' protection of New York City Also it recommended that ten should be emplaced at San Francisco eight at Boston and four at Hampton Roads to defend the entrance of Chesa peake Bay It is now fully realized that the V Inch guns which furn sh the ma jor armament of our seacoast fortresses are not powerful enough. A battle-cruiser of the Queen Eliza, beth type could take up a position bejond reach of their project! es and with her rifles of superior nge destroy a large part of New York , E idently then our forts must ha bigger guns The new one? (of which the giant Just arrived at '-andy Hook is a type) will be of sixteen Inch calibre and will throw an explosie projectile eight miles farther An Idea of the enormous size and effectiveness of this new gun i best conveyed by comparing It, point for point with the twelve-tnch twelve-tnch weapon. The twelve-Inch gun is forty feet -long The length of the xUteen-Inch xUteen-Inch breech-loading rifle is nine inches short of fifty feet. The twelve-inch gun weighs fifty seven tons. The weight of the six teen Inch monster Is loO tons more than twice as great The twelve-inch gun throws a 1 000-pound shell thirteen miles The projectile discharged by the sixteen inch gun weighs 2 400 pounds and Is thrown twenty-one miles The firing charge of the twelve-inch twelve-inch gun is 520 pounds of smokeless powder For the sixteen inch gun It may be added that the projectile pro-jectile discharged by (he sixteen inch rifle weighing more than half a ton Is nearly as tall as a man when stood on enl or to speak with exactness five feet 4 Inches high At a distance of three miles it will strike with an e ergy of 90 000 foot tons enough as It is reckoned to smash a battleship at -fiMJtlow The monster gun here described was built by the War Department at Water Met, N 1 Thence it was sent a while ago to Sandy Hook, ironi Sundy Hook it wa r centlj shipped ba k to W ter vliet in order that It migl t receive some mi or a tera tions and impro ements t particularly in re Jmw A 'pert to the llrln was sent to Watertown (near ffifr Boston) wheri the Govern MT t Miles Away and "!5fejj Likewise Could H Destroy the Largest Lar-gest Battleships ' m the Fleet of an k Invadmp Enemv. me lesunsr orounas or Sandy Hook i!WKF 1 The First of the New Coast Defense f if1' t ' Monsters Arrives in New York Kr s Harbor and is Being Tried Out to See if the Giant Will Bo All JjSF That is Expected of It dm jBW There It that Its flri THE biggest gun in the world --andy Hook is a type) will be of It may be added that the pro- wa. sent to Watertown (near J carXe" wMrh .ndioTw has jun arrived in Newark sixteen Inch caUbre and will throw Jectile discharged by the sixteen Boston) , hero the Govern JtSSW h?Wn f One can harbor it is being nursed an explosive projectile eight miles inch rifle weighing more than half ment maintains what it j4F jHi ml fnr i. .1 eighteen sucl and petted and encouraged and farther .ton Is nearly as tall as a man call, a carriage fac AW Z , J, ? jSr J tried out to see If there Is anything An idea of the enormous size and when stood on end or to speak tory meaning by AW JBKt subjected to a shop eusB OI . wrong with it and to make sure effectiveness of this new gun i with exactness five feet 4 Inches that term an es HH3F , ? T , V that it will do an that it is ex best conveyed by comparing it, high At a distance of three miles tablishment for jAY a2UBp J ,m ,an,,kcarrla8a ffif h. pected to This is the first of the point for point with the twelve- it will .trike with an e ergy of n aklng gun JF JSSf , . together prop- view of the giant eoast-dSfnse Suns whteh wm inch weapon. 90 000 foot tons-enough a. It U Lrriages JFaBUKF . ,h i, 7 dW T m eventually be scadfred around Ihe The twelve-Inch gun is forty feet reckoned to .mash a battleship at 4? JBKX o) the carriage and gun were to sU on shl -harbor -defense-flf-oto tig coast -long The length of the jUteen, osJUow -SBBBF ipDd to Sandy Hook. owjngtoi cities and the t intma Canal Inch breech-loading rifle is nine The monster gun here described AW iLHBHBr . f traln of ,,ecfauJr constrJcted steadiness of It Is the biggest gn ever con Indies short of fifty feet. was built by the War Department AW ABSF 7" fr the'r struded Some of the great Ger The twelve-inch gun weighs fifty at Water Met, N 1 Thence it was JW JSKHtSy transportation and orders were Is emplaced at man cannon are of slightly larger seven tons. The weight of the six sent a while ago to Sandy Hook. JT aWBBF I ,f w T 0fflCla,S to 80U u ' tllibre but they are mortars a teen Inch monster Is 10 tons-more i rom Sundy Hook it wa r AW &KBP have all llgbte in the Hoosic Tnn could throw different kind of weapon, and do than twice as great centl, shipped ba k to W ter , .JBSIBF nel extinguished while the war Rochelle on not weigh nearly so much. The twelve-Inch gun throws a vhet in order that It migl t AW JHHF PMaUSS throush leBt "t gl There are to be many of these 1000-pound shell thirteen miles receive some ml or a tera JF iMlllllHlT ? presence of such great masses be within el huge guns according to the -War The projectile discharged by the tions and impro ements JiL SBtSOBF A of Bel e a short circuit and would pass fi Departments present plans Seven sixteen inch gun weighs 2 iOO particularly in re JFSSMbBF A set fire to the train and fall half , ot them are to be mounted in the pounds and is thrown twenty-one SDK.t t0 u,p nrlnl, jfiF JQU&lS&Bm PrOjeC- 0n reachIne Sandy Hook the Highlands forts that guard the entrances of miles mechanism AWF jMSWKfflr f . . was placed on Its carriage easily be wi; the Panama Canal Just how many The firing charge of the twelve- " being W JwSSffiBF t 7, with the help of powerful ma residents of will be pnmded for the Coast de- l20 pou8nds oJ smoketst JZu.!T aW J&KSbSBM frOtltthe lnery ready at hand l and thus thehugeprc fences of the United States proper powder For the sixteen inch gun the gun ABF BwPWBSBBSB New 16 Inch I? ?! "8 tesL the valley be- is as yet a government secret ,t is 66614 pounds JKVSmBH n M CT, " must e 8eTeral tImeB to be within e; but an official board quite a while The shell of the & yJOSSS0 UlVl at bandy- be sure that nothing is wrong with miles to spar ago reached the conclusion that twelve inch un AbLM & WtEBv Hook Could " and tten no time will be lort In With a ran . eighteen should b mounted for th carries an explod JtW Shatter the LarS- sTh, WeaPn t0 l nearl; ' protection of New York City Alsoing charge of &&&MSBS2P$& JBSBS? 7 V !f 8 air reaching it recommended that ten should be ,!ity pounds Si .It, ..MSmSSUWr eSk DUlldltlg in Inasmuch as fifty shots will wear -an altitude emplaced at San Francisco eight at high explosive M.iWWW New York CltV 14 lh6 Ut thrU8h destrucUon of Ef "j1,? Boston and four at Hampton Roads That of the six WM? y WK J" AlZ, Z,nl,Jlf It8 rifllnK bjtbe enormous powder to defend the entrance of Chesa teen inch gun car- M fW MM THK Ml Miles Away Ottd pressure the test firing will be placed on top peake Bay nes 1 0 pounds WWS? JmSST "WJ JK t??fi Likewise COttld car uUy economize1 feet) mldwa; It is now fully realized that the tSJf jlffim W Ml DeStrOV the Lar- ' J ' Hk SoJeca"! 1 inch guns which furn sh the ma jf MMMt feS jjUL W UeSUOy We Lar- the gun and carriage will be trans jor armament of our seacoast M? SWrt eSt Battleships ferred a wrecking derrick to lng cIear 0Te fortresses are not powerful enough. At W W MffitW&L m the Fleet Of an nehteTa which wUl convey them feet to spare A battle-cruiser oftte Queen Eliza. J JMf " iJi Jl P t0 Brklyn NiVy Yard at tte Padfi, beth type could take up a position jf JSMT ( 11 leading Enemy. huge cranes will pick them up and bejond reach of their projecti es JWM-W J$$BiSr Wi Wm&SL P 0n the d6Ck 0t a more Pen 1 and with her rlfies of superior J$ 'Wmffi 13mW WM S fre'eU steamsUp La9hed ,ast t0 ?et ,thfn : nge destroy a large part of New A JMPj tMW Vk WSk !T " ' Pr?hCfU"n a5a'nSt built on to York . 0 SMglF4 flWiW m Wmffim T186 ln a P08S'ble 8tra they venlenUy sit E Idently then our forts must a4Z 4 S Wk WMML make the TOyae t0 the slve purp0SI ha bigger guns The new one M M, 4"JMm A f Wk wSm,t lantic terminus of tl e Panama chased by 1 (of which the giant Just arrived a A Jf SwAl w carry' them on flat" cars ComVy 'i JV P?7t , i&iaW A mMm&t. mik across the Isthmus and the gun forandacl J? O ffi'ZMh rfmMSsaBK Wmk. dto.jFW 11 be mounted n an emplace with one sb jf A FFM mMmk I WlJi ,4 et of one of the forts at the tyP ere de 4" ff ' nlportaronobne0 Should fJf,' Ml"y' JL.r 4tjt&Jh MfeM&F M I understand that the war car 'a'natSd" jTf mwMhWHfTmM II between shots-s a bt heavier 8aou ldmw9wJ&' yWi&WVkk S rJ Jjf JSSfy ' The constructional ingenuity of This is co e mffiVwMm , rid&MSSlAWW X VmL yJV .l this carriage may be Judged from of earth tur KWMmWBi&WW WJlti Wj'Zk J!S the fact that it must endure with the appearat fWAmSi f&mS JiWA xS out breaking or straining eny of Its No casual ol WKFSMiIP 11 5 J lK5, parts 0 e most tremendo is explo that beyond v Mil w!?tMr&X&rJ Vh. 'MMlMiMsfm 4li WtW 3P .Wmml Bve shocks meanwhile between l ned pits c t LmVW. r klvrWffl t$tMW mW ,mmm t0 tle loading postlon and re s ch gunpiti Mi4 L.l JIQVefly turninglttotheurlngpo.Ition It holes In the , ' MwMMMW Jf&i?S liJb jMKMmi jBBm JPaBra must d0 th 3 pldlv certainly and scape for a i 'WmW''m iSW MBMSffl easilv by meel anism not liable to for an enemj fc&s$$mYt PKfWd AwSmj immml atedoy "heaverage sld er Tne fourteen inch VJJ$I4 'jP' jrfK. r' Psrfor.ance1,s comparable to that able weapor '.j83S8s9 XfflfSi!1 Ji8 LHI' or ne third of its len-th yet so four Island. M wy r iPf Wm "a iv dfna as suffer not i:? , Nfc J J Toeeoocara bre can i W -A liL.1Ur.ttoiia.ttiiitutit mAri.MeJHJin.4ir .AiS J j. drs d be a d to ec , a 1 on it s e pla ned have to be 1 mSKf carriage which mlKBip bad been newly JHmjy made for It, and HUS' subjected to a shop test to make sure WTf tl at gun and carriage Br would work together prop- erlj and finally (a few days ego) the carriage and gun were shlpd to Sandy Hook. A train of specially constricted flat-cars was required for their transportation and orders were Is sued by the railroad officials to have all lights In the Hoosic Tnn nel extinguished while the war freight was passing through lest the presence of such great masees of steel cause a short circuit and set fire to the train On reaching Sandy Hook the gun was placed on Its carriage with the help of powerful ma chlnery ready at hand and thus made ready for the firing test." It must be fired several tlmeB to be sure that nothing Is wrong with it and then no time will be lost In forwarding the giant weapon to the Isthmus Inasmuch as fifty shots will wear the gun out through destruction of Its rifling by the enormous powder pressure the test firing will be car ully economized From the wharf at Sandy Hook the gun and carriage will be trans ferred by a wrecking derrick to lighters which will convey them to the Brooklyn Navy Yard where huge cranes will pick them up and place them on the deck of a freight steamship Lashed fast to her deck as a precaution against damage in a possible storm they will make the voyage to the At lantic terminus of tl e Panama Railroad at Colon The railroad will carry them on flat cars across the Isthmus and the gun w 11 be mounted n an emplace n ent of one of the forts at the P nama end of the canal In o der to rea ze he s zo of the ransportat on ob one should understand that the w ar car riage of the g ant gun weighs something like 450 tons It is of the disappear ng type (built at a cos of $1 5 000) and its counter wclgl t alone by the help ot vh ch tl e weapon s lowered and raised between shots s a b t heavier tl an the gun itself The constructional ingenuity of this carriage may be Judged from the fact that it must endure with out breaking or straining eny of Its parts 0 e most tremendo is explo s ve shocks meanwhile betw een shots lowering the gun eight feet to tl e loading pos Hon and re turning it to the firing position It must do th s rapidlv certainly and easilv by meel anism not liable to get out of order and readily oper ated by the average sold er The performance is comparable to that of a 50 ton locomotive and tender runn ng twenty miles an hour wh cl sho ld be reci ired to come to a full stop within stxteen feet or one third of its length yet so oh lv a d gently as o suffer not p t ar T o e e o o ca drs d be a 1 on it s e pla ned that its firing load of smokeless powder (666H pounds) U equlva lent ln energy aeveloped, to l,22- pounds of ordlnarv blackKyyder. One can easily imaglnekflshat eighteen such guns could doToficie defense of New Yoric or tenfof them for that of San Fran3sjo against a hostile fleet especially in view of the fact that, as reckoned by experts one gun on land Is equal to six on ships calibre for calibre ..owing to -better protection, and steadiness of platform. This wonderful sixteen Inch rifle emplaced at the Battery on the sonth end of Manhattan Island could throw shells far bejond New Rochelle on the Sound Tuckahoe and Hastings-on the-Hudson would be within easy range ItB shells would pass far above Staten Island and fall half a mile beyond Atlantic Highlands Perth Amboy could easily be wiped off the map and residents of 'VJontclalr might hear the huge projectiles roaring o er head to fall three miles distant in the valley beyond Paterson would be within easy reach with four miles to spare. With a range ot twenty-one miles a projectile from this gun would mount nearly six miles into the air reaching a height of 30 516 fe&t an altitude at which no human being can get enough oxygen for his lungs to keep him al e If Pike s Peak (14 083 feetl were placed on top of Mont Blanc (15 7 9 feet) midway between the Battery and Hastings-on the-Hudson the projectile fired from the Battery would land at Hast ngs after pass lng clear over them both with 654 feet to spare The g ant gun is to be mounted at the Pacific end of the canal be cause that entrance s deemed more open to attack bv a hostile fleet than the Atlantic entrance The forts there located have been built on four Islands most con venlently situated for the defen slve purpose which were pur chased by the War Department from the Pacific Mail Steamship Company On each of these islands is a fort and each fort will be provided with one sixteen inch gun of the type here described The islands have been connected with each other and also with the mainland by causeways of solid concrete. In fact as des gned the four forts are Integrated into a s ngle svs tem and even if an enemy were to capture one of them he could be driven out by concentrating the guns of the others upon it On the sea frontage of each Isl and an Incl ned plane of concrete r ses from the shore witl a long and low slant toward the mainland This is co ered with several feet of earth turfed so as to present the appearance of a greensward No casual observer would suspect that beyond there are concrete 1 ned pits concealing formidable guns Each fort consists of several s ch gun pits It l a series of holes in the ground with the land scape for a roof there is nothing for an enemy to shoot at There will be ln each fort several fourteen inch guns very formid able w eapons correspond ng In size and power to the largest r ftes carried by our battleships In the rear of the ordinary gun pits f r thermore will be on each of the four island a batter of fo r mor tars similarly emplaced The are sho t fled ns of t ve e inch ca bre can f r o c a d to ec a c o 1 have to be in a balloon Such a mortar Is thirteen feet long uses a lowder charge of 105 pounds and throws an 800 pound shell orer five miles One such projectile land lng on the deck of a dreadnought would be likely to put her out Of action . The forts at the Atlantic entrance of the canal are three In number, and are situated on the mainland. In other respects their arrangements arrange-ments and armament are much the same Each of them is to be provided pro-vided with one giant sixteen inch rifle The seven huge guns thus provided pro-vided for the defense of the Pan ama Canal would alone be sufficient to stand oft" the most formidable fleet Constructea as' they are in accordance with the very latest military ideas and armed a3 they will be the forts here described are expected to be practically un pregnable That they will ever be captured by attack from the sea is not for a moment to be Imagined. The danger 1 es ln the possibil ty ESSEl of attack by an MRpI army landed by H3s an enemy a few miles up or t down tjie coast. JJ MM It is a peril that jfpOs llk would be qu ck mf 3S ly made real If jre ttWKfi through the de- feat of our fleet f-So-. ivlS$ we lost control fiwj4srS Of the sea An gW&ta other danger is 044 from military or SkTkar JS navafaeroplanes ijK lgjl g .S one well a med Wflp 44 bomb would mhSM knock a gun and fiTtSi its carr age into ggf" g1 a scrap heap rrt Charge of Powder" and iP Shell ggS for the lllsliLsk&s New Gun If'fcSSJ Comnared jggs w |