RAPIDITY OF FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 5

RAPIDITY OF FIRE.

SUPERIORITY CLAIMED FOR GERMAN GUNNERS. DY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT. Berlin, November 14. Dr.' Paasclie, vico-prosidont of tho Reichstag, in a speech at Krcuzach, claimed that tho sido possessing superior rapidity of firo would bo ablo to striko a- decisive blow in naval warfare, and this frequentlyv determined tho issue In this respect tho German ships woro twice as'good as tho English.

If the German puns nnd (runners nro twico as pood aii the British from tho point of view of tho rapidity of fire, tho" fact will bo somewhat damping to thoso critics who have of lato emphasised the improvement iji our naval gunnery.' " Tho advance in tho rapidity of fire sinco 1897 is something startling," writes ono critic. "The following are tho figures or tho hits per nun per minultt with- tho different patterns:— 1837. 1005. 12-inch and 10-inch 0!) .81 9.2 inch 17 2.81 C-inch ... SO S.GS 4.7-inch nnd '1-inch' 1.83 i.% "Thin is a return which reflects tho utmost credit upon tho Sea Lords, the Inspector of Target-Prnctico, Eear-Adniiral Sir P. Scott, and the officers and men of tho Navy." With tho hugo 13-inch, gun, uino battleships in 190G got a rato of two hits per minute, which was considered excellent. With the 9.2, another very heavy and powerful gun, four ships mado three or nioro hits per gun per minute. With tho ".Sin. pin, two cruisers inndo five hits per (fun per riunulo. Tho 12-poundor quick-firing gun record for the Nnvy for tho present year is said to liavo been secured by tho first-class cruiser Berwick, vhieh, with oteht guns, averaged eight hits per minute. Ono gun fired nine rounds, and scored uino Mis in iftsec.