A FIFTEEN-INCH GUN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 7

A FIFTEEN-INCH GUN.

COMING NAVAL MONSTER, By Telegraph-Press AsKoclntlon-Cnnyrtchi London, March 13. It is reported that the Admiralty is experimenting with a 15-inch gun, as against tho 13.5-inch on the latest battleships.

Tho biggest" guns'so far talked of are 14-inch ones. Some little time ago the Berlin Socialist journal "Vorwar!s fl pubii « •'?• "rcunistantial statement that the British and German Admiralties are both working with feverish haste on a new model of an armoured Monitor intended for use against Dreadnought cruisers, which, while itself practically invulnerable, will be an irresistible op'ponent for vessels'of the most powerful types. The hew Dreadnought destrovor is rendered possible by tho substitution of motor internal combustion tngincs for steam, and will'tos a length of 280 feet, a beam of iG feet;-a draught of 19ft 9in., and a height.abovc : walerline of 4ft. llin. Iter armament will be two 16.7 'guns, throwing: a projectile of 59401b. There will be one great turret amidships, turning in all directions, and the vessel will be driven by four motors, each of (5000 horse-power, with a normal speel of 1!) knots, and 27 with forced draught. Her deck turret arid freeboard will"be so extraordinarily heavily armoured that Iho designers anticipate that, while the nearly three-ton projectiles will penetrate tho armour of any Dreadnought, the low freeboard and heavy armour of the new vessel will be virtually proof against 12-inch pirns. It. is added that Hie new vessel will be designated a "orniser destroyer,'' and will cost considerably less than a Dreadnought. It is stated' that gas motors will be employed.

According to th» "Mornins Leader" corrcsoondent. ■ the "Vorwarts" comments as follows:—"The result will be that the millions of money spent in Dreadnoughts have been literally cast into the water, but' the next result will lie that still more millions will h* wasted in rival attempts to improve the neiv type."