BRITAIN’S BIG GUNS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 268, 28 October 1916, Page 2

BRITAIN’S BIG GUNS.

THEY CANNOT BE BEATEN.

That Britain’s heavy guns—the 13.5 in and the 15in—are of the highest possible quality is borne out by the world’s artillerists. Sir Robert Hadfield, president of the Faraday Society, who is one of the greatest authorities on projectiles and guns, tells uis that whatever the future has in store in the way of development in the power of big guns, ou i‘ experts may be trusted to produce the world’s best. Sir Robert points out that the muzzle energy of British guns has outranked that of any other nation. So-called big German guns, about which there has been so much written, are, as regards their muzzle energy, very small and inferior weapons in comparison with ours. Sir Robert also reveals the astonishment fact that the life of a modern high velocity gun is not much more than three seconds. By this he means that if one added u£> the length of time during which the projectile remained in the gun it would be found that under full service velocities the total time, and consequently the life of the inner gun tube, did not amount to much more than three seconds before the erosion set up interfered with the accuracy of aim. Several interesting examples are given by Sir Robert of remarkable results that he has witnessed as being obtained from what he calls that “modern high-speed and greatpower heat-engine known as the big gun.” One of these was that of a 9in wrought iron plate being attacked bj 7 a 9.2 in Whitworth shot. This plate was swung upon trunnions projecting from either side. In other words, before firing it would have been possible with comparatively little energy to make the plate swing backwards and forwards.

To show how quickly the shot acted, when the Whitworth shot was fired against this plate and perforated it the plate was lifted from its trunnions seating and was thrown away some 10ft or 12ft., yet the hole was properly punched in the plate. In other words, before the plate had time to swing the shot passed through it.