FINE GUNNERY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1061, 25 February 1911, Page 5

FINE GUNNERY.

THE . NEPTUNE'S BROADSIDE. CRIPPLE ANY SHIP AT FIVE MILES. fly TelezrapU-Press AssoclatSon-Oopyrlglit London, February 23. • Tlio battleship Noptuno's gunnery trials iu tlio Mediterranean ivero rcmarkablo. A broadside from fivo 12m. guns fell within a radius,of 150 yaras, tlio target being fivo miles distant. Experts doelaro tlio broadsido could havo crippled any battleship afloat.

' Tho heavy gun placed in the Dreadnought and tho ships of tho 190G-7 programme was ft 12-inch, with a length of 45 calibres and a muzzlo energy of 17,l)Ul) foot-tons. There were several reasons for tho selection of 'this gun; but perhaps the most importnnt (says »ino Times") was that at tho time the protection of tho battleships iu existence,both as', regards their vital parts and their armament, mndo it necessary for successful attack. For tho shins of tho next two programmes, and in tho early 6hips in tho programme of 1900-10, a 1--inch gun of the length of 50 calibres was adopted with a muzzlo energy of something over 52,000 foot-tons, it is probable that tho adoption of this gun was duo at least, in part to tho knowlcdce that improvements in ordnanco woro making progress abroad. Other nations had not taken to our system of wirewound guns, and it was claimed that if in no other respect tho' system' of built-up guns promised a longer span of active life than those manufactured on tho British method. It is held, however, in this country that, the wiro gun has great advantages in circnmferontial strength, and lends itself to tho system which enables a gun to be repaired with nn inner tubo over and over again. Mnch was inado at tho time of a weakness which displayed itself in tho earlier design of tho new 12-inch gun, owing, it was said, to the mistake Of not continuing the wiring to tho muzzle. This mi&tako was corrccted by.removing tho thick outer tube over the chase, continuing tho wiring to tho muzzle, and then placing ft thin outer tubo over the wiro. Tho change proved entirely successful, and tho new gun was acknowledged to bo a splendid weapon. With .its projectile of, 8501b. it is capable of penetrating over 9in. ,of cemented armour at 10,000 yards. This gun has been mounted in tho • St. Vincent, Collingwood, and Vanguard, completed ships, tho. Neptune, which has '.fust oomnleted her trials; and the Indefatigable," Colossus, and Hercules, which are to bo completed shortly.