MODERN ARTILLERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3981, 14 July 1915, Page 7

MODERN ARTILLERY.

190 MILES OF WILE IX ot’N

‘-This war lias brought home to us, the necessity of being ready for war/’ -•aid Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. Had£>ck, of Armstrong, Whitworth and to., Ltd., at a recent meeting of the Itoyal Institution on “Modern Artillol7-" Lieutenant-Colonel Hadcocl* .-said the manufacturing capacity of the country had been strained to ifs utmost. We had had to make guns and ammunition in as many months over which other nations had taken tho same number of years. Referring to big guns, the speaker said that few people were aware of the extensive knowledge of science and art neccssarv to construct a gun and mounting. Artillery was meant for two purposes—the destruction of personnel and tho destruction of material—and one of •■he main things in the guns was acini racy

In. tho construction of some guns ’• b'o was wound round them and in a I2in calibre gun the length of this wire was about 130 miles, and in a loin calibre gun about 140 miles, while m some of the latest gnus the length >»f wire exceeded 190 miles. Guns were often found to become gradually longer after continual firing. Concerning breach-loading guns, the .speaker said that tho breech mechanism was the most important part ol the gun. The stress upon it in 12in guns often amounted to 2500 tons. Tho longer a gun was the quicker it would wear out. The life of a gun depended greatly upon the heat of the gunpowder.