BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVAL GUNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1509, 12 February 1916, Page 2

BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVAL GUNS.

The relative advantages of the British and German big-gun designs have been decided conclusively, says the World’s Work. The British wire-wound principle of big-gun construction has been a favourite theme of ridicule in Teutonic artillery circles. The Krupp casting method was maintained as far superior, inasmuch as the weapons had longer life, and therewith greater powder pressures and muzzle velocities were possible. The advocates of Kruppism urged that the British guns could only fire some 40 rounds with complete accuracy, whereas the Krupp guns were sale for 200 rounds or more. So much tor theory and speculation. Now for practice and experience. It is admitted that erosion is very severe in our wire-wound guns, but we have proved that the weapons can be rendered as good as new cheaply and quickly owing to our method of replacing the rifled section. Moreover, the guns are reliable for some 85 to xoo rounds, after which limit deterioration does become manifest. On the other hand, the Krupp cast gun, instead of holding out for 200 rounds, is scarcely dependable for xoo rounds. Re-rifling the Krupp gun is an expensive, prolonged and somewhat delicate operation, so that the period of inactivity is far in excess of the wire-wound arm. But it has remained for the stern experience of war to shatter the shibboleths of Kruppism upon which the German nation has been reared so diligenMy.