BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVAL GUNS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 41, 18 February 1916, Page 2

BRITISH AND GERMAN NAVAL GUNS.

The r.vative advantages of the British and German big guii designs have b"en dociiled conclusively, says the World's Work. The British wirewound principle of big-gun construction lias been a favourite theme of ridicule in Teutonic circles. The Krupp casting nrot-'iod was maintained as far superior, inasmuch as the weapons had longer life, and therewith greater powder pressures and muz.zlo velocities were possible. The advocates of Kruppism urged that the British guns could ony fire forty rounds with complete accuracy, whereas the Krupp guns wer? safe for 200 er mere. So much for theory and speculation. Xow for practice and experience. It is admift-1 that erosion is very severe in our wire-wound guns, but avo 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 100 rounds, after which limit deterioration does become manifest. On the .other hand, the Kriupp case gun, instead of holding out for 200 rounds, is scarcely dependable for 100 rounds. Rerifling the Krupp sun is an expensive, prolonged, and so mew-hat delicate operation, so that tTva 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 diligently.