Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 01.djvu/356

ABTILLERY 284 ARTILLERY pointed each time it is fired, it needs only to be sighted at its target at the begin- ning of the action and can repeat the shot indefinitely. The French 155-nim. howitzer was worthy to rank with the 75-mm. It was perhaps the finest specimen of French gunmaking. It weighed less than 4 tons, and thus could be transported quickly to any desired location. It threw a 95- pound shell more than 7 miles and could fire several times a minute. Its rapidity of action was made possible by a hydro- pneumatic recoil system that supports the barrel of the gun and utilizes the energy of the recoil by the compression of air. In less than thirteen seconds the mechanism throws the gun into position again. The shell and the powder charge are loaded separately. The gun has an extremely light carriage to favor its mo- bility. The muzzle velocity is 2,400 feet a second. Another formidable weapon was the French 240-mm. howitzer. Its range was 10 miles, and over that distance it hurled a 356-pound shell with a bursting charge of 50 pounds of high explosive. Although about the size of the British 9.2-inch howitzer, it was far more power- ful than the latter, whose range was 6 miles and whose projectile weighed from 200 to 290 pounds. The American 4.7-inch field gun also proved an admirable weapon. It carried a 60-pound projectile 4^ miles and with a 45-pound projectile an additional mile's range is secured. The American 6-inch gun carried to a distance of over 10 of 12, 14, and 16 inch size. The mount- ing of these on railway carriages gave them the rigidity necessary on account of their size and weight, and also secured great mobility, as they were able to be transported along railway tracks to any part of the battle zone. The guns were so mounted that they could be swung in any direction, elevated or depressed, by the working of their mechanisms. The need for heavy guns for our mili- tary operations abroad caused the Navy to lend some of its huge naval guns to the War Department. They were trans- ported to France in 1918, and arrived in time to do important work in the Meuse- Argonne offensive. They were able to throw a projectile of more than half a ton to a distance of over 16 miles. Their bombardment cut the line of the M^- zieres-Longuyon-Sedan railway that was the main artery of supplies for the Ger- man armies in France, and hastened the signing of the armistice. The anti-aircraft gun was a new ar- tillery feature developed by the war. Its characteristics are small caliber and long bore, so that high initial velocity may be attained. They are capable of being elevated to an angle of 70 degrees and in some cases of 75. There are three lead- ing types, designed respectively for field work, for mounting on automobiles, and for use on ships. This latter has a cen- tral pivot base that enables it to be turned rapidly in all directions. A range- finder is employed to ascertain the dis- tance of the target and a sighting tele- scope is used for taking aim. eUN IN FIRINO POSITION AMMUNITION CAR A 14" RAILWAY GUN, WHICH CAN HURL A 1,200-LB. PROJECTILE 18 MILES miles, while the 5-inch had a maximum range of 9 miles. They were very suc- cessful in destroying the 77-mm. guns of the enemy. The great railway-mounted mortars were one of the most striking develop- ments of the war. The giant guns were Various kinds of charges are used. Shrapnel had its advantage because of its wide range of action, but in actual practice it has been found in firing at a balloon that the slight wounds in- flicted by the fragments are not serious enough to bring down the quarry.