Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE ARMAMENT OF A BATTLESHIP. BY ALAN H. BURGOYNE. LIFTING A 12-INCH GUN ON TO A BATTLESHIP. THERE is but one reason for which a warship exists — to fight. The means of carrying on a contest with a hostile vessel are of three kinds —guns, the ram, and torpedoes. With the first only of these we propose to deal in this article. It is the writer’s wish to elucidate those numerous perplexing problems pre- sented by a casual visit to a warship. Many civilians are entirely in the dark as to the difference between main, secondary, and tertiary armaments. Others, again, cannot grasp readily the effect of increased length, increased muzzle velocity, etc., in guns of similar muzzle diameter. Let us therefore tabulate types of guns in their three main sections. 1. Main Armament.—Referring solely to battleships, the guns deemed worthy of in- clusion in main armaments range from the {Photo, S. Cribb.) 9-2-inch to the 16’25-inch gun. (The figures here quoted give the “ internal diameter ” or “ calibre ” of the barrel of the gun, the method of mea- Main „ _ Armament. surement generally accepted throughout the world.) Between these two sizes or types is a range of “ calibres,” differing in weight of weapon, weight of shell, power, and efficiency. These are the 16’25-inch, 13‘5-inch, 12-inch, 1 O-inch, and 9'2-inch. Foreign nations have a range very similar to this. The leading German guns of to-day are the 11-inch and 9’4-inch. The Americans have 13-inch and 14-inch guns. It is not intended here, however, to deal with foreign weapons, but to explain in simple form those commonly used in the British Navy. In armoured cruisers guns of lesser calibre (7‘5-inch and 8-inch) are reckoned as the “ main ” armament, though of secondary