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LONGER RANGE AT SEA Rumors that the German naval authorities are preparing a surprise for the British and allied lleets by installing longer range guns on warships possibly double the range of today are being heard from Amsterdam The purpose is said to be to make a sortie against Britains grand licet in its harbor at Scapa Flow in the north of Scotland Recalling how Con Spees superior range over ¬ whelmed Admiral Craddock in Chilean waters and how he was avenged by Admiral Sturdee in the same manner it may be thought that German ships armed with superguns might thereby bombard the British licet at a distance where they would he un ¬ able to reply effectively effectivelyHudson Hudson Maxim admits the feasibility of trans ¬ ferring the German sixtymile gun to shipboard but doubts the accuracy of its aim at sea If such an attempt were made no doubt the British and allied sea commanders will be ready to meet it Their superiority in numbers would offset any ini ¬ tial gain the German supergun might give It has been more than a mouth since the big gun shelled Paris probably because of the activity of allied air ¬ men A longrange attack on the Britisli naval headquarters would be sure to bring a swarm of aviators and submarines to the defense while the closing in of the multitudinous allied sea craft would soon dispose of the enemys advantage Pittsburgh Dispatch
