A newspaper story treated five inches as the physical length of a naval gun and questioned its procurement cost. Five inches denotes the gun's calibre, rather than its barrel length. Confusing those measurements made the weapon's price appear absurd.
Notable Point · 20:36-27:01
Why a five-inch gun is not five inches long
A media mistake about naval-gun terminology shows how confusing calibre with barrel length can distort defence-procurement reporting.