Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-08-22
BOWIE KNIVES.

fifteen inches in length, with blad
about two inches in width. 1t is said {,
owe its invention to an accident which
occurred TO Col. Bowie during battl,
with the Mexicons; he broke his swor,
some fifteen inches from the hilt, and af
terward used the weapon thus broken n
a knife in hand to hand fights This j,
is most formidable weapon, and is il
common use in the West and Southwest
SABRE BAYoNETs.
The sabre bayonet was Originally usct
by the French during the revolution q
1893, but was afterwards discarded. Il
has since been adopted by their Chasseurs
and is used also by the German Jager'
and by the Zouavcs. With us it i,
usually attached to the Mimic and Sharp,
rifles in lew Of the old clasp bayonet. Ii
size it is similar to the artillery sword
being about eighteen inches long, will
cross hilt; it is, however, curved at the
point like a sabre, but very slightly;
second curve few inches below gives il
a resemblance to a Malay creese. BY an
opening in the hlt it fit over the muzzlc
of the rifle, and by means Of spring at.
taches itself firmly to the barrel. When
not in use it is carried in a sheath by the
side In Algiers and in Nicaragua il
it was used for cutting away brush and
underwood to facilitate the passage OF
artillery, or for other like purposes.
We have thus referred to the principal
small arms in common use which posses
a history, or with whose construction the
policy may be supposed not to be famil-
lar; we will therefore proceed to note the
results Of the investigations we have
made into the subject of Ordinance.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORDINANCE.
Artillery-or, as it is usually termed
Ordinance-is, in mo ern warfare, divid-
ed into two classes; 1st Siege artillery
employed for attack and defence of forti-
fled places, ships of war, etc. 2nd Field
Artillery, used in battle, or in the field
operation of armies.
SIEGE ARTILLERY.
Siege artillery is composed of mortars,
large howitzeIs, Paixham guns, or Co
lumbiads, and all canon OF a large calibre
In our service this class of ordinance
comprises II, Is. "a, 80 and ~ Founders
and 8, 10 and 13 inch howitzers. All
these, except the similar mortars, arc
made of cast iron.
MoRTARs.
Martas are usually stationary, and arc
used for throwing iron shells filled with
powder, and ignited by fuse; burning
they produce great destruction. They are
effective at distances of from one to three
miles.
HowITZERs.
The howtizer is short, wide mouthed
piece of ordinance, calculated for throw
ing shells or balls, as may be desired, and
discharged by means of fuse. The cal
ibre is much greater than that of cannon
thiugh not great as mortars; it is very
effective siege and in resting cavalry, as
i can be used to throw canister or other
proiectilcs, and is easily transported
only the larger size come under the head
of the siege guns. The howtizer was
first introduced into the French service in
1924.
PAIXHAN GUNS.
Paixham guns were invented by Col.
Bomford, Of the United States army; but
being introduced into the French service
by General Paixhan, they received his
name although he had nothing to do
with their invention; however he after
wards improved upon them. They were
first used in the war of 1922 and attract
ed universal notice. These guns are of
an enormous size, having calibre of s,
10, and II inches. They are made with
great thickness at the breech to be able to
large charge of powder and
heavy ball. The largest of these guns
the 8 inch, loads with u pounds of pow
der, and carries hollow shot weighing
ll2 pounds its extreme rage 1850 yards
Captain DahlgIen, in his improvement of
heavy ordnance. has carried still farther
the principles involved in the Paixhan
of strengthening the breech.-I
His guns are now universally used on
board Of our ships Of war, and his theo-
.ics have been recognized in Europe as a
great improvement in artillery manufac-
ture.
CoLUMBIADs.
Perhaps the gun most commonly ma
med at the present time is the Columbiad
and yet the public is extremely ignorant
rs to its pcculiarities. The Columbad is
1f the class called sea coast cannon, and
in itself the qualities of the gun
lowitzer and mortar. In other words
t is long chambered piece of ordinance,
having the capacity to throw shot or shell
With heavy charges af powder, at high |
'ngles of elevation. 1t is, in fact the
'aixhan gun invented by Col. Bomford
md which we have already mentioned
n 1914 the model of the Columbiad was
hanged by lengthening the bore and in
reasing the weight of metal, to enable
t to endure an increased charge of pow
Ter, or one sixth the weight of the solid
hot. Thus altered, they were found de-
ective in strength and in 1858 were de-
graded to the rank of shell guns, with di-
charges Of powder, Their pla.
'es have been supplied by new model,
having no base ring or swell of the muz-
lie. The s inch carries 10 pound ball
md the 10 inch l6 pound ball.
CARRoNADEs.
Carronades derive their name from the