Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-27
w 0 R C E S T E R:
THURSDAY, AUGUST ga. 1868.
Our Artillery Practice at Charleston.


cradle discussion in regard to the possibility
of Smelling Charleston from the fort. The
conclusion was that it could not be done with
much effect, although the buildings near the
wharves might be reached Fort Sumter is
little more than three miles from Charleston.
Now Gen. Gilmore is Smelling the city from
batteries at distance of five miles from
it. The rebels attacked the fort from a
great number of batteries some of which
were placed within five eighths of mile from
it. They threw shells into the fort, and
burned the barracks, but did no material in
jury to the walls Now, one or two batteries
more distant than any of those used by the
rebels against Major Anderson, have reduced
Sumter to heap of ruins. When the war
began, ten-inch columbiads were deemed our
most powerful guns, and rifed cannon were
not in favor among our military and
naval men, most of whom believed
only in the regulation smooth bores.
A great change has taken place since that
time, both in the management and power of
our cannon, and in the feeling of our officers
L
1t seems to the English and French an unex-
pected and noteworthy fact that our war ma
chinory has constantly and rapidly become
more and more powerful.
Since the beginning of our great conflict
with the southern rebellion we have given Eu-
rope several important lessons in the art OF
war. And these lessons have been carefully
studied. The performance of the Monitor, in
Hampton Roads, made England doubtful of
the value of her system of coast defence, as
well as of her method of constructing iron
clads. The effect was quite as great in
France, although more secrecy was observed
in regard to what the French governments
thought of the matter.
We have now furnished another matter for
study in France and England. The history
of military operations in Europe shows moth
ing to equal or even approach the tremen.
dous artillery practice by which fort Sumter
has been destroyed. They have no artillery
on that side of the Atlantic capable of such
work. The British 'Army and Navy Ga
zette" has already acknowledged that our
the best smooth bore cannon in use. That
journal also describes our Parrott guns, and
after intimating that they are probably the
best rihed cannon in use, calls ca; nestly |
upon the British government to investigate
the matter and Immediately adopt whatever
Improvements seem desirable.
The destruction of fort Sumter, by PARROT
guns operating at a distance of two miles,
will give our British .and French friends a |
lively sensation of establishment, and lead
them to further and more careful study of |
American artillery. 1t is not likely that
either of those nations would now be willing
to trust their most formidable iron-clals,-
their Warriors and Gloires-within range of |
an American battery armed with our
heavy Parrot guns. A 200-pound Par
rott shot would make either of those
great iron cads incapable of re- cross
ing tI-~- Inc English have talked
much of their Armstrong and Whitworth
guns; but, of late, the Armstrong guns have
been good deal criticized, and there are sig
nifcant intimatiOnS that these very expensive
guns do not perform as well as was at first
expected. The Whitworths, so much praised
at first, are now known t 0 be inferior to the
PARROTS. Gen. Gilmore has on Morris island
two of the best Whtworths the English can
make. They were taken from a captured
blockade runner. He has tried them in one |
of his batteries; but their performance is so
poor that he has removed them and mounted
PARROT guns in their places.
And it is not surprising that there is in this
country more capacity to devise and con-
struct effective artillery, and other formida-
BILE engines of war, than in Europe We |
should rather be surprised if it were not so; |
for, nowhere else is there so much intelligence
and science among the mechanics generally
or so much activity and persistence in devils
ing and improving whatever engines and ma
chinery may be required for use Our good
friends across the water will hardly find time
to study and initiate our latest improvements
in artillery before we shall be ready to give
thema new surprise; and they are likely to find
moreover, that there is great deal in the old
orthodox war machinery of Europe that needs:
revision. 1t will be well if we meanwhile,
acquire more self respect and self reliance,
and correct the habit of paying too much
difference to European pretenses of superb
GRITTY.