Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-08-15
EUROPE.
The Whole Continent Arming for
- Four Years. @

From the London Globe.l 'lh H'n'H
1t is no secret now that the whole CON
tinent is arming and has been arming for
the last four years, day and night. The
whole of the Russian field artillery has
been re-armed with bronze rihed guns,
twelve-pounders ard twenty-four-pound-
ers. These weapons are now being fur
nished with wrought-iron carriages as fast
as they can be turned out of the work
shops We should be glad to know
whether we are making any wrought-iron
carriages. The special committee on
field artillery equipment for India re-
ported in favor of carriage OF this
kind long ago, and more recently another
special committee reported in the same
sense. What has been done2 Is the
royal carriage department in full work
turning out carriages as fast as possibleY I
Nothing of the kind We have made
about dozen for further trial-in other
words, we have put off the evil day a
little longer. Carriages must be paid
for, and Mr.. loves pockets have two
buttons on each flap. The Russians
have just introduced a number of siege
sixty-four FOUNDER bronze rihed guns on
wrought-iron carriages, aid others are
being manufactured day and night They
have, further, large number of rihed
siege mortars, with their carriages and
stores all ready. Where are our siege
mortars? They may be seen in the ar
senal by hundreds-useless old cast
iron. We have not single rifled
mortar in the service The Russians
have mounted eight-inch and nine-inch
rihed guns on all, their principal sea
coast defenses, and their nine-inch gun
is but little inferior to ours of the same
calibre. We should be glad to know
how many nine-inch guns are mounted
on our home defenses, in the forts for
instance in the Isle of Wight, at Hurst
Castle for the defense of the Thames?
The Russians have introduced prismatic
powder for use in all their heavy guns,
and the factory at Okla has been in full
work for the last three years turning
out this powder. Have we any such
powder2 Yes we have, Our 'pebble"
powder is better than the Russian prs-
matte it gives higher velocity with
less strain. We have an admirable sci
entifc committee working out the ques-
ton, and their investigations are looked
forward to with the greatest interest all
over the world. Some six months ago
they recommended the introduction of
this powder; but new powder costs
money, and, as we have said, Mr.. loves
pockets have two buttons each The
wolf, however, over the way may make
a little stir. We should follow Russian
example in this matter, forthwith give
an order to the Waltham factory for TO-
900 barrels, and another order to the
trade for 10000 more. We believe
Messrs. Curtis and Harvey have been
very successful with some experimental
pebble powder, and are quite prepared
to supply it in any quantity. Is there
any chance of our doing this really
sensible stroke of businessY Not bit
of it. The betting at the military clubs
yesterday afternoon was seven to four
against our being in a lit state for war,
four or FIVE on the French winning the
first battle, and two to one against the
present government keeping any of its
engagements. The Russians have
Thoroughly OIEdul1tu All tuttI iAatctlhi
of reserve, worked out the difficult ques-
ton of supply of breeeh-leading ammu-
milton in the field, and introduced an
efficient pack animal to accompany in
fantry regiments. We should be glad to
know how we stand on this question, |
The snider Is o good weapon, the MGr.
tini-Henry is better one, but neither is |
worth flash without cartridges. Sup
pose we we're to send an army of 10000 |
or IL, 900 men anywhere, how are we to
supply the infantry with ammunition in !,
the ield2 Is there any one system AT |
Aldershe.?' are there not, on the con-
trary, half dozen systems? The Rus
SLAMS are as yet undecided about their
Aitrailleurs They have number of
machine guns in their possession, but
the final pattern is not decided on. We
have no machine gun Of any pattern,
The fact is, put II IN any shape We like,
the plain truth must be admitted that We
are not prepared for IL, -.l