The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-09-22
MODERN WAR WEAPONS.

Marvellous Possibilities of the Inventions
Made by Lieutenant Graydon.
There appears to be every indication
that within the next five years enor-
nous strides will be made by the United
States towards securing adequate pro-
lection against foreign invasion. ms
protection will not be accomplished,
in all probability, by the old obsolete
system of Notifications which were
sufficient for other days and genera
tions in the early part OF the present
century. Instead Of them, the united
States will probably be armed with
weapons of defensive warfare SO power
full in their destructive capacity as TO
convince the would-be invader that his
armada may be blown out OF the water
and totally annihilated before he can
fire his first gun, no matter now
thickly plated with armour his vessel
may be. A great deal has been heard
within the past few months OF the
Zalinski dynamite gun, and the army
appropriation bill carries an item OF
100000 to be used in supplying the
military service of the United States
with this gun. 1t is also understood
that the naval bill will have similar
amount for like weapons for the navy.
But there is another method for hrlng
dynamite which will also be adopted,
in all probability, and which, owing to
its simplicity, promises greater results
than the Zalinski gun. During the
Tonquin war the Chinese Government
employed an officer of the United States
navy, namely, Lieutenant Graydon, to
block the Canton river in order that
the progress of the French feet might
be checked. Lieutenant Graydon could
not secure an extended leave OF abb
sence for the purpose of conducting
this work, and, in consequence, re-
signed his position in the United States
navy. He was so successful in his
work that he was offered something
like 5000, 900 by the Viceroy of Ton
quin to blockade in a similar manner
the Min river, but the Viceroy of Can
ton, fearing visit OF the French fleet
declined to allow him to leave and the
offer had to be declined, and the resul
was that Foo Chow was captured D!
the French.
Lieutenant Graydon has devised
system for firing dynamite from ordi
nary cannon. which system has beef
tested at Sandy Hook with remarkable
results. There was presented to the NIL
itary Committee of the House copies
letters from several of the foremos
military and naval officers OF the coun
try, in which they spoke in terms
the highest praise OF the Graydo
method of exploding dynamite. Ad
miral Jouett expresses the firm convle
ton that the use of dynamite, with it
wonderful power to annihilate, wi
prove to be the most effective mean
of checking warefare. As soon as tn
nations of the earth ascertain that tn
declaration of war means absolute d'
struction for their fleets and their so
diers, arbitration will be resorted Il
instead of appealing to gunpowder an
the saber. A large sum has been al
propriated for testing this new weapon
and an experiment viii probably
made under the direction OF the OF
GERS of the army and navy some tin
this summer, as to its effectivene
against one of the old monitors. Tho
who have seen Lieutenant Graydon
work in the past are satisfied that wi
a fifteen-inch rifle cannon, at dl
tsace of four miles, he could blow fro
the face of the sea the most poweri
armored vessel of any navy in t
world. Washington Letter.