The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-11-09
MODERN wAH wsApons.

Marvellous Possibilities OF the 1nsentiDns
Made BY Sdentenant Graydon.
There appears TO be every indications
that within the next FIVE years enor-
NOUS strides viii be made by the United
States towards securing adequate pro-
lection against foreign invasion. This
protection win not be accomplished,
In all probability. by the old obsolete
aystem 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
ful In their destructive capacIty as 80
convlnce the would-be invader that bis
armada may be blown out OF the water
and totally annihiiated before he can
6re his first gun, no matter how
thiciKly plated with armour bis vessel
may be. A great deal has been heard
within the past few months of the
Zalinsld dynamite gun. and the army
appropriation bin carries nm item Of
100000 TO be used In supplying the
military service Of the United States
with this gun. II Is also understood
that the naval bill will have similar
amount for like weapons for the navy.
But there is another method for firing
dynamite which win also be adopted.
in oil probability. and which. owing TO,
its simplicity. promises greater results
than the Zaiinsld gun. During the
Tonquin war the Chinese Government
employed an officer OF the United States
rax-x~ f4at,.afx Tse.sfa.,a~.f n .-1s... -.
block the Canton river In order that
the progress OF the French fleet might
be checked. Lieutenant Graydon could
not secure an extended leave OF abb
senee 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. 600 by the yiceroy Of Ton
quin to blockade in similar manner
the Min river. but the yiceroy Of Cam
ton. fearing a visit OF the French feet.
declined 70 allow him to leave and the
offer had TO be declined. and the result
was that Foo Chow was captured by
the French.
Lieutenant Grnydon has devised a
systs1n for firing dynamite from or6f-
nary cannon. which system has been
tested of Sandy Hook with remarkable
results. There was presented to the Mil
itary COMMITTEES Of the House copies Of
letters from several OF the foremost
military and naval officers of the coun-
try, Ia which they spoke in terms OF
the highest praise of the Grsydon
method Of exploding dynamite. Ad-
miral Jouett expresses the firm convic-
tion that the use Of dynamite. with its
wonderful power to annihilate, viii
prove to be the most effective means
of checking warefnre. AS soon as the
nations OF the earth ascertain that the
declaration of war means absolute de-
struction for their fleets and their sol
diers, arbitration viii be resorted to.
instead OF appealing 10 gunpowder and
the saber. A large sum has been ap-
propriatsd for testing this new weapon,
and an experiment will probably be
made under the direction of the off,
GERS OF the army and navy some time
this summer. as to its effectiveness
against one of the old monitors. Those
who have seen Lieutenant Graydon' )
work in the past arc satisfied that with
fifteen-inch rifle cannon, at q dis
tarce of four miles, he could blow from
the face of the sea the most powerful
armored vessel of any navy In the
world Washington Letter.