Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-27
THE ZALINSKI GUN.
An Interview With Famous Bel
giau Engineer.
VIEWS OF GENERAL BRlALMONT.
He Doesn't Think 1t Gould Hurt His
Fortifcations.
lT HAS TOO SHORT A RANGE.
Something About the Defenses of
the Meuse Valley.
HAS TOO SHORT A RANGE.
THEY ARE ALMOST IMPREGNAsLE E
The First Great War Which Occurs
in Europe Will BE Followed
BY a Cutting Down Of
Armaments,
Gene raj Brialmont's Views.
lCopmioht 1889 by James Gordon Bcnnct

BRUSSELS, Oct. 26.-[Ne York Herald
Cable-Specal to THE BEE. In spite of the
ceaseless work which weighs on his brain
and swallows up his time, General Brial-
mont, the far-famed military engineer and
writer, who has made and unmade fortifica-
tions, Just as Warwick made and unmade
kings, was at home to-day to a representa-
tive of the Herald, who was detailed to get
as exhaustive an opinion as possible regard
ing the new Zalinski gun.
HAS the new Zalinski gun made you feel
uneasy about your Notifications, generaln
inquired when found myself seated beside
a short, stout, thick-set, gray haired and
gray-mustached gentleman.
"Oh, is Zalenski the inventor9 l didn't
know. haven't been reading the papers at
all of late. Captain Zalenski was here in
the summer bnt we couldn't meet as had
buried myself in the country in order to work
in peace. was sorry then not to have seen
him, but am still sorrier because he could
bave given me about his gun lots of those
technical bits of information which can't be
| expected from reports of daily all round
newspapers. But never mind; let's see what
the Herald says.'
A slight smile gradually stole over his
genial face as General Brialmont pursued
40 speak the truth" he broke out at last
II can't at first sight see anything very
startling about this. Why. the Germans,
French, and we ourselves have been loading
our guns with explosives for long time
The Germans and ourselves use gun cotton,
and the French that much talked of meline
1t is natural that the Americans, who have
hitherto solely experimental upon dynamite
should be surprised at the result obtained
from It, 1t is a novelty for them; it is not
for us. We have reached that stage of dis
covery and gone beyond it long ago. You
see, the United States are good deal back
ward in military matters They are great
nation, greatly ahead of the
world in physical and many other
sciences. That they should be
a long way behind us in military mat
ters Is unavoidable. A nations genius
is shaped by its wants, and America does
not want such military efficiency as we do"
Looking over the newspaper cutting again,
which he read with the ease of we'll
trained English scholar, General Brialmont
admitted that the Vesuvius trial was very
satisfactory in its way and, If considered as
an immovable implement of warfare, the
Zalinsh air gun was some Improvement
upon it, and might be turned to good ac-
count. He spoke almost literally in the
words used by Commander Goodrich, as re-
ported by the Herald's representative at
Newport, although he did not as much as
suspect the commanders remarks.
1.-THE new gun might be of good service for
the defense of harbors and narrow passes,
and might even supersede the torpedo sys-
TEN, but would not answer for the defense
of the Scheldt. OF course, its high price
alsa
Europe, where things have reached such
plight that France eXpends 0,000,000 francs
per annum on her army The pounds, shill-
ings and pense question is not of the slight
est account, at least it it is not for the time
being. But mark me, that isn't going to
last very long. These bloated European ar
maments have been but an accidental chapter
in the worlds history. We can't bear the
STRAIN for many years more. 1t is be-
yond all human possibilities. The very
first conditions of peace will be laid down by
the victors as soon as the European armies
meet, and on whatever side victory may rest
there will be general and immense cutting
down OF the military strength, and we shall
have no more in our age of whole nations
turned into permanent camps"
Coming from such lips, such confession
has something very remarkable and solemn
about it, Let the readers of the Herald re-
member that General Bramont is as thick
and thin a partisan of warfare, a downright
believer in its social necessity, and of as
pronounced greatness in the military pro-
fession as 1 ord Wolsey himself.
Returning to the Zalnski gun, General
Brialmont said that thoroughly technical in
formation as to the working of the air res
ervoirs and other details might perhaps alter
his opinion or strengthen it in some measure
as to its efficiency for harbor defense. But
he added lone point which seems to me al
ready and completely settled Is that fortIf
cations have nothing to fear from the often
siye capacities of this new implement. In
the first place a mile and quarter range
won't do in the least. l do not believe in
the usefulness of the exaggerated ranges at
tanned by some Of Krupp's and Debange's
gigantic thunderers which are made to
throw shells at distance of eighteen kio-
meters, over twelve miles. The Ger
man and French military authori-
ties will, when the time comes, find
out that they have been nursing illusions
in hoping 10 aim usefuily from such dis
tauce and that it is merely wholesale
waste of powder aud shot. Three or four
miles is all that is practicable and that's
wanted, but the Zalinski mile and quarter
gun won't DO, and, even IL 1t did, don't see
how pneumatical gun could be moved
about and brought in front of fortress.
How are the reservoirs to be supplied IN the
feldi How are the engines generators, aud
all the kind Of necessary paraphernalia to be
carried about miles and miles aud comfort
ably installed in the midst of the battles of a
campaigna 1t passes my conception. But
even in admitting this enormous difficulty to
be overcome, dynamite gun would not af-
ford any cause Of anxiety to a fortified
town, yet just look at these" and handling
square piece OF concrete about
i've inches thick, the general went
on: "This is the material am using in the