Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-07-06
ENGINES OF DESTRUCTION.


Ehe Fart Takcn by Americans In the De- i
slgaing OF War Materials
The world moves so fast and inn
provements follow one another In such |
rapid succession that the work OF /
original designers Is often lost amid
maze OF notifications. and the imitator
becomes famed above the artist II
we turn 10 modern war machinery We
shall find apt illustrations of this. and
In most OF the effective material In the
great European armaments beho.d the
cunning fsshloning Of the Yankee in
veutor. Admiral Porter has told ns
that the guns at Hampton Roads the
Monitor and Mcrrimac fight--re-
sounded through the world and an-
nounced to the British that their great
steam ieet the finest In the world at
that time--was obsolete. The great
Iron fleets OF to-day have been deyel-
oped from this Monitor germ. The
liquid compass, that makes ii possible
10 navigate iron and stee, ships, is the
invention OF MIR. Richie. of Broolsline.
Mass. The world talks OF the krupp
gun. yet how few are aware of the
tact that 1t was only through the in
vention of the American. Colonel
Bradwell. that Herr krupp was
enabled 10 make his guns effective?
General :. V. Benet. Chief OF Ord
nance, L. y A., speaking on this sub
iect. says:
All modern steel guns are of one or Two sys.
tema. either the krnpp bolt system or The in
ferrupted screw used In the Frcnch service.
Our guns are Of the latter system. which seems
10 offer the greatest advantages. I.the nlI good
ssodrra Inventions, IL ~ an American one. no.
Cor that matter. il the krupp or rather what
gave krupp's invocation the practical value.
The great trouble with the krupp gun was The
escape OF gBs at tho breeen IN was over
come by the aid OF the sBradweil plate" the
invention OF Colonel Bradwell. an American,
who sold krupp the invention. IL consists OF 4
thin steel plate, with elastic edges. that fits
tp tho hreech: aud the pressure OF the gas
wedges II tightly against the sides and pre-
vents the escape OF gas.
The machine gun, that terrible weap-
on now 80 important part OF the great
European arnMmcnts both on land and
sea. il primarily an invention of the
American, DIR. Gatling; the French
mitrailleuse Is modification Of 1t. 81
Il the NordenIelL In June. 1883. Nor.
denfelt brought suit against Gardner
inventor OF the Gardner machine gun.
for infringement Gardner showed
that the principles on which the
|. Nordenfelt gun was constructed
had long been developed Ii
the American Gatling machine
gun and Winchester rifle. indeed Ions
, before 1873. when Nordenfelt got hi
English patent II may fairly he sal,
that this principle has found its hlghes
development In the automatic gun o
/ the American. Hiram Maxim, a gun
which will Iire 900 shots minute; th,
recoil being utilized TO load and fir,
and 10 keep stream of water moving
) about the barrels for cooling. The
i disappearing gun mechanism Is ais.
. his invention. The screw propeller
. an invention that makes IL possible /,
4 sink the motive power OF a war ship
u within and without, out of range q
d flying shot, though first tried in Britisl
a waters. found no favor till Capital
) Ericsson came hither. The revolvei
II now In universal use, is. as every bod
Y knows. the invention OF Colonel Col
IS OF Connecticut We may add to th
}. list the dynamite gun, yet In the II
fancy OF its development. and tn
dynamite cruiser. intended 10 make II
for its shortcomings In point of rang,
of which an English authority recentl
/. said there was not, probably, shi
N afioat that would be safe before II
II The torpedo. now holding so impo
y tant place among war material. wa
e first made practicable and effectis
J. during our Inst war; its cousin. III
. automobile torpedo, OF comparative
o recent designing. Is also Americas
though there are several foreign form
a OF the ame.-Scientific American.