The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-24
IRON DOGS OF WAR.
The Rapid Fire Gun a Novel Idea
Of the Present Admins.
.trati0n.

WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE first novel idea
fu naval construction aud armament devel-
oped by the new administration is the use of
rapid fire guns in the main batteries Of cruis-
ers. The last administration gave little 1T
tentton relatively to the armament Of naval
vessels. 1t took naval ordnance as it found
II, aud equipped its ships with big built up
guns OF the Krupp pattern. Mr.. Whitney
Judged rightly that the ships were more
important than the guns mounted ON them.
nud devoted all his energies to securing the
beat models and the highest possible dcvel-
onment of power. His success in this re.
Spect is roughly measured by the fact that
the Chorleston, just launched In San Fran
cisco, has double tho engine power Of the
Ronch ships Of the snme class. with pro-
Poretonate increase Ot speed The engineer
ing bureau won its laurels under Whitney
he ordnance service gained less distinction
1t begins to be admitted that mistake
was made In loading down the new ships Of
tho crutsesatype with such weight of
metal. Tho English government, from
which we have copied rather too much, dis
covered the same error in some of i,s iatest
A siX-inch-built up gun
weighs over four tons and every two inches
added to the bore moro than doubles the
weight These monsters are all very well
for armored battle ships, but they make a
light steel cruiser rather top heavy. some
significant changes huve been quietly
made in the armament of the newest ves-
ses. Some OF the fOiktown's siX. inch guns
are to bc replaced with tive-inch, aud the
Two ten-inch monsters designed for the
Chareston's battery are to give place to
eight-inch guns The most noteworthy ma
val new departure. however. is the deter
to arm the three .,OOO-ton cruisers
just designed with as heavy rand fire guns
as can be butt, and to dispense entirely with
the breech-loading r.fles
Tho rapid-tire gun is an Americas inyeu-
tion, though it is in use in all the navies Of
tue world for secondary batteries 1t is "a
patent concern, and has never been made by
the navy department., though it may be
taken mp, IL the experiments now con,em
plated arc successtul The original patents
should run out soon, as the guns have
beeh made for sumo fifteen yeurs
Until recently. however, tho guns
have only been made in small
calibers. Up to 1888, when tine work on our
new navy WAS begun. the largest rapid fire
was six FOUNDER of about two-inch bol
III.
within the last year or two one gun has been
built and successfully operated carrying
thirty y-thrcc-round shell of nearly four inches
caiiber This has range Of five miles,
eight inches of wrought iron at
100 yards, and can be accurately mined and
1rcu ten times minute. 1t promises to
fevoutionfzs naval gunncry by providing Il
light and effective arm for smn! cruisers.
There ia talk ao the navy department OF
six-inch rapid-tire guns on tho
new 1000 ton cruisers, but this arm ia yet
10 be designed, and there aro serious diff.
cultics IN lts construction.
lhe rapid-fire gun differs from tho Krupp
model mainly in it's dimensions aud in the
of its ammunition, which is fixed re-
an enormous copper shell revolver
cartridge The breech piece is detachable and
ls moved by haud lever. The entire arm is
moved, loaded and directed hy hand, vari-
Gus levers and automatic devices giving
speed aud facilty, three gunners being the
force necessary. Hence the limitation Of its
tize. The cartridge for the thrty-threc-
pound gun weighs fis.y-scven pounds
and sands nearly AZ high Us
a man. The makers think, IL
the guns were built much larger, both arm
and ammunition would be unmanagsnble,
except by the hydraulic-power devic, en-
ployed in the guns OF tn, Krupp model,
which would involve loss Of time 10 firing.
There is n challenge TO American ingenuity
in this difficulty. If 1t is onco successfully
overcome. the United states will have pre-
sented another new arm to the world. The
department. seems bent upon trying the ex-
pertinent. L. A. CARlE
Child rem Sec A Crime.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE little girls at-
:nding the thirt, grade In the Jefferson pub
lie school building in the southern section of
this city were standing in the aislcs of the
school room to. day about to be- dismissed.
when their teacher, Mrs. Sarah L, Allen, was
fatally shot in their presence by her worth
less husband, who then killed himself. Allen
had been supported by the earnings of his
wife us a school teacher until some time ago,
when she Il fl HIM on account Of his dissi-
pated habits and frequent abuse and vio-
lencc. He has annoyed and threatened her
several times since she refused to have any
thing more to do with him, and she had been
warned very recently to beware of him. To-
cay Allen hired u cab OH Pennsylvania ave-
nue, and after stonping at saloon told
the driver he wanted to 20 to the Jeffer.on
school buildings. Arriving thera he babe
the driver wait for him aud immediately
went to the room where his wife taught, and,
taking out his revolver in the cloak room,
towards his wifc's desk The chill
dren were the first to see him, and when they
showed how startled they were ut his ap-
pcarance, lie called on them not to make
any noise or he would shoot. Mrs. Aliens
attention had meanwhile been attracted and
she started to move, but her husband by this
time was upon her, and saying, "Now I've
got you where l want yom," then fired at
close range, the ball taking effect near the
right ear and passing through the head He
then turned the pistol on himself and i'll
ffi"tcd fatal wound. the bullet entering the
right temple and passing through the brain.
A TERRIBLE SCENE
Tho murdered wife and the suicide fell to-
gether on the school room floor, his urIn
about her neck and the revolver lying on har
cheek. 1hs Startled, terrOr-stri1ken crl-
dren almost created u panic, but s0me of the
more collected of them IAN for other teach
ers, who succeeded in restoring order. Police
and Physicians were summoned, who did
everything possible to make Mrs. Allea's last
free from pain. She fingered only
semi-conscous for some time and then
passtd away. Her h,Sbani expired Il few
minutes after the arrival of the police Mrs
Aliens maiden nam. was johnson. Her
father, Il W. Johnson, il an old and well
known resident OF this city. About thirteen
years ago, against the advic: of hcI family
and friends, she married her husband, O,-
wald Z. Alien, who came from CnuriOties-
vile, Va. He was known NJ worth
less, ind0ient fellow. with no trade or liveli-
hood. int the murdered woman seemed to
lie infatuated with him No children were
born to them. She WAS good teacher, and
was retained in the public schools no,with-
standing her marriage aud her husbands
and vicious habits. He has often
been sent to the workhouse for vagruncv,
and since he came into the possession Of
few hundred dollars short time ago has
been almost constantly in the hands vi the
police for drunkenness.
A ACsbinet WhIrl,
WAsHISGToS. Special Telegram, MAY IT.
Both the cabinet and the supreme court are
threatened with reconstruction. 1t has been
understood for some time that the president
would put his old law partner, Attorney
General Miller, urcn the supreme bench as
soon as he was ready to name anybody. Now
/. transu;res that Justice Miller liz abont tn