The morning call., 1891-03-13
EDITORIAL NOTES.

Krupp's experiments with heavy h0witZer
mortars against targets representing the ar
mored steel deck Of modern protected cruiser
have furnished some remarkable results. Dur
ing the first experiments begun In 1879 he used
all eleven-inch mortar howitzer against three
inch steel target representing the thickest pro-
tecIlye deck then afoat. The target was struck
five times in ten rounds at a range oil between
four and five miles. 1t was then demonstrated
mat at a range OF six miles ali projecliles from
mortar howitzers could be placed in an area 800
feet long and 161 feet wide, an area about as
long and 4 little more than twice as wide as the
deck of a frsI-class baltle-shiD. AT range of
six miles an armor piercing steel she'll OF 562
pounds shattered the three-incn plate and was
itself not broken. At The last experiments
new and improved mortar was used, being l1.27
inches caliber aud 10 feet 10.7 inches long. IL
was rifled and mounted on a circular carriage.
Tie proiectiles were aImOr-plerclng shells OF
5l2 and Gel pounds, the charge varying from
40 to 81 pounds. The armOr-deck target was
so by g feet, composed OF four steel plates nv
eted together, the total thickness being 312
inches. OF the 26 shots fired 20 OF them struck
au area he size of the deck OF a modern battle
ship. The shells that struck the target pierced
and were deeply buried in The earth. The
moitars to be used by our Government for bar-
Dor defenses VIII be OF a little larger caliber
twelve inches, throwing shell weighing 610
pounds Such a shell would carry about 10
POUNDS oil explosives anu HUulu uc hlicu WIN "a
delaying fuse, causing the Drojectile TO explode
after penetrating protective deck aud reaching
the Vitals of hostile ship.
Professor Goodwin Smith, one OF the leaders in
the Canadian Liberal contest for unrestricted
reciprocity with this country, In The bitterness OF
defeat expressed his pent-up feelings in pro-
claiming that The real appeal OF Sir John Mac
donald and Sir Charles Upper throughout was
The old flag and aDti-Ameriean feeling. Sir John
Macdonald charged you with being determined
to get hold of Canada by force and fraud, and
you could not strise England herself to strike
her through her child. His addresses and those
OF bis leutenants amounted to nothing less than
political war against the people OF the United
States. Or course the followers ouiraD their
leader in their protests that the eagle should
never flap his dirty wings over Canada. Charges
OF treason we're sh0wered about, and, to give
them color, Sir John Macdonald, Knight OF the
Grand Cross OF the Bath, issued proofs abb
straeted for him by treacherous printer from
n printing house, while Sir Charles Upper,
Baronet, ayailed himself OF stolen letters" He
also claims that reciprocity, the main issue. was
| crossed by other issues both general and local,
the most important being that OF equal rights.
The plans for the defense OF tie barbor, includ-
ing the location of a 10-inch gun above Fort
Point, an 9-inch gun on AIcatraz Island, eight
12-inch mortaTs on The bluff west OF the city and
three dynamite guns at various places, show that
beginning Is about to be made in the scheme
for the ratification OF San Francisco. The 10.
inch gun mounted on a disappearing carriage
VIII be capable OF sending shot through almost
two feet OF iron at the muZZle and will naturally
commend an exte nsye range. The moriars can
throw prOiecte weighing Clio pounds and
their effective range will be five miles. One shell
landed on war-shp's deck will be likely to go
through. The dynamite guns have shown up to
all in recent pxnarimanta a fe
hundred pounds of explosive eeatlne would be
about all hostile ship would care to encounter.
| or course the mounting OF these weapons will be
only a beginning In the fertilization plans, that
call for quite formidable array OF guns and
mOrtars.
Ex-Klng Milan the day after his abdIcalion
made secret agreement with The Servan Re-
gents whereby, IL Is claimed, he expected to see
tie complete legality OF his divorce established
by the church authorities and to have his APP
anage of 10000 francs month permanently
charged upon the national budget. The recent
change in The Servan Administration he regards
as hostile, not only 10 himself, but 10 the 0breno-
| witch dynasty The new Premier two years ago
| made visit 10 Russia, where be was received
! with marked distinction by the Gar and deco.
| rated with an imperial order In diamonds, but
] that lie does not desire to pose as a Russian
agent is shown by his proseeulion-of cousin OF
| Prince Karageorgeyitcn, member of the Scupts-
| china, WHO recently published an extraordinary
letter, declaring that Servla could not be gov
| erned by a boy King and demanding tho estab.
| llshment OF conventional Government of nine
| members In place OF monarchy.
While a cabegram announces that the Italian
| Premier has made overures 10 the Vatican with
| the view OF bringing about an entente ccrdiale,
| based on concessions To be made to the Catholics,
another intimates that Slgnor Crispi expects to