The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-10
PLANS ron WARFARE.
smokeiess Powder tn Bring About Revo
luton I'm Battles

smokeiess Powder to Bring About . Revo-
luton I'm Battles
Philadelphia Record.
kill; that is the new order OF American
warfare said an old army officer In this
city yesterday. Tho point is" he con-
tinued. that we shall more effectively OBJ
struct and impede the enemy when We
throw their own men wounded before them
than when we kill the men for them
to march heedlessly over and continue
their battle against Us. You see the
wounded inen must be- taken up and cared
for. Each Of them will, indeed. require
such careful attention with able bodied
attendants as TO prove constant drain
upon the resources OF the enemy. So. here
after. we are going TO use smaller bullet
and hre 1T With greater velocity-probaeiy
with smokeless powder-and thus wound
more frequently than we kill"
Continuing the same officer said:
General Schotield, in his annual report,
says that the troops of the United States
may now be supplied with arms equal to
the best in the world and recommends that
no time be lost in supplying not only the
regular troops with the ne w magazine rifle,
but deems II OF the utmost Importance that
the National Guard should have the
same arms and ammunition, as the
regular army. Major general How
ard expresses the same views and
urges an increase III the permanent
annual appropriation for armament of the
militia from 100000 to 100000. The
ordnance board lately convened at Spring
tield Mass. since the adoption of the Krag-
Jorgenson magazine rifle for our service.
has determined upon 30-calibre and go
grain bullet IN lieu Of the 45-caliber and 600
grain bullet. and has also fixed the charge
at IS to 40 grains Of q suitable smoke
less powder. which will Impart q ve-
locity of not less than 1900 feet per second
to the bullet 1t will be interesting TO
- SA.S L. Is k.-t
let-that IS, It's mass into the square of It's
veloclty-is greater than that of the 40
calibre 800 grain bullet with velocity of
not greater than 1.300 feet per second, and
this fact, coupled with the less area of cross
section of the S0-calibre bullet adds ma
terially to its range and greater fatness of
trajectory.
THE flatness of trajectory increases the
dangerous space and greatly increases tho
probabilities of hitting The smaller or
greater velocity. does not so surely Kill or
shock tho human system. but 1t wounds.
AT the Frankfort Arsenal every facil-
ity exists for testing the ballistics of
small arms. and of late chemical labora-
tory has been established for analyzing
and otherwise determining the best
smokeless powders to be employed in our
small arms. A corps o. four ordnance
officers are on duty. charged with the
manufacture of and experiments with the
small-arm cartridges. Three officers of the
line infantry and cavalry are also under
instruction for period OF one year, and
this detail. lately Inaugurated. is to be con-
tinued In the future.
The smokeless powders so far received
with favor at this arsenal are the Wettoren
and Troisdorf, the latter not as yet having
been fully tested.
The great powder factory at Cologne
may be said to be we'll in advance on this
smekeless powder question. They lately
furnished q lot of their smokeless powder
for use in twelve-inch rifle guns and test in
this country, but refuse to furnish more
without special restrictions providing
against analysis and experiment which
would reveal the addition or subtraction
OF some material which has greatly inn
proved the powder by lowering its tenn
peratlre of ignition. This alteration of
ingredients has been attended, unfortu-
nately, with 10 per cent. loss of velocity.
Almost all of the smokeless powders
range themselves under two distinct class
es-the nitro gly cerine and nitro-cellulose
(gun cotton) or the pure nltro-cellulose lgun
oott0n.l The former are most universally
employed for small-arm cartridges, and the
latter are confined entirely to cannon. The
frat class recommended themselves for
their good storage endurance, as well as
ballistic qualities.
Strange as it may seem. it is neyerthe-
less true. that while nitro gly cerine and
gun-cotton are dangerous compounds and
when datonated exceedingly powerful and
destructive. yet when conjoined in the
ratio of so per cent. each they con-
stitute the safe compound known as
smokeless powder and are safer even than
black powder and will not detonate.
'Ninety-hye per cent. of the nitro gly
ceTine with 5 per cent of gun cotton, how
compound being the well-known blasting
pelatine.u