Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-09-28

| are always exposed to view, and which
must depend for safety on the mac
| curacy of the enemy's fire, is suitable
only for guns mounted on high bluffs,
Tho entrance TO the harbor Of San
Francisco is very favorable to such a
defense. From the ~neighboring bluffs
an immense column of comparatively
inexpensive fire can be provided to
cover the approach to tho Golden Gate.
The advantage of such batteries Is
two-fold. What is called 50 plunGilg
fire. is thus obtained and the chances
of an effective hit are very great on
account of the exposure of the decks
of the ships. In this way guns Of COM
p%aratively small calibre are effective
against ships which would be invulner-
able to their direct fire.
Safe From a Fleets Attack.
The other advantage consists IN safe
ty from the fire of a feet. If at a good
fighting range a ship would have to fire
at such a high angle that the shot would
reach the battery while still rising, and
hence it would be likely either TO &C
entirely over the guns or strike below
them, where it would do no harm. To
drop a shot with much effect Il ship
AluSL hCtp dL BULL Il OISGstAISG lhb ~
shot shall reach the battery in the fall
ing part Of its fight, and at such a
distance the fire from aboard ship is
so inaccurate that barbette guns AN
well afford to take the chances of an
occasional hit.
1t is q very different matter when
the defense must be made from Il low
shore like Sandy Hook. Not only would
barbette guns be easily disabled, but
the rain of small projectiles from the
attacking feet would prevent the men
from properly serving the batteries.
The most promising method of pro-
tecting guns on such sites is by means
of disappearing carriages. On such car
riages the guns are exposed only when
ready TO fire, and after firing the re-
coil carries them behind the parapet,
where they may be loaded in safety.
The great advantage of su IN a system
is that the protection afforded to the
gun may generally be so arranged as
to present an unbroken line TO the
front, and with such IN indefinite tar
get q ship could not carry enough am
munition to do any appreciable damage
unless by q lucky chance shot. In such
a case but little provision need be made
to resist penetration, as the safety of
the battery lies in its being out OF
sight.
Out OF Sight, Out Of Danger.
Even where the gun must be mount
ed in a prominent fort or in a conspicu-
Gus part of any system Of defense. it
would generally be amply protected by
remaining under cover except when
firing. But in this case the parapet
must be made to resist penetration,
and such q system would be much
more expensive than the plan first men
toned, and for a given cost fewer guns
could be mounted.
Disappearing carriages have not yet
been extensively used, but recent expe-
riments show q very decided progress,
and it is probable that in a very short
time a number will be made and
mounted as a part of our permanent
defences. There is something very at
tractive in the idea of being able to fire
and fall back under cover, and the mill
tary world has for many years been
looking forward to the production of q
successful system of this kind. In fact
such a system Is a necessity IL we are
to progress beyond the present very tx
pensive methods of affording adequate
protection for u heavy guns
One of the most recent designs is that
invented by Capt. w. r. Gordon, of the
ordnance department., United States
army. This carriage presents some
which are not found in any
other. 1t Is the only carriage in which
the gun returns and recoils forward
after the limit Of its motion to the rear
has been reached. BY this means the
gun is brought well in under the para
pet in the loading position, and the pro-
lection can be made practically perfect
with very reasonable dimensions in the
moving parts Of the carriage. 1t is
claimed that nj other carriage has the
given by this peculiar mo-
ton, and hence it Is the only one which
can be used with safety for positions
requiring rs much cover as is now
given by gun lifts and turrets. 1
How IT Is Operated.
The accompanying illustrations show
principal parts OF the carriage very
and the character Of the motion
Is very readily understood by rem.m-
berinS that the whole moving system