The morning call., 1894-11-09

monsters are awaiting orders for shipment
al Benicia, and il will be months before
the full number required will be placed in
position. These great rifled cannon, some
of which are to be mounted on disappear
ing carriages, will command every point OF
the compass within radius of ten miles,
and from their commanding position no
nbject of the size of an average man. Of ar
could come within the range of these 10 u
inch guns without being annihilated.
The mortar battery is situated directly
behind the fertilization at distance of
500 yards. Unlike the fertilization which
stands on the highest point OF the bluff
and affords perfect view of the whole
surrounding country, the mortar battery i
loca ed on the decline of the bill and is
surrounded by elevations on every side,
so that IL Is at the Sa NE time Invisible to
an approaching foe. The commander OF
the mortar battery is unable to view the
object against which his shot may be
directed. The directions for working the
mOTtars are transmitted from an observer
at distance, and so accurately that even
under the disadvanl age of not seeing the
object FREQ at the mortars can be DETECTED
or raised at so accurate an angle that the
exact spot where the shell is required to
strike can be determined within a space of
hundred feet square.
The six Pinch mortars, whose arrival
was oticed a few days ago, arrived at
their ultimate destination yesterday
Though weighing fourteen and One-half
tons each, without their carriages. not the
slightest difficulty was experienced in land
ing them on the grounds. The roads at
the reservation were not affected in the
least and their discharge from the trucks
was effected very expeditiOusly and with
out accident.
The new mortar battery has been con-
structed on the latest lines of military en-
mir inn ngn
10 six acres and the ground plans are some
what the shape of the letter II. The bat
teries are numbered one, two, three and
four and each has four mortars which are
located in the arms of the letter.
The center of the battery is raised fully
thirty feet above the base. and within this
the magazines are placed. This elevation
is also honeye0mbed with underground
passages which communicate with each
other and the magazines and afford she tier
to the gunners, who, under this great pile
of earth, are as safe from falling shot or
bursting shells as if they were ct home.
The floor OF the battery is OF concrete
filed Ia from depth of eight feet. afford
Ing secure foundation for the heavy
mortars and able TO stand not only the
weight of the mortars, but the impact of
the shot without the slightest effect upon il,
Each of the four batteries will have four
mortarS placed within easy distance of
each other, SO that eventually there will
be sixteen mortsrs in all in the battery.
At present there are but four mounted
and ready for action. The six recently re-
ceived will be put in place immediately.
leaving six more TO arrive. These are ali
ready in New York and will be Skinned
just as soon as the special car which
brought them can be returned 10 that CITY.
when the remaining mortars will be al
once loaded and sent on to the Presidio.
The mounting OF the great mortars is an
easy process with the aid of the mechanical
appurtenaDces which are available. No
steam power will be used, and six or eight
men, with the powerful assistance of
14-ton jack, is all that is necessary The
mounting of these mortars Is of much less
difficulty on account of their having to be
lowered to their foundations, and not
raised. At present they lie on the TOD of
the pit, thirty feet above the base of the
battery. to which they will be easily
lowered and received on a cradle, from
which TO the gun-carriags is an easy ma tier.
These sixteen mOrtarS carry shot
Weighing 600 pounds and their range is
about six miles, which would mean an
effectiveness four miles out to sea, from
which they are separated by about two
miles. They are rified and breech-loaders
and constructed of the finest STEEL Each
one Is supposed to cost the Government
over $50. 600. The shot is brought from the
magazine on a truck and by means OF a
crane-like device is raised to the breech
and loaded. The carriages are of courss
circular, and by means of simple appli-
cation of gunnery can be turned to any
point of the horizon. Elevating and de-
pressing the mortar is accomplished by
the same means, and thus when the OBJ
server at distance orders the commander
of the battery to fire at an object spe-
officially located 1t can be done with almost
a dead certainty of striking the object
aimed at