The San Francisco call., 1896-07-20
The SHELLS WILL FLY
Light Artillery Target Firing on
the Santa Cruz
Field.
First Infantry Testing the New Army
Rife al the Presidio
Range.


at the Presidio is not completed When
dummy proiectiles are received General
Graham will resume practice at the dyna-
mite battery. These projectiles should
correspond in weight and size to the reg
ular dynamite cartridges.
Practice with the twelve-inch rifles on
the bluff above Fort Point will take place
as soon as suitable powder can be pro-
vided. Lieutenant Lissak recently tested
a lot of powder from the Santa Cruz
works.
The June practice with the heavy guns
at Alcatraz and the Presidio and the ex-
perrin ents in firing shells from the mortar
battery were highly gratifying.
The two light batteries of the Fifth Ar
tillery, commanded respectively by Cap
tain Frank Thorp and Captain Charles
Morris, will practice at Santa Cruz this
week. Major Edward Field Second Ar
tillery, who was recently appointed in
spector of artillery, staff of Brigadier-
General Forsyth, will superintend the an
nual practice of the light batteries. He
went to Monterey few days ago in obedi-
ence to orders from department headquar-
ters- He was authorized to select the
Santa Cruz range if in his Judgment it
should be found superior to the range at
Monterey. Advices have been received
field superior advantages for long-range
practice, and also adaptabiIity for quick
maneuvering to tlre at short or intermedi-
ate distances.
Explosive shells are to be used in the
target practice. Proper care will be OBJ
served to keep spectators outside of the
zone of dispersion. Major Field is SYM
pathetic man, as we'll as gallant soldier,
and it would surely grieve him deeply if
the fragments of shell should knock
over summer girl at Santa Cruz. The
acceptable range at Santa Cruz is adjacent
to the ground occupied by the National
Guard In the summer encampment of 1898.
1t is near the scene of the memorable en-
gagement known as Tripe Hill.
The com panies of the First United States
Infantry at Angel Island and Benicia have
very nearly finished annual target prac-
tice with the new United States Army
rife. Captain John ]. o. Connell, Company
q, came over from Angel Island last Mon
day. Last Saturday Captain Charles G.
Starts Company G went to the range.
| There is quite a difference of opinion
among enlisted men as well as among
com missioned officers as to the shooting
qualities of the new rifle. Some of the
army veterans are not willing to admit
that the new gun is the equal of the old
| Springfield rifle. For accuracy in firing the
old-style rifle is highly praised.
The experiments with the new rife 1.-THE
hrdg-JOrg6nSenl, nAQ6 unuer the Qlrec-
ton of ex-Surgeo Gritfiths of the
Kansas National Guard at Fort Riley, are
attracting wide attention. The penetrat-
ing power of the jacketed bullet fired from
this rife is almost incredible. At ten
yards from the muZzle of the rifle the bull
let penetrated twenty-four inches of we'll
seasoned white oak. AT 200 yards it went
through forty-hVe poplar planks, each one
inch thick and one inch apart at 1000
yards 1t perforated horses body al the
shoulders, and at the same distance passed
through three human bodies. AT $500
yards it perforated four inches of deal
plank, and at two miles it retained sutfi-
cient velocity to penetrate the human
body.
There yet remains the important ques-
tion whether the bullet possesses the
stopping" power by which an army is
instantly disabled. What little expert
ence has been had with it would indicate
that as at present constructed the small
caliber jacketed bullet does not infiicl the
Temporary knockout" blow that follows
even the simp wound made by bullets Of
larger diameter. A remedy for this defect
is now engaging the attention OF ordnance
experts.
An officer of. the Fifth Artillery who
participated in several of the great battles
of the Civil War holds that the facility for
rapid firing which the new rife affords
will cause the soldiers in battle to fire a
prodigious quantity of ammunition. He
cites the fact that it was quite a task to
keep the engaged infantry supplied with
ammunition when the muzzle-loading
guns were used. Now when it is possible
for soldier to fire away in twenty min
utes as much ammunition as be could
conveniently use with the muzZle-loader
in two hours the waste will be surprising.
Leave of absence for one month has
been granted to Major A. E. Bates, chief
paymaster of the department Major
Bates left the City for the East last Satur-
day. He will visit his family on the
Massachusetts seashore.
Lieutenant Colonel William Sinclair,
Fifth Artillery, has gone to Yosemite
Valley on fourteen days leave of absence.
Leave of absence for fifteen days has
been granted to First Lieutenant Albert
G. Blunt, Fifth Artillery.
Among the assignments of this years
graduating class at West Point are several
TO regiments serving in this department.
Robert e. Callan, William ii. Tschap-
pat and George t. Patterson are assigned
as additional second lieutenants to the
Fifth Artillery, Presidio of San Francisco.
LIE Roy Eltinge and Paul Reisinger are
to be second lieutenants in the Fourth
Cavalry.
Robert NJ. Brookfsld is assigned to the
First Infantry.
Lieutenant Hugh Rodman of the United
States navy left Washington, d. O., July
z with the superintendent of the coast
survey on tour of inspection in Alaska
in connection with the international
boundary line between Alaska and British
America.
Furloughs have been granted to Thomas
Furman, Troop c. Fourth Cavalry; Arti-
ficer James Lennon, Battery @, Fifth Ar
tillery; William Fisher, Company B, First
Infantry; Peter Sperdy, Battery f, Fifth
Artillery; Robert Culhane, Battery l.
Fifth Artillery; Artificer Joseph r. Hem
nessee, Battery B, Fifth Artillery; John
]. Sweeney, Company D, First Infantry,
and Jasper Stanford, Company f, First
Infantry.