The record-union., 1896-12-13
WAR AND DYNAMITE.

The San Francisco Bulletin" recent
iy opened debate ON the question
whether a state OF war will justify an
assault upon a city Of the enemy by
dropping dynamite bombs from bal
looms. There are two sides to the ques-
ton for the people who are still ultra
sensible of human suffering and of the
horrors and cruelties of war. But it
requires a very fine line indeed to mark
q distinction between dropping dyna-
mite bomb upon city and firing one
into it from a. gun on the ground.
We confess to inability to see where
in there is any more cruelty in one than
in the other case. Our own Government
has encouraged the construction of
pneumatic guns for the very purpose of
throwing shells loaded with dynamite.
The Zalinsky dynamite gun has been
as much debated as any other modern
invention in arms, but at no time was
the objection raised that to throw mis-
siles by it was opposed to the rules Of
warfare as accepted by civilized peo-
pies.
In the war of the rebellion the cast
ing OF Greek fire upon a town or city
was condemned, and those who pro-
posed it were roundly cursed and out
lawed by sensible people. But wherein
lies the difference between q shell loaded
with dynamite and cast into a city and
fira + h
into city to destroy property and life?
One burns with flame that is practic-
ally inextinguishable and with an odor
that is death to all within its influence.
But the dynamite shell tears human be-
ings into pieces, and the effects Of its
explosion are terrific and awful.
When stones, spears and huge tim
bers were thrown by the catapult
into crowded towns, might not the an
cient friends of humanity have pro-
tested against the inhumanity Of the
suggestion, had someone proposed the
use of explosive shells instead, such as
are common in modern times? Maceo' 5
forces in the Cuban war ere now using
gun, said to be d wonderfully destruct-
i've agent. 1t went out to him from this
country, carried by fihbustering crew,
headed by Lieutenant Ramos. These
guns are thus described by him:
A word as to these guns, which have
caused SO much comment In appear
ance they are not such formidable en-
- II
are in effect, for they are only about
six feet in length, and each one weighs
two hundred and fifty pounds. The dy-
Mantle gun is formed OF three paral-
lei barrels. The right tube holds a
cartridge of smokeless powder; the left
tube confines compressed air. and the
center tube holds the iron projectile, in
which is the explosive gelatine-which
has three times the force Of ordinary
dynamite. When the cartridge lis ex-
ploded in the right barrel Of the gun 1t
sets free the compressed air in the left
barrel, which rushes suddenly into the
center barrel, and hurls the projectile
at the enemy. When this projectiIe
strikes. it explodes with tremendous
force, not only destroying human life,
but uprooting trees and tearing loose
agine the effect when It strikes in the
midst of a body OF troops
IL is said by Lieutenant Ramos that
this terrible engine of war when its
missiles strike in the midst OF a body of
men works indescribable destruction,
ripping up the earth, dernolishing
houses, and killing all within large
area. 1t is said that at the battle near
Montezuelo single shot from this gun
worked such havoc in the advancing
body of the Spanish army that the
troops never rallied, but fed In terror
In all directions without firing a shot
In the next battle the gun was fired
at a large body Of Spanish soldiers, ana
at each explosion for long distance
around the spot where the shot struck
the very earth was cleared, and on the
fringe of the space were only to be
found dead and dying men, and the