The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-05-07
NAVAL AND COAST DEFENCE.
RUTH S. EWING.

History reveals the fact that all progress in
science is largely based upon the advancement
made in scientific implements Of war.
What caused the downfall Of COnstantinOple7
Was it not that the Turks made the first praeti-
cal use of a newly invented cannon? With
these they tore down the walls that separated
the east from the west and the man of the Ori-
lent freely exchanged with the man of the Set
ting sun his ideas Of art. literature and science
The invention of gun powder caused the de-
cline of feudal power. The mobiles could no
longer over run the common people when they
could as easily resort to shot and shell as could
their Oppressors. The invention proved great
leveler of society in England. Never afterwGrd
was the voice of the common people entirely
ignored in governmental affairs
The defeat of the Spanish Armada was I'M
doubtedly largely due to the fact that the Brit
ish feet was new and equipped with recent in
ventions while the Spanish vessels were old
and of an ancient model
The southern Merrimsc, an old vessel al
though repaired and covered with a thin ar
mour plating was defeated by the northern
Monitor, because the Monitor was of recent
model Indeed the United States was the first
to put into practical use the srmor plate. The
Monitor was covered by an iron plating about
six inches in thickness. Nothing of the like
had ever been seen before. The shells Of the
Merrimac were broken to pieces on the sides OF
the Monitor No wonder that such an inVen-
ton should revolutionize the navies OF the
world. All of thes: events mark distinct
epochs in the history of science.
Ruskin says that all art and science spring
| from war and in the discussion of the progress
of science, warfare holds prominent part
The vast improvement in the gun of to-day
over that of fifty years ago furnishes q fitting
illustration of the progress of science in the last
half century. The big gun Of efty years ago
was constructed of cast iron or bronze. Fine
grained gun powder was used in its discharge.
This caused great strain which often resulted
in the bursting of the gun. The gas of gum
powder expanded by heat probably occupies
six thousand times the space of the powder
itself This instantaneous expansion was more
than the gun could resist The metal nearest
the charge was greatly strained while that
fartherest away was scarcely affected. The
Prussians in order to avoid this defect bound
their guns with bands of steel, but even these
were not sufficient to ensure their safety.
The muzzle loading system was used entirely
requiring nearly twice the number of men 70
manipulate the gun that is needed to-day. The
gun was short. the projeetile small and the
inaccuraey great.
The large gun of to-day is built up of wrought
| iron tubes These tubes are put one over the
other while heated and when cooled they kre
elutehed firmly together by the shrinksge-
The inside liniag is made of strong steel Slow
bursting gun powder, perfected within the LAST
twenty years is used This gun powder -
made in very large grains, the outside Of which
gives off gas before the inside is Affected
This first gas on explosion starts the projeetile.
leaving greater space for the expansion of The
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