The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-27
CAVALRY ron RIOTERS.
Blank Cartridges and BayOnct
Charges Opera BOufTe Affairs.

Blank Cartridges and BayOnct
Charges Opera 3Oufe Affairs.
From New York Commercial Advertiser
As the spirit of lawless riot increases in
the country so should measures for its
stern suppression be provided. Where in
fantry troops are employed to quen mobs.
or to disperse them. a different weapon
from the modern rifle has become neces-
sary. The military rifle Of to-day is in
tended to fight an enemy a mile or more
away, and carries one small rotary bullet
of great death dealing power AT close
quarters with rioters in city streets It's
fire is more deadly than the occasion would
ever demand. Such fatality is not requir-
ed to effect the object and, moreover. II
fired over the heads of the mob. by
accident or design, such a weapon would
endanger the lives of persons at distance
who We're taking no part in the riot.
A riot gun" therefore, should be sub
stituted for this rife-a smooth bore, cap
able of throwing shot of various dmen-
sions at short range. The scattering fire
from such a gun would do more to dis
perse a crowd with a minimum fatality
which is the object to be attained always
than from any other firearm. Blank cart
are regarded by city mobs as opera buffe
affairs. not meant to do much harm to
anybody. The mob leaders-generally vi
ciouS magogues-understand this quite
WELL and hale on the crowd with yells
about armed poltroons not daring to fire
on the people" The remedy. therefore. is
the small shot cartridge, to be used un-
sparingly, after due warning, and when
the "butt charge has failed.
Blank cartridges went by, or should have
done so, when Napoleon ] put down the
Paris sections with canister, telling the
members of the vacillating government
that he would fire blank cartridges after,
and not before, the mob's attack. Lamar
tines narrative of that famous emeute
shows that no other course was possible
for the maintenance OF the government
The riot gun" for small canister cart
ridges should form part of the equip
ment of every regiment of foot troops in
the national guard. One battalion at least
should be armed with It, and instructed
in the drill for street conflict
Artillery is seldom employed against
MODS, as unnecessary, except where the
crowds have grown to very large proper
tons and are of unusually desperate char
acter. Such was the case during the draft
riots of 1868, in progress for several days
| in this city. The mob broke into a gun
factory on Second avenue armed them
selves with muskets ana pistols, and in
| the absence Of the militia in Pennsylvania
| defeated the police temporarily Having
| burned the colored orphan asylum at
Forty-fourth street and Fifth avenue, tho
| rioters proceeded to sack and loot the
| town in almost every quarter, checked
| only here and there by the reviVing po-
lice.
Finally the federal government, after
| the battle of Gettysburg. sent Gen. Candy
| here from Washington with detachment
| Of regular troops, including a battery OF
| light artillery. Candy brought up sec
| ton of two pieces of this artillery with
an infantry battalion as supports, and
running the guns up Fourth avenue. where
a big crowd of rioters had gathered for an
| attack on some negro tenement houses.
he soon stihed the Instruction. Seeing
| the cannon coming up in advance of the
column the mob made a rush to capture
them not believing they were loaded or
would be fired. They were met with a
| heavy discharge of canister, however,
which killed and disabled some 200 OF
more, and the riot was over everywhere
| in the city.
As a rule artillery is brought up more
| for Its moral effect than otherwise, as at
| Chicago in 1894, where a battery was on
| hand, but not used Officers who have had
| the largest experience in mob quelling de-
| clare that cavalry or mounted police are
| the most efficient for the purpose. The
mounted man Is up out of the way of the
rioters who cannot get at them to wrench
away his weapon-which has been done
with foot troops-while the dread of being
trampled by horses hoofs exercise a sal
utary influence.
1t is narrated Of a fierce London mob
| in the time OF the Duke Of Welinkton's
| ministry, that, having overpowered the
| police and resisted a bayonet charge of
soldiers by minglng in their ranks and
| getting hold of their muskets, II was FIN
| ally dispersed by a detachment of the
| Household cavalry. The rioters we're raw
| aging the city with fire and blood when a
charge of the Life Guards on powerful
horses scattered them like chaff OF
| course, several heads were split and some
of the mob were badly trampled, which
| brought a delegation from the political OPP
| position to Wellington with a remon-
STRANGE against employing cavalry to ride
down the people. The duke though sur
| prised, replied with some simplicity that
| 1T was presumed his majestys govern
/ ment was to be maintained"
| --e-o-s--
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