The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-11

WEAPONS AND AMMUNiiiON.
The actual fighting has not yet dem
onstrated everything that the experts
would like to know Of the comparative
eficiency of the variety of guns and
ammunition In use, but II has been al
ready enough to threaten the claims OF
certain much doomed productions and
to command respect for others which
have been considered OF doubtful
eflciency.
From the knotty fist. backed by the
well knit muscle Of the Individual SOL
dier. to the siege gun and the enormous
turret pieces of the battleship. there
Is probably no weapon that has not
possible field of usefulness in active
warfare. The assault and the bayonet
charge have by no means been rem
dercd obsolete in tactics by the long
range rife. and the hand-to-hand fight
= yet possibility In a battle. The
experts have been wont to tell us that
with modern infantry rifles the battle of
the future-now, the present-would be
fought at distances OF at least a mile.
and the army that was first to have
more men bowled over than II could
afrord to lose would retire and leave
the field to the enemy located in the
aim distance. But as matter Of re-
B cord, the army defending Santiago was
driven into its inner defences with prac-
ficalIy no artillery-only sixteen short
range cannon in all-and It's works
we're carried by brilliant charges. it's
soldiers killed and driven back by en-
Gagcments wherein the white Of the
8 eye seems to have been the signal for
& effective work. And before that. when
the Rough Riders were ambushed. the
& 6panlards declared that the Yankees
tried to catch them with their hands!
The torpedo in the sea fight has been
1iscrcdited. The rapid fire guns are
too much for the much-vaunted tor
\ pedo boat. and I'm the battle of
& great guns on Santiago the Spanish
cruisers didn't get chance to use
their torpedoes. Torpedo tubes will
doubtless continue to be a feature in
warship construction and torpedoes a
part Of a warships armament. but
neither armament nor armor will be re-
duced on that account. Torpedo boats
and dcstroyers will still be built. but nc
nghting feet will accept them to the
exclusion OF single fighting ship.
The high powered long range maya.
sine rifle OF the. soldier Is another wea'
pon that has not yet been proved tc
possess all the advantages. In this wal
there have been many complaints be-
cause the volunteer soldiers have no.
Been supplied with this sort of a rifle
but Il is probable that the old Spring
\ 0eld il still most serviceable weapon
Il carries far more killing bullet. al
appears. and II It's bullets cannot b.
discharged 30 quickly or sent so far
there IL lacking evidence to prove tina
Il IL obsolete and places our soldiers a
serious disadvantage. The moder
magazine rifle is delicate weapon. tn
highest eniciency Of which can only b
secured by the soldier trained TO 1,
use. The novice IL quite likely to shoe
on his supply OF ammunition muc
faster than II can be served to hi'
when he IL equipped with one OF thes
rifles. and II is safe 10 say that n goo
many OF his shots won't count. and. O
the whole. IL likely 10 be placed at
ereater disadvantage when thus arme
than he would be II the old familiar an
easily handled Springfield was in n
hands.
Differences Of opinion as to the Xii
E ne eject 81 modern hsh-powcred rif
ocIlesr npp~sr 10 be settled by the ~
oults ef tsc sshtias already done. II