The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-08-13

1t is a very effective weapon, and SO
simple in its mechanism that it can
hardly be put out OF order.
Some years ago an army board, after
most painstaking consideration of the
subject. adopted for the use of the
regular army the g-Jorgenson,
which / believe to be the best military
magazine rifle in existence. 1t is bet
ter than the Springfield, being capable
of more rapid fire and having a flatter
trajectory, so that what we call the
danger space" is increased. But like
all up-to-date magazine rifles, it is ex-
ceedingly complicated, and soldier
needs six months at least to learn how
to use it. 1t gets out of order as easily
as a watch and the utmost care is re-
guired to keep it in condition for use.
/ do not hesitate 20 assert that the
efficiency of our regiments would have
been reduced so per cent. by placing
such guns in the hands of the soldiers.
Even to-day the soldiers of the regular
army prefer the Springfield, caliber
As, to the Krag-Jorgenson.
Not long ago very intelligent man.
long familiar with affairs in Cuba, told
me that the Spanish government,
through some official jobbery, had fur
nished defective rifles to its troops in
Cuba, so that actually one-half of them
would not shoot. Now. the fact is
that the Spaihards in Cuba use the
Mauser rifle exclusively, and guns of
that pattern are made at only one fac
tory In the world, in Germany. That
factory never sends out rife that is
not first-rate, every part being sub
jected to severe test. But the rifles in
the hands of the soldiers in Cuba had
evidently got out of order. owing to
their complicated mechanism. so that a
large percentage of them were rem
dered unavailable for service. Hence. it
will be obvious why we have preferred
to arm our men with Springfelds.
We have been able to furnish our
troops promptly with all the field can
non required. AS for guns for coast
defense we have done pretty well,
thanks to prudent foresight. Eleven
years ago congress was told what was
required to be done for the defense
of the coast. A full statement was pre-
| pared as to the amount of money need
| ed, the time that would be consumed
in building and equipping the fortified
tions, etc. 1t was reckoned that the
entire work could be accomplished in
an ordinary and economical way in ten
| years. If the suggestions of the wal
| department on the subject had been
carried out, the whole business would
have been completed by this time. But
congress, instead of granting the
money asked for, would allow from
year to year only from one-fifth to one
third of what ought to have been given
Consequently, when this war came, we
were only about cne-quarter through
Ten years ago | took charge of this de
| partment, and succeeded in pedsuad
ing congress to let us go on with the
making of guns. This was most i'm
portant, because it takes year OIL
more to make big gun, whereas other
things may be improvised to some ex
tent. Accordingly, at the outbreak o:
this conflict we found ourselves with &
lot of first-rate guns on hand. We have
been hurrying the making of carriages
for the guns, and our strides have beer
so rapid that the coast defenses of the
country are at present in very fail
condition.
For some time previous to the declar
alton of war this department benz
every energy to the accumulation O.
small arms and cartridges, and of tn,
latter 20,O0O,000 were on hand at thu
opening of the sonfict. A great many
millions more have been made ant
bought since then, and manufacturer!
are now delivering 100000 per day. w,
have already sent to the field larg,
number of 5-inch siege guns and 7-incl
siege howitzers, with their carriage
and equipments complete. All of thi
siege material is of the latest pattern
Smokeless powder is now being uset
for all field and siege guns.
Statement by Brig. Gen. George NJ
SternberE, Surgeon General of tn,
Army.
At the opening of the war we had il
our depots medical and surgical sup
plies for $4,000 men. My orders hat
been to make no emergency purchase