The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-03
aCCST Or War.
17DL RES UP GRAPHICAL
u Lr ILLUSTRATED,
1t Cost 500 Second or $4,000 an Hour
to Keep the Guns of Big Battle
ship Busy.

to Keep the Guns OF Big Battle
ship Busy.
Some idea of the enormous cost Ct
war at the present day may be had by
figuring on fictitious regular engage
ment between two big battleshIps like
the Oregon and the Palayo. Outside
the damage and the total loss of val
liable properly, the cost of ammunition
used runs up amazingly fast. 1t is al
most like burning money Fancy pay
ing 81 900 every time a shot is fired
from a rapid firing gun. There are a
good number of war ships in the Unit
ed States navy that have nearly a half
dozen guns that swallow 81 900 worth
OF ammunition at single gulp not to
speak of the numberless little fellows
that eat up from 5000 to 800 worth ev-
cry shot.
One broadsde from the battleship
Oregon, with every gun belchIng fire
and shell, would cost $4,000 simply for
the ammunition and for the moment.
Figure on the destruction of property
made from such a broadside and the
total runs up more rapidly.
A battle between these two giants
of the sea would quickly destroy at
least 100000 worth of property in
one hour, Each ship cost the same.
The destruction of either would mean
loss of 100000 1t is probable that
the other would be damaged half it's
value, or 81 ,S35 900. These two Incl
dents of naval battle would mean
total destruction of S., sos, GOO
In one hour each of the big guns
would be discharged about twenty
times. That is the average number.
Each time the sixteen big rifles of the
Oregon were discharged it W ould cost
the government $l2 900. In the course
of sixty minutes they would belch forth
$240 900 worth of shot and shell. Four
of her guns cost 5000 each every time
they are discharged, tour of them
$1,000 each, and eight of them 500
each,
Besides these she carries two Calling
guns. Their capacity is 1900 shots
minute. TO operate each gun $500
worth Of cartridges must be provided
every minute 1t is not probable that
they would be fired for more than ff- |
teen minutes, but even that brief time
would mean an expense of $4,000 for
each gun, or SO 1000 for both.
That would BRING the total expense
of an hours engagement mp to S249 900 |
or 81, 80 a minute, or little more than
500 second.
10 operate the Pelayo would cost a |
tride of $4,000 less than this total. |
She carries seventeen big gun. A SIN
gle discharge of all of them would cost
SlO,500. One of her guns cost $3.50
shot, twelve of them $500 each, two of |
them $500 each, two of them 5000 each
Besides these she carries four Calling
guns. To fire these fifteen minutes
would cost $4,000.
The total cost Of the engagement to |
the Pelayo would be S2l9,0O an aver
age OF 50, $50 a minute, or $50 a sec
0nd, with a few pennies to spare.
Therefore, supposing that one ship |
would be wholly wrecked and the other
badly disabled, the total cost of this |
one battle between the United States
government and Spain, counting $i68,-
QUO worth OF ammunition, would be |
dangerously near $6,000,000.
If the Oregon was destroyed the fight |
would cost us $780, 900. If she was
only disabledshe would escape with a
loss OF S2,0S4,000. The destruction of |
the Pelayo would mean a loss to Spain Of
S3,889,000. If she was only disabled
the expense to the Spaniards would be
~, O54 900. Philadelphia Record.