The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-09-15
AMERICAN GENIUS.
inventions inspired by the War
With Spain.

WIN 0f<~%f
The suddenness Of the war and th
!. rapidity with which its operations hav
: been carried on in foreign lands, has pre-
, Guided the completion Of complicate
> engines of destruction, but there bay
been needed many simple and practices
contriyances, such as devices suitable TO
use in landing troops, ammunition ant
war supplies. and for carrying on campaign
work in marsby country and tropical lati
, tudes. 1t is interesting to note the inge'
nuity that has been displayed by American
! inventors in their efforts 10 meet the dc
mands thus made upon them. Many o.
the necessary inventions in this line have
been suggested by army and navy officers
and many Of the devices which have been
brought into use In the Cuban campaign
have been manufactured and shipped from
washington, notwithstanding the fact
that Washington is not generally consider
ed a manufacturing center Among the
devices worthy of mention are Portable
Hospitals, Portable Breastworks, and per-
haps the most important are what are
technically known as "Seige Gun Tanks"
and "Pontoon Couplings" These Gun
Tanks, which we're used extensively by
Gen. Shafter in landing his heavy siege
guns upon the Cuban coast, consist of
large hollow cylindrical steel tanks, each
Is feet in length, and 3 feet in diameter.
They are constructed in two parts, being
divided longitudinally. The tanks are
intended for use solely in landing heavy
cannon from transports anchored con-
siderable distance from shore. In use,
the gun to be transported is placed within
the lower portion of the tank, the upper
half of the cylinder is then put into posi-
ton and bolted fast, the joint between
the sections being Dramatically sealed in
order to effectually prevent the ingress of
water, and the device is thus made COM
pletely water-tight. II is OF course neces
sary that the gun should lie secured in
the tank so as to prevent it from being
thrown from side TO side, which movement |
would result in injury either to the gun or |
the cylinder containing it. The cylinder
containing the gun is thrown overheard
from the ship and the air confined within
the space surrounding the gun is sufficient
to insure the buoyancy of the cylinder,
while thus floating upon the surface of the
water is readily towed to the shore by
either a steam launch, surf-boat, or
should the conditions be such as to render
the use CT boat impossible, line from
The shore is employed in pulling the
cylinder to the beach. Upon reaching
he shore, the cylinder is rolled to some
suitable place upon the beach, where, after
he tank has been opened the gun is placed
~ means of derricks upon the carriages
which are brought ashore in either potoons
'r lighters. Practical use of these seige
.un tanks has demonstrated the fact that
he breech mechanism of the finely con-
tructed steel seige guns, the delicacy of
Ihch requires the most careful of ham
ling,is fully protected,an absolutely safe
rom injury or damage resulting from
ruisng or from contact with salt water.
Six of these gun tanks were sent TO
antiago, where they proved perfect
lccess. Guns having maximum weight
three tons were easily transported to
ne shore by their use. Six additional ,
lnks were sent to Porto
leo and used by the landing parties
pom that island.
The "Pontoon Coupling" consist of
gantic hinges constructed of finely rolled
eel. These hinges are about Is feet in
myth and have sweep of about . = feet. D
he pontoons used for landing purposes
e constructed somewhat like the COM
on barge or lighters, which are used in
lr river harbors. On the edge of the
'ck of one of these lighters the hinge is
curely fixed in such manner that the !
erhangng half Of the hinge when not in
e may be folded back out of the way.
a the second pontoon are a number of N
eel plates with holes in the center. Fl
hen it IS desired to couple the two ex
ntoons together the unfastened edge of =
hinge is swung over and bolted by
upling pins to the adjacent barge. The
nge has double swing, and in this
inner the motion given the puntoon by
waves is minimum. long series of
MOONS thus coupled are permitted to
ing up and down together, the coupling {
lding them firmly and thus the pitching il
out, as would be the case of single II
gle pontoon or boat upon the sea, is II
Iirely avoided, and comparatively II
ady bridge or platform is provided. -
hundred of these pontoon couplings !
re sent to Santiago, and large number /
rto Rico.