The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-06-14
OUR new YORK LETTER
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SMALL
ARMS PROVIDED FOR THE NAVY.
According to q Well Informed Expert, Both
Guns and Ammunition Are of Little
Value-Unaccountable Policy Of Certain

NEW YORK, June 14.-[Special. Little
by little the people of New York are be-
ginning better to understand that it re-
quires vast deal of preparation to prose-
cute war, preparation which cannot
properly be done in n few days or weeks,
preparation we are even now making in
confused haste and under great difficulties
in short, that we were not ready and are
not yet ready to carry on hostilities with
the vim and vigor which are desirable.
As to who is to blame for this unread.
ness there are, of course, many and widely
divergent views here as well us elsewhere.
which need not be rehearsed. At the same
time, it is interesting to note the constant
growth of the belief that, whatever may be
the shortcomings of the men now i'm pow
er, those who had authority before them
and in turn those before them for years
and years must bear their full share of the
blame, and that perhaps more than any
men or set of men the sentiment so prev
nlent among the people until lately that
we need never have another war Is at the
bottonrof it all. Little by little, too. it is
authorities of the navy have been at fault:
that, although every member of that
branch of the national forces seems now
to be doing first class and praiseworthy
work, part of the unreadincss is due Co
the stand taken some years ago by officers
now high in the service
Ineffective Naval Small Arms.
In substantiation of this am going to
transfer to cold type the talk of one of the
best informed men in the United States
regarding naval officers, man whose
words carry weight with every naval and
military authority in the world. / give
Ills report with his full permission.
though arr allowed to quote neither his
name nor the names of others whom he
mentioned - me.
'For so &c req IN, " said this man, "t,e
small arms for use in the navy arc made
OF different caliber from those i'm use bv
the army. AS to which of the calibers So
lected Is the better l do not care to give
an opinion. A bullet from either M, army
or navy rifle would surely kill any man
VINO should get In its way. But one obyi-
Gus mistake in the policy adopted was in
having different calibers, as this neces-
States the making of cartridges and bull
lets OF two sizes and the maintenance 90
duplicate manufacturing plants and rem
uers IL impossible to use naval ammuni-
ton by the army or army ammunition M
sea- The deplorablc fact that the ammu-
milton is not interchangeable has been re.
fcrred to more than once, however in
print and otherwise, and will not dwell
on 1t, especially as it Is not the worst of
shortcomings of which wish To sneak
when the present naval small arm was
adopted, the naval authorities made n stu-
pcndous blunder with reference To tbe
rifling of the pieces. It is virtually the
universal practice to so rifle small arms
that the bullet will turn only once. or NJ
most once and half, i'm TRAVELLING the
length of the barrel This rule is tho ro0
suit OF long practice and expensive exncri-
ments and Is undoubtedly sound. But tho
naval authorities ordered their rifles 90
constructed that the bullet would turn NO
barrel. 'ho
Unavailing Protests.
III you were well posted in the sc,enco
OF gun building, this statement would
astound you as the fact did astound evor,,
practical gun man who heard about q;
This being the case, you can readily mn ~,
uerstand why many protests aga,nst
adopting the plan were promnt,v Iodan,s
with the government.