The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-12
EXPLOSIVE BULLET BARRED.
Alleged Humane Provision in War
Is Unreasonable.
From the washington Post.


From the Washington Post
''Foulw cried the defeated one. 1t was
ever thus. Not having any other excuses
ready for being erushingly defeated, the
Spaniards whine about unfair fighting.
They bombarded US with petro-
leum bombs" said the Spanish
dispatches from Manila to Ma
drid. What petroleum bombs are the
dispatches do not explain, but the beaten
Dons seek to convey the impression that
foul fighting beat them. As a matter of
fact, all the world knows that they We're
beaten fairly and squarely, but even II
new ana terrible munitions of war had
been introduced by the Americans, the
Dons would have to bear in mind that
'alrs fair in love and war" and the van
quished ones do not arouse any sentiment
but contempt, by squealing after the blow.
However, there are no such things as pc
troleum bombs used by the navy
All war is barbarous, but the civilized
nations have not yet round any other way
of settling their differences. The Powers
of Europe, in their keen rivalry, agree not
to use explosive bullets; they are interdict-
ed. With the adoption of the British gov
eminent of the dum-dum bullet an interest
ing question has arisen whether the new
bullet is an explosive bullet.
In the House of Commons recently the
Secretary of State for India was quite in
dignant because the dum-dum bullet was
referred to as an explosive bullet Strictly
speaking this bullet may not come under
the ban of international law and the Gus
toms Of war, but the line of demarcation
is more academic than real If the dunn
dunn bullet as permissible, why should we
raise our hands in holy horror at the sug-
gestion of an explosive bullet or a petro-
leum bomb?
An explosive bullet explodes. A dum-dum
bullet consists of solid lead incased in a
cup of nickel. The difference between It
and the Lee-Metford bullet is that that
bullet Is incased all over with the nickel
while the dum-dum bullet has the lead I'M
covered at the point. 1t Is common knowl-
edge that the Lee-Metford weapon often
punctures men without disabling them; at
any rate, at the time The bullet has been
found to pass through an enemy and leave
him to all intents and purposes little the
worse, unless vital part has been hit
The dum-dum bullet on the other hand
lead tip mushrooms" making a nasty,
Jagged wound, which is far more effective
than the mere 'daylighPs hole occasioned
by a Lee-Metford bullet In extenuation OF
the injury done by this new dum-dum bull
let-named, by the way, after the town In
India where 1t was first made by Capt.
BERTHE Clay-it Is claimed that it is not so
barbarous as the bullet that was used with
the old Snider rifle, which was hollow, and
there spread and made a CHASTITY wound
only trained casuist could see the diff
ference between an explosive bullet and
TINS new dum-dum bullet which the Brit
ish troops belch forth from their rifles.
while yet great distance from the enemy.
An explosive bullet would carry as far,
and would almost certainly kill on strik-
ing body
The dum-dum bullet strikes an enemy.
mushrooms out" in his body. and infiicts
a horrible wound, which probably means
lingering death instead Of a quick dis
patch. The distinction between these two
bullets appears small matter. Yet the re-
iinement which veneers civilized nations
sanctions the dum-dum bullet while il re-
fuses to permit the use of its explosive RI
val.
But after all, is not this discussion of
the relative killing merits of these bullets
uncalled for, and is there any justification
for the armed nations of Europe objectIng
~ N-~~ Il
Ject of war is to kin and the more eff
fectual the means the more pleased are
those who have the direction of operations.
Inventive genius has provided the navy
with the torpedo and with submerged
mines. Such an explosion as wrecked the
Maine may in time of war be caused by a
torpedo or by a submerged mine. BY the
use of these agencies hundreds of officers
and men and vessel worth, IL may be as
much as 100000 would in the twinkIlng
OF an eye be sent to the bottom of the sea
This method of warfare has received the
sanction Of all the nations of the world: 1t
has been reduced to a more or less exact
science.
1t IS difficult to see where the difference
Hes between killing a single man with an
explosive bullet and Strengthening a whole
ships company by submerged mines As a
matter of fact, in the consideration of
methods Of warfare, there Is no room for
sentiment. Any soldier who uses a bayonet
merely to pierce an antagonist, and does
not drive home his advantage by twisting
and twirling the weapon, would probably
not live to tell the tale of his humanity. IL
is when we carefully examine the methods
of warfare that logic totters, and we find
it impossible to draw the line between one
method and another-to label one as hu-
name ana the other as not in keeping with
the traditions of civilized nations
At present war is a necessity, and we
may as well make up our minds to dis
miss once and forever any attempt to make
II appear humane. It has been, 1t is now.
and will be for all time barbarous