The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-14

plants for their production II Was sn-
possible. however. q produce the powders
last enough % meet The emergency. and IN
some CASES experience In 1Aeir use was
necessary for adapting them ~ all the rr-
qagsEStats oI the service. Ali the coupA-
11es. however, were ready n eflcs 10 take
up tae manufacture 0$ ca-tssn powders ard
as The requirements fer these were simpler
they coEid expand ,he.T plants for this
production more rapidly. an4 for j. tisf1e
this department. therefore devoted all sts
energies {o providing sWppiy % carbon
powders. Later and As fast rs possi>,e tae
manufacture was changed 70 szCoAeless
powders
II should 1se stated however. thas
si0okeless powder ofsis wAs manufactured
Ter Geia and siege artillery. The fact tfial
ihe Held ard siege artillery MAS - - enl-
played VAS NOT determined unill about 2ae
time that war WAS declared. ANA there was
no fund available fer pr9rurirg anln}GEl-
ton for these guns before that time. TIE
preparation u smokeless powder ammuni-
iion Tor these guns commenced n once,
nat Il was necessary e issHe Immediately
tbe ammunition On hand FOR the batteries
that were sent TO the front and. rs this
vas all charcoal ammunition, Ii accounts
Tor the .act thag only his black or char
coal powder ammunition was generally
used in actual service against the enemy"
Value OF the Siege Gan.
The furnishing OF siege and field guns
and ammunition FOR the war encountered
the same difficulties as in other branches
of the ordnance equipment. yet the bureau
furnished such guns for the Manila and
Porto Rican exp diCons4 The artillery was
not used at Santiago 10 any extent OF
siege guns twenty-five were taken for sea
coast dcfenses az the beginning OF ;he war.
Gen. Flas.er quotes the following from ;he
report o. Col. Borup, chief ordnance Officer
~ Santiago. as 10 the tlefensts ot Santi-
ago harbor;
Before the outbreak Of hostinties the
port defensgs OF Santiago consisted of four
ani.qua,ed forts OF Batteries OF which one.
- Catalina. was abandoned ana d second.
Punta Blanca. from its position. was use
.ess- OF the other two Moro ctsse con-
sututed the outer line and Estrail me in
ner oue. The armament, * the former con-
sisted of i've ancien. morfars and two
siege guns ard the latter Of TWO obsolete
east iron howl;zers. al II feeble power.
After war was declared. four batteries
were hastily impFov.se1. al Of weak pro-
file. Including i've forts and batteries. the
number Of guns may be thus stated: OBJ
soiete-Broaze muzzle-loadins. smooth-boFe
guns. 6-tnch. two. 4.57-inch. lw0.
muzzle-ioa ing converted rifles bronze
glns. six 3-inch, five: east iron howitzers.
eight. 5-inch. seven. MO3ern-Sjeel breech-
loading rifles s.5-inch. four; bronze breech-
loading hoWiIzers, 6-inCh. two. revolving
cannon. l-inch. four; rapii-fre. l-nch, one:
rapid-tire. 2-inch. one. Total, So. or q oh
sole;e and l. modern pieces OF the latter
four only are Of comparatively high power.
The exterior iiue consisted OF seventeen Jb-
solete and two modern pieces, the sorI;er
being furnished by he Spanish war depart
ment. the latter ny the navy department.
The bold fyont pu' up by the former seems
10 have been effective. The real strength.
however. lay IN the guns taken from The
Reina Mercedes. So that the battle was
practically fought by the navies or both
powers. After enc Of these guns was dis
abiei hy tie carriage beng rendered hors
du combat. The outer defense was really
confined "a a single piece
Considerable attention is devoted 10 the
progress Of work at the various arsenals.
ard the guns which are being made. Sep
teniber 80. iS9S. there were 4is sea coast
guns mounted. j Is estimated that on
June 81. 1899. there VII be 9l. and on the
same date in 1850, liza.