The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-27

cnlnory. IL VIII Uc III euS uoAn " no
val conflict, of course, and machinery
does the fighting on shipboard nova
days. Three years ago Mr. Maxim,
the famous gun maker and inventor,
said chat the men who understood ma
ehinery best would win in modern
sea fight, and incidentally he remark
ed that the Spaniards, if ever they
should be opposed to the Americans
on the ocean, would have no chance at
all, because Of their vast inferiority to
the Yankees in respect to the me-
ehanical instinct.
This statement was made yesterday
by a,naval officer Of the highest rank,
who then went on to speak Of the en-
tirely novel character Of the weapons
which are to be used on both sides in
the conflict with Spain. They are 90
new, he said, and as get untried in
warfare, that all the world will look
on in vonderment to see how they will
work and what damage they will do.
In point Of destructiycness they are as
far ahead Of the instruments of killing
employed twenty-five years ago as
the latter were superior to the pixies
and battle axes Of tie Middle Ages.
And this is one reason for believing
that the Hispano-American struggle
will be short one. a great number OF
lives and an enormous amount of prop
erty being wiped out in brief Pc
Rod.
Probably it may be said that the
rapid-6re guns is the most wonderful
achievement Of military science up to
date, so far as ordnance is concerned.
This type Of weapon is destined to
play very conspicuous part in the
coming war, being capable Of destroy
ing life and property at an enormously
greater rate than any instrument
hitherto invented. Adapted to great
variety Of calibres, so as to be able to
throw projectiles weighing from l
pound to 100 pounds, the contrivance
is specially adapted to the purposes of
naval warfare. It throws explosive
shells, which will pierce anything ex-
cept heavy armor, and these missiles
are discharged in a continuous stream,
6-pound delivering ten shells a min
ute with the utmost precision. The
largest kind Of rapid-fre gun, Of g.
inch calibre, throws six lOO-pound
shells minute, with range Of over
6 miles; the 3-inch gua throws &C.
pound projectile every 8 seconds, with
a range Of miles. When it is con-
sidered that 6rss-class battle ship
carries at least thirty rapid-6re guns
il yiA be realized what a storm Of
bursting missiles can be hurled upon
an adversary.
The rapid-6re guns carried by our
war ships will be their chief reliance
against the formidable Spanish torpedo
boats and torpedo boat destroyers.
Wholly unprotected as these danger
Gus little vessels are. not one Of them
could stand up against well-directed
volley from the quick-6riug rifles car
ried by battle ship or cruiser. For
weapons Of this type, as we'll as for
s machine guns, fixed ammunition is
employed. This means that projectile
and powder are made up together into
cartridge, like a revolver cartridge,
to facilitate loading. The elongated
conical shell, which forms the front
part of the cartridge, is of brass and
is SO constructed as to explode upon
impact. e., when it strikes tie ship
aimed at. The shock of striking
drives forward q small plunger, which
sets off nitro-gelatine cap. The
havoc made by rapid-6re guns was
sufficiently we'll illustrated in the war
between China and Japan, when the
ships of the opposing fleets, particu-
larly in the fight off the mouth of the
Yalu River, were literally cut to
pieces, the bursting projectiles killing
every exposed man and setting fire to
the vessels in a dozen places at once.
When it comes to rapidity Of fire,
however, the so-called rapid-firc guns
do not by any means approach the
machine guns. OF these latter there
are several kinds, but the improved
Gatling may be taken as representing
the type. 1t is bundle of rifle bar
rels, into which cartridges are fed
through hopper, the bullets being
discharged at the rate of 700 minute.
A war ship commonly carries three OF
four machine guns, but this type Of
weapon is not intended to be used on
shipboard save under exceptional cir
cumstances. 1t is designed rather fol