Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-06-03
the MODERN snaAPNeL.
How 10 Differs Radically From the Obse-
Iete Projectiies.

| How 10 differs Radically From sho ops~~
lete Projsctiies.
MANY suggestions have been made
to the war department at Washington
for the utilization OF the old smooth
bore twelye-pounder Napoleon guns
! that the army still has on hand as
relies of former wars. The depart
ment has been severely censured, in
deed, for not using these old guns FOE
firing shrapnel, and several papers
have gone SD far AZ to assert that
shrapnel cannot he used in the modern
ritled cannon. An official who Is
recognized authority on proiectiles
aud guns said that these suggestions
and criticisms are founded on ignor-
ance Of the nature Of the shrapusl
and the modern riHed gun, as used in
the armies Of all civilized nations.
The old twslve-pounder Napoleon,
said he, ia a smoothbore, obsolete
gun, which was considered antiquated
even in our late war. II bears about
the same relation to the field gun OF
the present day that the old scythe
| does to the modern moving machine
The shrapnel used in the old field gun,
| he said, was known In the service ~
spherical case shot" IL consisted
| OF a spherical shell filed with bullets,
but these bullets are now assent led
in circular layers, and are held In
place by separators, which are short
cast.iron cylinders, with hemisphere
cal cavities, into which the bullets ht.
These separstors are weakened by
radical cuts, and increase the effectof
the shrapnel by furnishing additional
fragments Of effective weight. Tho
total number OF bullets and different
pieces in the modern shrapnel is 2Ol.
As to the range Of the old and mod
ern shrapnel, this official said that tho
twelve FOUNDER Napoleon carried it's
old-fashioned shrapnel only a tribe
over 1900 yards. The present shrap-
mel, firing from rihed gun, is effec-
tive at $500 yards, or two aud u half
times az far. II could be used much
further than this II clear view of the
object OF Xre could be obtained. The
object against which this proiectile il
To be exploded must be seen clearly
and i's distance calculated TO nicely.
no that the fuse may be properly adjust
ed and timed.
The shrapnel Is called by artillery
experts "ths man.killing proiectile."
1t has replaced shell in the field
artillery, and IL practically the only
projectile used by the modern field
guns OF the armies Of this country and
Of Europe. 1t Is ten TO twenty times
az destructive IA shell against troops.
In the late war IL was used to good
purpose at Malvern Hill and Gettys-
burg, and also by the British In their
Indian aud Egyptian campaigns. Tho
only objection that can be advanced
against II IL that the range and view
must be accurately determined. When
these are ascertained, the shrapnel
will pulverize any object It Is used
upon.
Sedan" said this official, "was the
greatest artillery battle that has yet
been fought. Every attempt OF the
French TO advance against the German
guns was checked by the shell fire OF
the German batteries at a distance OF
1000 PAGES. The French general,
Douay, declared that the French were
beaten by the artillery fire alone. This
was with shell. The effectiveness Of
shrapnel may be imagined when We
remember that II is at least ten to
twenty times as destructive as she'll
under the same conditions. New
| York Times.