Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-13
DEADLIEST OF GUNS.
CONTINENTAL ARMIES NOW ARMED
WITH THE LATEST MANKlLLERs.
Efnpsror william Caused . Great ssnsa-
uoa When lie Announced How Bls Army
Hsa Bsss secretly Equipped with Re-
nnartabIe PTsearm.

Had Bsss Secretly Equipped with Re-
nnsrhAbIs PIsssrm.
Some little time ago--we think In
July, lSs7-the German Emperor In
uted the military attaches TO break
faai, and after the repast told them II
was no use keeping II secret any
LONGS, but the German army had had
iis artillery changed without anything
being known about Il. No fewer than
ave army corps had up I'll then been
armed with the new gun. a qulck-hr-
Ing Weapon made by Krupp. and BY
the middle Of the present year all the
Held guns will have been replaced BY
quieItrlng guns capable OF throwing
ten % twelve shells a minute TO AZ
great distance a. tho field guns and
with higher destructive power In their
fhellt How well the secret was kept
may b understood from the fact that
krupp employs 10000 workmen and
that several powers try 10 spend large
sums In Germany TO obtain military
and naval intelligence.
Upon the kalser's revelation. the
french military aitache at once took
train ior Paris. and found bis govern.
meat not unprepared 10 deal promptly
with the question. IN fact. a model
had been determined rpon some time
before. and orders we're Immediately
placed. not only With the government
heiorles. but with a number Of private
firms. Only the question Of cost had
prevented the French war ONCE from
being beforehand with the Germans,
and the reason FOR this hesitation will
BE- grhsped when Il IL stated that tho
extra expenditure involved within
very brief period exceeds ten millions
sterling The secret has been kept by
the French nearly a. well ne the Ger
mans kept theirs. but II Il now known
10 several European governments.
The weapon now In course OF rapid
uanuiaeture Ia a qulck-hring gun. ca
pablo OF firing az least ten shots a
minute. II has calibre OF seventy
I've mlllimetres (3ln.) the calibre OF the
French field guns being 30 nm. q So
lnl, and Of the horse artillery gun
V nm. The weapon Is very similar 10
TIE latest pattern OF the Nordenselt
cannon. its weight. Fitted with auto.
maiic hydraulic or glycerlne brakes 70
check recoll. and with steel shields 10
reduce the risk from Infantry fre. IL
somewhat greater than that OF the
% nm. field gun. but tbs range and the
bursting power OF the <hell are great.
e. The shell IL fitted with a very
perfect percussion fuse. the accuracy
Of which has been tested IN the most
thorough fashion.
As many as 5000 OF these qulck-hr-
ING guns for the French artillery are
being provided at a cost, including
900 rounds Of ammunition for each,
o. e2,O0O per gun. Up ttl January 1
this year 500 guns were completed,
with their due proportion OF projec-
tiles There VIII be enough guns In
being before the end OF the current
year 10 arm all the corps" artillery.
and The whole OF the artillery will bs
rearmed before the end OF 1899.
The French have satisfied them.
selves that. for effect. two Of these
guns are equal TO a whole slx-gun bat
terry Of held guns with a margin 70
spare Nevertheless. the superior
council Of war has decided that each
battery shall. as heretofore. consist OF
six pieces. Thus the eiestlye power
Of the French artillery will be at least
tripled by the adoption Of the quick
hrlng guns. In view Of this decision
II has been resolved that each gun
shall have not one, but two ammunl-
ton wagons. which viii not remain In
the rear, as In the case OF the FIELD bat.
terles but will come up with the guns
into action. This involves the Increase
Of thiriy-slx horses for each battery.
II must be remembered. first, THAI
the problem OF supplying ammunition
Ia the field Il made immensely more
difficult by this new departure; and.
secondly, that neither France nor Ger
many has adopted maehlne-guns az
we have done, These two facts enter
materially into the question OF the
change from nsld guns 10, qulek- airing
guna