The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-06-02
RAP1D-F1RE GUNS.
Success of the Japanese Against the
Chinese Largely Due to These
Terrible DestrOyers.

Chinese Largely Due to These
Terrible DestrOyers.
Admiral Ito's squadron was well
equipped with rapid-fre guns, while the
Chinese had none. In the battle of Yalu
each squadron mounted about 80 slow
fire medium-caliber guns from 6-inch
Krupps to AZ inch Armstrong;, but in
addition the Japanese had no fewer
than sc rapid-fire guns. Some 25 heavy
guns of 8, 10 and 12-inch caliber, were
mounted on the Chinese ships, but
they were of little account in the battle,
for of 400 shots fired from them only IL
were hits. The Chinese battleship Ting
Yuen was attacked by torpedo boat
and sunk, her lack of rapid-tire guns
making the contest very unequal one.
But the Chinese trained their medium
caliber slow-fire guns on the torpedo
boat after she had fired the torpedo,
with such good effect that she was
found floating in the harbor the next
morning. She had been hit six times,
one of the shells smashing a steam
pipe. Some of the men in the boat were
of the crew were scalded to death.
The Yaiu engagement demonstrated
the value of rapid-fre guns. Ship after
ship of the Chinese fleet opened fire at
long range with the heavy guns, but
the Japanese ships stood straight on I'M
til within 5000 yards of the enemy,
when they turned in succession eight
points to port and opening with broad
sides from their six-inch AMI 4.7-inch
rapid-fre guns they poured in hail of
steel, Kidding the upper parts of the
superstructures Of the Chinese ships.
The water was 1ashed to foam by the
shells which, ricocheting, inflicted most
of the hits. The Japanese fired three
or four times as fast as the Chinese,
cutting down all who were on deck.
Officers were killed at their posts by the
deadly rapid-6res, and none of the
men could be forced on deck, even at
the muzzle of the pistol. The Yank Wei
was riddled by 4.7-inch shells, and the
two heavy battleships, Ting Yuen and
Chen Yuen, each had 200 shot marks.
The European officers were astonished
at the havoc wrought to men and ships
by the rapid-fre guns.
Since the war in the east the princi-
pal navies of the world have been rap
idly supplied with rapid-fre guns.
Siow-fire guns have been dismounted
and converted into quick-fre guns by
reconstructing the breech mechanisms.
England and France have led in the
manufacture of guns of this type, the
Armstrong; and Canet devoting al
most their entire attention to their de-
velopment. The navy department has
spent millions of dollars for rapid-fre
guns during eight or nine years they
have been in use in this country, but
the navy still greatly needs better
equipment of these guns. Some of the
battleships and cruisers have no rapid
fire guns larger than 6-pounder. The
Kearsarge and Kentucky, each with
IA 5-inch rapid-fire guns, will be the
first of the battleships to be adequately
equipped with the type of gun to be-
found on the best ships of the British
and French navies.
just now the navy department is pay
ing special attention to the mounting
of rapid-fire guns on the auxiliary and
mosquito fleets. The rapid-fire arma7
ment of these fast boats will make them
of greater value in repelling torpedo
boat attacks on the North Atlantic
squadron, and will meet the emergency
needs of the navy for torpedo-boat de-
stroyers.
The amount allotted by the war and
navy department for the purchase Of
rapid-fire guns since the Havana har-
Dor disaster is considerably more than
100000. The Observation-Disclosures COM
pany of England will receive $1,000
for army guns, principally of 4:72-inch
caliber, already shipped; the American
Ordnance company, of Bridgeport, is
working on an order of $125,OO0 for
small-cali Der guns, and the Driggs-Sea-
bury Gun and Ammunition company,
of Derby, Conn.,, is working on an or
der of $225,ooo for so 6-pounder semi
automatic naval guns to fire 40 shots
minute. The army ordnance bureau
has also let contracts for the manufac-
ture of 20 6-pounders and 10 12-pound-
ers, or 3-inch rapid fire guns. T. The new
contracts will amount to about $500, 1000.
Chicago Times-Herald.