Evening journal., 1898-08-20
ELD GUNS IN WAR.
y Are the Favorite Weapon
Among Military Men.
ry of the First Trial OF the Water
|vIiet Guns at San Antonio, Tex.
-Great Accuracy of the
Deadly Pieces.

Hhe betterment of the modern field
"a is fully equal to the development |
#other branches of military arma-
bit. 1t has been especially rapid |
"a hin the last dozen years. The work /
81 specialists and the results OF eH-
ded tests have ended in the pro-
s ,tion of a weapon of great accuracy
III of Titanic force. The field gun
to-day is the favorite weapon Of the
"a itary man, and he expects from
some very remarkable demonstra-
ms when opportunity to use it oc-
is. Napoleon is credited with the
y mark that Providence is always on
side of the heavy artillery, but the
tillery which Napoleon knew was
80 worthy to be mentioned on the
4 ne day with the light, graceful and
#hdly arm with which the moderns
e prepared to do slaughter. The
II st great step forward was taken
en- the breech-loading action was
& Fented. Well-known scientific rules
boring and the improvement in pro-
& ftiles and powders have done the
st.
The United States has no better
s. Id guns than those with which the
mics of Germany and France are
4 med, but they are every bit as good.
ke our other ordnance, they are all
b bde on this side of the water. The
q Anerican manufacturer yields to no
81 e in ability to make a perfect
kapon. Indeed, many of the chief
ri #provements in field guns and in the
rger sizes, sometimes called "siege"
ns, are the products of American
aims. The field guns of the United
ates army are made at Watervliet,
Y. just as the large guns for the
|*vy and for coast defense are turned
t at Washington. Lhey have a cal
er of a little more than three inches,
c, of course, breech-loading, and
ther lengthy for their width and
e lightly but strongly mounted.
hey use q pointed she'll which ex-
H odes either on concussion or by
PIE fuse, generally the former, and
lie fired with great rapidity. Each
in of battery is in command of a
eutenant, who, under the eye of his
n perior, sights it and directs its work
I'll G. He has his elevation, depression
ld wind-gauge formula at his fin
/. rs' ends, and with him good shoot
G is mainly a question of care. The
bwder used in these guns is of tho
naller-grained brown hexagona
nd, though the spheroidal is pre-
.rred for some calibers. The recoi
L this gun on level ground is 26 feet
b ith the wheels unlocked. With th'
& las~Ia iosls-sl - --sssiis ava feet. an,
run forward and resighted very
viftly. Its point-blank range is 2,20I
srds. 1t can be made effective at &
Zach greater distance, of course, bu'
Ulcers prefer that range for accurate
hooting.
81 IL fell to me some seven years ago tC
hport the first field trial given the
atervliet guns. Three of them were
ent to Fort Sam Houston, at San An
bnia, Tex, where Light Battery T
bird artillery, was stationed undei
pmmand of Maj. James B. Burbank
3 host capable officer, now attached t.
& be staff of the governor of New York
ai. Burbank was instructed 10 TT.
hem out thoroughly, and for this pur
ose selected an ideal range on Ga
81 ahl's ranch, 60 miles north of San An
onio. The guns were planted in lin
nd 20 feet apart on the side Of
reen hill and pointed across a shall
bw valley. On the opposite hill, 2,20
ards away, a tent fly was put up a
target 1t was Is by 9 feet in dimen
on, and was stretched on two poles
t that distance it looked like moth
be- in the world 50 much as a man.
ocket-handlSerchief. One shot wa
red as a range-fnder, and that sho
roved the range was found. Then tn
Forl began.
For half an hoNr these guns pitche
hells through or under the target, &C
= ording to firing directions, with a
much accuracy as a man would use
Winchester rifle at 100 yards. Tn
york was done with the precision O
clock. There was the rush of tn
piece into it's first position, the quic
command to load, the rapid aim an
discharge, the faint scream Of tn
hell, the puff of smoke and duh re
hort as it struck and the dust rose II
Nn a pillar. When it was ended W
ode across the valley and up the OF
& bosite slope to the spot where tn
ent fiy had stood. Bits of it lay abou
here and there. One of the poles wa
bitten short OF. For so yards belo'
s he other pole. for 80 yards on eithe
ide of it and for 100 yards above
he earth was not plowed-it was hal
3 rowed. An ant could not have live
pn the ground.
1t was not difficult to imagine wha
& sIvould have become of an opposin
orce. Men and horses would hay
been dead and all guns dismounted
i've minutes after the firing begai
There could have been no better
s ustration of the absolutely fatal cha
icter of these pieces. 1t was foun
hat they did not become unmanagl
& bic through heat, that the breec
# nechanism displayed no sign of strait
hat the recoil was not greater tha
was calculated and that accuracy W;
IS perfect with the last shell as wit