The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-14
AN EXPERTS VIEWS UPON ORD
NANCE


DR. +. j. Calling. now eighty years OF
age. inventor of the Calling gun. is one
of the noted characters Of the day-we
might almost say Of the century for his
inventions has. either by Itself, or through
its influence as guide, almost revoiu-
tionized war both by land and sea. lie
has a most interesting letter in last sun
DAVIS New York World discussing the
various phrases OF weapons and ammu-
milton in their relations TO war as they
have been demonstrated in our war with
Spain. one Of his conclusions is that the
rapid fire gun should be made separate
department in an army as the cavalry,
the infantry and the artillery are sepa-
rated. II should not be COMPOUNDED with
the artillery at all. but should be given
a place and department to itself. Dis
counting upon this theme he makes the
following remarks:
Machine guns played an important part
In this war. Their effectiveness has
shown the United States many things.
They can be moved from one position to
another rapidly. with all the rapidity OF
cavalry In fact they can proceed wher-
ever infantry can follow, and can hold
their own where even the most effective
light artillery might be compelled TO re-
tire.
would like TO sec this class of guns
used as a separate arm OF the service.
This was first suggested 10 me I'm 1871.
1t has since become firm conviction
that this is the effective way 10 handle
them For they neither come under ar
tillcry nor any other branch of the ser
vice. but they arc capable Of assisting
all and ought 10 be given freedom OF
movement 10 enable them 10 be present
wherever the greatest necessity exists
At san Juan. for instance after the
artillery had been banging away at those
seven field pieces for two hours, Lieuten-
ant John H. Parker with three eating
guns silenced them in eight and half
minutes why, they made IL so hot Tor
those SDaniards that 81 a finger. as one OF
the Spaniards afterward said was shown
above the parap6t it was shot away.
That is the coming warfare, ia my es-
timatlon. / can with a Calling Kill
all the men and horses of a field battery
while they are getting I'm position 10 fire
the first shot To doesn't make any DIFF
ference to me financially whether the
Calling guns are used or not inc
patents have expired and any one can
make the guns But 20 the government IL
is "A matter of Importance because OF the
saving in troops and tho speed or ac-
complishment. The rapidity OF fire de-
nends on the'wav the guns are fed. Those
at San Juan fred 40 TO 500 shots per min
rte. using the regulation Krag-Jorgensen
cartridges from the boxes Fed from the
tins. n speed of 1000 shots a minute can
be obtained without difficulty. Lieutenant
Parker was not called upon 20 use a
range Of more than 2000 TO 800 yards
hut the guns are effective up to 1900
yards and over.
These remarks are certainly borne out
BY DR.. Bransford's account OF the contest
between the Gloucester and the Spanish
torpedo boats upon which we commented
Yesterday The Spaniards could never
get their pieces to bearing upon the Glou-
cester because her machine guns kept up
such a rain of bullets upon them that
their gunners were all killed before they
ever got the range.
Dr. Calling is very much outraged at
both our army and navy being without
smokeiess powder. and he lays the want
Of it for the navy, wholly at the door Of
Admiral Sampson, who was the navy's
principal ordnance officer for a long time
before the war with Spain. He has TINS
to say upon that subject:
Such has been the policy Of those IN
charge OF the Ordnance Bureau al WASH
ington that smOkeless powder whicn
ought long ago 10 have been introduced
in both the army and navy, never reach
ed the attention OF those Tor whom II
was intended.
Sampson was the direct cause o. this.
And / cannot see what induced the ad-
rainistration, or whoever II was that gave
him his position, TO raise him over the
heads OF so many wiser. better and more
experienced men.
When the smokeless powder was pre-
sented to Sampson by Maxim-as FAR
back as 1871, l think It was-he refused
TO take up the question because II con-
tanned per cent. Of nitro-glycerine. The
smokeless powder we have since adopt
ed. and which is In use in the world over,
| contains IS per cent. Of o-glycerine.
| Sampson was supposed 10 test the pow
| der. But he didn't. Tile result was that
| at the outbreak OF the war we had only
4 about sixty thousand smokeless-powder
mUskets in the entire country. And we
had 100000 troops 10 equip. IL was shame
| full
| MOI only l-dl. Any AhlIS the army AAh
! wouldn't do Tor the navy. SO Sampson
| had TO get up a musket Of his own. He
| had 10 change the calibre, too. The
army was using 90 calibrc; he made his
! rs. The army used rife bore OF one
| turn In twelve inches: Sampson used one
turn in seven inches. As a result. after
a few shots had been fired the navy bull
| lets wouldn't follow the bore. SO they
| then cut the bullets In half Then they
followed the bore. but after they had
| gone few hundred yards they fell short
| There wasn't enough mon entum.
Why Sampson should have adopted this
| policy can't see. unless IL was sheer OBJ
stinacy. and a desire TO do anything 10
| steer clear OF army practice. Obviously
| Il was poor policy Marines. when they
| run out of amml milton. ought to be able
| TO call upon the munitions Of the army.