The record-union., 1898-04-18

gun, whose velocity diminishes with
every foot of it's flight, these accumu-
late force. The longer the range, the
loftier the curve, the greater becomes
the velocity with which each mis-
sie rushes down the descending
branch. Now imagine eighty such pro-
jectiles fired at once against a given
ship, for the Fire Commander who di-
reefs everything has only to send the
message from the range finder. Con-
centrate upon such a vessel together
with the azimuth and distance and
the thing is done. The powder is
smokeless A slight vapor, dissipated
almost as soon as formed is the only
indication of the sources of this deadly
rain of projectiles and the batteries
are so widely scattered that even if
the location of each were known it
would puzzle the ships to injure any
one of them. Which would you rather
take your chances with, the ships or
the fort?
This is one of the simpler problems.
Now take one of the hardest-a vessel
going at the rate of eighteen knots an
hour is trying to get by coming al
most bow on. How will you hit her?
In the old days they would train each
gun upon her and try to guess how
much allowance to make for her rate
of speed. But as they could only form
a conjecture as to that rate it was only
at point blank range that she stood
much chance of being damaged. Now
adays it is all blooded calculation.
| The range finder takes a number of
| observations. These results are meas
ured on the plotting board by a scale
and her rate of speed ascertained. Then
several observations. usually three, are
| taken to ascertain the line on which
she is moving. Her speed being
known a point can be located on the
| plot where she will be in a given num-
Der of minutes. and the azimuth and
| elevation necessary to reach this point
sent to the guns that are to be directed
! upon her.
The time of flight is known for any
given distance, and when that has been
allowed for and the necessary correc-
tions for wind, etc, applied, the
button is pressed and the pro-
1ectile starts to meet the ship
with more than an even chance of hit
ting her. The romantic and the pictur-
esque side of war is gone with the three
decker and her frowning tiers of guns
and snowy pyramids of canvas. Con
| trast Moultrie's men at Sullivan s
Island stripped to the waist, drip
| ping with sweat and black with
powder as they hauled the Is and "A
Founders back and forth with this calm,
| scientific, remorseless terrible. unseen
death-dealing.
| But it all tends to peace.
The cost is so great. the risk so appall-
| ing. the outcome so uncertain that ma
tions think not twice but twice twenty
times before they invoke the red specter
which in their heart of hearts they
dread. All these gigantic ornaments
are so many international policemen 10
keep order And the most serious men
ace to the peace of the world is for any
nation rich enough to excite cupidity or
strong enough to arouse jealousy to al
low herself to become defenseless. At
the same time there are worse Things
than war. Lincoln, in that marvellous
second inaugural, second only to his
Gettysburg address and to naught else
in English elouuence, said: May peace
soon come and so come as to be worth
the keeping Standing as the great
President then was in the shadow of
another world this was both prophecy
and warning. prophecy destined 10
be fulfilled before another month had
passed bringing deliverance to race
safety to- nation, and eternal rest to
that strong, patient, sorely tried spirit.
a warning which we should cherish and