New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27

modern rife must in nearly every instance u'e
or submit TO amput2t!on hole throuSh an
important blood vessel. being punchcu cieaiiy
out. results In prOfUsc and dangerous Htnn0,
rhage right away. that the victim IS Hkey
to die before surgical aid can arrive Much
valuable information in this line mas been Oh,
tanned by firing experimentaly at corpses d.
various ranges and observing the character OF
the injuries inflicted 1t has been found IN TINS
manner. incidentally. that one OF these bullets
will pass through seven men stood IN llhc'
The French have done a good deal OF expert
menting with silhouette soldiers. cut OUT OF
boards and fred at from given distances. FROM
the resulting hits they have tired 10 rechOh
casualty percentages.
Under modern conditions troops within firing
distance Of an enemy will nave to meet Verlta-
Bile hail OF bullets. A modern rifle Is able 10
deliver forty shots minute. Herr frinz'
German military surgeon. writing or the recent
civil war in Chill. says The Balnacedists'
who towards declared that their as
constituent, caused by the terrible storm OF
projecties left them unable to use their own
weapons" In a battle the rifles described VIII
be supplemented by improved Calling guns.
which fire one thousand shots minute with
muzzle velocity of quarter Of mile sec.
ond, and AN effective range OF one and haIl
miles Under such circumstances. obviously. II
will not be possible for military commanders 10
risk their troops In the open. inasmuch as 10
do so would be wholesale suicide
To illustrate the destructiyeness OF modern
weapons on land, let ii be supposed that com
mand is well posted and concealed with a SIX
gun battery Of these small breech- loading can
q couple or tIatliNgS ana a regiment VI
seven hundred infantry armed with Krag-Jor-
gensen rifles A hostile force OF twice the
strength approaches to within distance or
three thousand yards. The range being care
fully calculated. allowing for the expansion or
the cones of fire from the artillery, the SIX can
non will cover line Of i, 40 yards At the
word firing begins. and in one minute thirty
six shrapnel are hurled at the advancing foe
They burst two hundred yards in front OF the
enemy, scattering 1880 messengers or death
among them In the same minute the two Cat
lings deliver two thousand shots. and the seven
thousand rifles discharge HOOD proJecties. In
sixty seconds the space occupied by loo men
has been swept By a tremendous storm OF 26,NVo
missiles and two thirds Of the oncoming soldiers
are laid low One more minute. with another
such discharge. and few survivors are left 70
tell the tale OF the d.saster. 80
The wounded in d modern lana Datlle VIII
have small chance Of rescue. II VIII not De pos
siba to remove them from the fighting line dur
ing the conflict because the hospital bearers
attempting the task would be Killed. The best
that can be- hoped is 10 attend - them W.thiu
the next twenty-fOur hours. The stern Facts
having been realized, instruction has been given
TO every private in the United states Army IN
the art Of taking care Of himself IN case ne ~
hurt He carries at his belt what Is called
first aid packet" containing 4 roll OF bandaSeS'
| an antiseptic compress. and antiseptlc gauZe IN
closed in a sealed rubber casing. IT he SUI
| frs from a bullet wound he stufS a plug OF
the cauze into the hole and applies a bandaee
This may save his life and give the surgeon
! chance when there Is an opportunity for treat
/