The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-08-18
AMERICAN GENIUS.

the rapidity with which its opera
tons have been carriedon in foreign
lands, has precluded the completion
ofcomplicated enginesof destruction
but there have been needed many
simple and practical contrivances
such as devices suitable for use in
landing troops, ammunition and wal
supplies, and for carrying on cam.
paign work in marshy country and
tropical latituies. 1t is interesting
to note the ingenuity that has beer
displayed by American inventors in
their efforts to meet the demand D thus
made upon them. Manyof the neces-
sary inventions in this line have been
suggested by army and navy Off
GERS, and many of the devices which
have been brought into use in the
Cuban campaign havebeen manufact-
ured and shipped from Washington,
Notwithstanding the fact that Wash
ington is not generally considered a
manufacturing centre. Among the
devices worthy of mention are Port
able Hospitals, Portable Breast
works, andperhaps the most import
ant are what are technically known
as "Siege Gun Tanks" and "Pontoon
Coupling" These Gun Tanks,
which wereused extensively by Gen.
Shafter in landing his heavy siege
guns upon the Cuban coast, consist
Of large hollow cyclindrical steel
tanks, each 16 feet in length, and
3 feet in diameter. They are con-
structed in two parts, being divided
longitudinally. The tanks are in
tended for use solely in landing
heavy cannon from transportsanchor-
eda considerable distance from shore.
In use, the gun to be transported is
placed within the lower portion of
the tank, the upper half of the
cylinder is then putinto position and
bolted fast, thejoint between the sec
tons being Theoretically sealed in
order to etfectually prevent the in
gress of water, and the device is thus
made completely water-tight. 1t is
Of course necessary that the gun
should be secured in place in the
tank so as to prevent it from being
thrown from side to side, which
movement would result in injury
either to the gun or the cylinder con-
tanning it. The cylinder containing
the gun is thrown overheard from
the ship and the air confined within
the space surrounding the gun is
sufficient to insure the buoyancy of
the cylinder, and the cylinder while
thus floating upon the surface ofthe
water is readily towedto the shore by
either a steam-lunch, a surf-boat,
or should the conditions be such as
to render the use of a boat impos-
sible, a line from the shore is employ
ed in pulling the cylinder to the
beach. Upon reaching the shore,
the cylinder is rolled to some suit
able place upon the beach, where,
after the tank has been opened, the
gun is placed by means of derricks
upon the carriages which are brought
ashore in either pontoons or lighters.
Practical use of these siege gun
tanks has demonstrated the fact that
the breech mechanism of the finely
constructed steel siege guns, the de-
licacy of which requires the most
careful of handling, is fully protect
ed, and absolutely safe from injury
or damage resulting from bruising
Or form contact with salt water.
Six of these gun tanks were sent
to Santiago where they proved a
perfect success. Guns having amaxi-
mum weightofthree tons were easily
transported to the shore by their use.
Six additional tanks have just been
forwarded to Porto Rico to be used
by the landing parties upon that is
land.
The "Pontoon Couplings" consist
of gigantic hinges constructed of
finely rolled steel. These hinges are
about l6 feet in length and have a
sweep of about 2! feet. The pom
toons used for landing purposes are
constructed somewhat like the COM
mon barge or lighters, which are
used in our river harbors. On the
edge of the deck of one of these
Al