Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-27
THE MODERN BULLET.
Unenviable Lot of the Men Who Must
Face the Fire.

From the Baltimore American
1t has been said that the new army rifle
is hum Ane''-that it punctures clean holes,
and is less likely to inf1ict dangerous in
jury. According to the best evidence, how
ever, the fact is very much the other way.
The new-style bullet. very long and with
a diameter about the same that of
lead pencil leavs the gun with velocity
of half a mile second, with a pressure be-
hind it of 10000 pounds per square inch.
Four miles from the muzzle of the weapon
it is travelling at the rate of 100 yards
second, and will penetrate the abdomen of
man who happens to be in the way. OW-
ing to its velocity, and to its rotary mo-
ton of 2,4oO revolutions a second. 1t de-
velops an explosive energy when 1t strikes
anything at "a moderate range. spiinterlnS
bones into small pieces and effectually de-
stroying any organ like the liver or kidney.
Owing to these conditions, man who is
hit OH an arm bone or leg bone by bullet
from a modern rifle must in nearly every
instance die submit to an amputation.
A hole through an important blood vessel,
being punched cleaniy out, results in pro-
fuse and dangerous hemorrhage right
away so that the victim is likely to die be-
fore surgical aid can arrive. Much Valua-
BILE information in this line has been OBJ
tanned by firing experimentaily at corpses
at various ranges, and observing the char
acter of the injuries inflicted. 1t has been
found in this manner. incidentally, that one
of these bullets will pass through seven
men stood in line. The French have done
a good deal of experimenting with sill
houette soldiers, cut out of boards and fired
at from given distances. From the result
ing hits they have tried TO reckon casualty
percentages.
Under modern conditions troops within
firing distance of an enemy will have to
meet a veritable hail of bullets. A modern
rifle is able to deliver forty shots a minute
Herr Prinz, a German military surgeon,
writing of the recent civil war IN Vi. lie,
says:
The Balmacedists who We're no towards,
declared that their establishment. caused
by the terrible storm of proJectiles, lett
them unable to use their own weapons.
In a battle the rifles described will be
supplemented by improved Calling guns,
which fire 1000 shots minute, with
muzzle velocity of a quarter of mile u
second, and an effective range of one and
a half miles Under such circumstances,
obviously, it will not be possible for mill
tary commanders to risk their troops in the
open, inasmuch as to do so would be whole
sale suicide.
To illustrate the destructiveness of mod
ern weapons on land, let 1t be supposed
that a command is well posted and con-
cealed with six-gun battery of these small
breech-loading cannon. couple OF Cat
lings, and regiment of 100 infantry arm
ed with Krag-Jorgensen rifles. A hostile
force of twice the strength approaches to
within distance of 5000 yards The range
being carefully calculated, allowing for the
eApdHSlOH Oh luc COHcSi VI IRE lIOm Tic
artillery the six cannons will cover a line
of 40 yards. AT the word firing begins,
and in one minute thirty-six shrapnel are
hurled at the advancing foe. They burst
200 yards in front of the enemy, scattering
TO- 500 messengers of death among them.
In the same minute the two Cuttings de-
liver 1000 shots, and the 1000 rifles dis
charge IA 600 projectiles. In sixty seconds
the space occupied by l 500 men has been
swept by a tremendous storm of 26 800 mis-
siles, and two-thirds of the oncoming SOL
diers are laid low. One more minute, with
another such discharge, and few survivors
are left to tell the tale of the disaster
The wounded in a modern land battle will
have small chance of rescue. 1t will not be
possible to remove them from the fighting
line during the conflict, because the hos
pital bearers attempting the task would be
killed. The best that can be hoped is to
attend to them within the next twenty
four hours. The stern facts having beer.
realized, instruction has been given to
every private in the United States army In
the art of taking care of himself in case
he is hurt. He carries at his belt what Is
called a first aid packet" containing a
roll of bandages, an antiseptic compress
and antiseptic gauZe, inclosed in sealed
rubber casing. If he suffers from a bullet
wound, he stuffs pug of the gauze into
the hole and applies a bandage. This may
save his life and give the surgeon a chance
when there Is an opportunity for treatment.