The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-17
FEVER SCARE SUBSIDIES.
SPRINGFIELD RIFLE A. CONPAIED
WITH T'HE KRAG-J0RGExsEH

4 New Gsn Invented, In which the
Entire Magasine Can Ne lcxploAed
~ One Pail u the TFigger-xew
Building for the Ceasss BuFeaa.
Special Dispatch to the Post-IntelIigencer.
WASHINGTON, Aug M-The yellow
fever scare caused In the national capital
by the dread disease at the Soldiers home
At Hampton. Va. has now practically
Albsided. The surgeon generals OF the
army and OF the marine hospital service
have not yet been able to definitely agree
as TO the origin Of these germA The
theory most likely to be the true one y
that they came up from Santiago q year
ago. and. rs yellow fever germe have .
habit Of doing. lay dormant until the next
summer. The activity OF the army sur
geons and the marine hospital service I'M
a1s s pfevsn'sd It's spread, rc,,.,,x
due TO the fact that there were thrse large
excursions to Fortress Monroe and the
Soldiers Home since the existerbe Of the
yellow fever was known TO the officials,
but not TO the public. Hampton. where
the Soldiers home is located. 10 about
seven miles from Old Pom, Comfort OF
Unfortunately by the public here.
Fortress Monroe II military .reserva-
ton. On which the government has per-
ns .s.ed the erection OK Two no.eas, snlcn
The fort itself has recently been equipped
with modern guns and Is now regarded a
one OF the most important defen1es On the
proaches to the national capital from the
ocean. and protects the great shipyArds at
Newport News, seven miles from Hamp-
Monroe and Newport News. running
through Phoebus little settlement prin-
cipally given up to low dives much FREE
Quensed by the inmates Of the Soldiers
home.
1t was feared that II an epidemic should
break out in this little town II might be
hard to keep II from reaching the fort.
ins,on isseif Il may we'll b se imagined that
the news OF the scourge caused an exodus
OF all the summer resorters In that neigh
proprie,ors. for the public will hardly get
over the scare while the hot weather lasts.
Comparison Of Gums.
According TO officers Of the ordnance
corps OF the army, there are many points
In favor OF the Springfield rife that have
demned that arm because OF the introduce
ton OF the krag Jorgensen and other
modern rifles Of small calher. The old
machine. smokeiess powder being now sup.
piled for its use. The modern rifle In the
hands OF green troops IL liable to get out
Of Of, order an and Its efficiency nay be easily
said Of the Springfield. which Is simple In
mechanism. strong in construction Of all
It's parts. and can be roughly handled with
garded as a specially valuable weapon for
raw troops.
With regard to the rapidity Of ere. there
is said to be very little difference between
the Springfield and more modern rifles. The
difference In calibers, however. Is rec
ognized advantage in favor OF the krag-
Jorgensen. as greater number Of rounds
OF the smaller caliber can be carried by the
soldier without adding to the burden of
weight
But in the active work there are ad-
vantases on the side OF the Springfield
which. while they may not fully equal
those Of smaller caliber, have great value.
Small caliber bullets have been found by
the English ineffective against q savage
foe. who will insist upon fighting after
having been hit. 1t liz a fair subject Cor
discussion. therefore, whether the Spring.
field Is not a more effective weapon against
a savage enemy than the smaller caiiter
bullet Is decidedly greater than from the
lighter bullet OF the modern rife Of small
er bore.
Numerous reports have been received
from the ordnance department showing
that the small caiiber bullets fred with
high velocity have failed TO produce the
shock required to disable an enemy, while
experience has shown that the a5-cali3er
fired from the Springfield. as a rule, kills
or disables the man hit The belief is en-
terta!ned by many army officers that in
a country thiekly wooded or protected ~
heavy underground. as is the case in the
Philippines the Springfield with the use
OF smokeiess powder. is the more effective
weapon. There is a mistaken notion that
the Springfield has a range OF about 100
yards only, whereas IL has an effective
range OF 1850 yards, which IS but 900 yards
short of that of the krag-Jorgensen. Not
withstanding the fact that the Springfield
la IL sod ubs Svt tie
ergy at a mile and three-auarters is in the
proportion OF 100 pounds 10 30 pounds for
the Krag-Jorgensen. The danger zone at
that range L. not much in favor Of the
latter.
New Ride Invented.
The attention OF the ordnance bureau of
the war department has been called TO a
wonderful new rifie which is being manu-
featured by the Mclean Arms Company,
in Cleveland. Ohio. The new rife Is about
the weight ~ the Krag-Jorgensen and
costs no more 10 manufacture. The won
derful thing about IL Ia that the entire
magazine Of FIVE cartridges can be exploded
In rapid succession by pulling the trigger
once The mechanism OF the rife can be
set 50 that ali the soldier has 10 do after
pulling the trigger Is 10 hold the rifle in
position and the chambers are discharged
enc after the other until the magazine IL
for the Eve shots 10 be fred IL seems likely
10 revoiutionize small arms warfare
The guns are gas operative and the gas
caused Nv the first shot operates A spring
which throws out the old cartridge and
throws In a new one. and ths shots follow
each ether 80 quickly they can hardly Re
counted. The company engaged I'm manu-
featuring these rifles Is now fitting the
mechanism TO rapid IRE guns throwing not
more than SIX pound shells.
Finance Committees Work.
Considerable complaint is heard be-
cause the finance committee % the Unit
cal States senate has nos made public
it's agreement on the subject 81 the plan
of the monetary conference. II VIII be
recalled that the Republican caucus COM
,nstfec of the house 81 representatives
met recently IN Atlantic City and pre-
provided for n decia cation for the gold
standard for the retention in the T-nitesS