The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-27

And now the automobile has become
an engine of war. On the 18th of Sep
TENDER a company Of cadets in COM
mand of Major r. p. Davidson of the
Northwestern military academy, near
Chicago, will set out for l,0O0-mlle
trip to Washington with an automobile
cannon carriage, carrying colt auto
matte gun. This gun has just been
completed by the Duryea's of PEORIA
Ill. 1t will be propelled by six horse
power gasoline motor and 1t weighs
about 1000 pounds. The cost will be
something like 81, 500. 1t will have three
rubber-tired wheels, two behind and
one in front, with seats over the rear
axle for four gunners, side bars being
provided as on a gun caisson, to which
the men may cling when the cannon
carriage is driven into action. The gun
is carried on a triangular frame in
front of the seat with a muzzle point
ing forward, so that the gunners may
operate it with the carriage going thir-
ty miles an hour. The body-work of
this vehicle has already been thorough
ly tested, so that neither Major DAVID
son nor the manufacturers have the
least doubt that it Will make the trip
TO Washington and draw up before the
war department with a message for
Secretary Root in as good condlUon as
ii was when the company started.
Major Davidson, who is superintend-
ent of the Northwestern military acad-
eny, near Fort Sheridan, has already
made himself known in military circles
for his daring experiments with the
bicycle for military evolutions, so that
his MT with he for
possible use in the artillery viii be
looked upon with great interest The
equipment of the gun on the expedition
TO Washington VIII include everything
necessary to take it into battle. 1t will
have, besides 1000 rounds of ammuni-
ton, all the necessary tools for repair
ing break-downs, some duplicate parts
where weakness is suspected, and a
supply of gasoline sufficient to carry |
it for several days. Besides this, the !
manufacturers have devised an appar- |
atus for pulling the carriage out of /
bitches and over embankments. 1t
consists of d light but strong windlaSS |
and tackle, and while Major Davidson
does not expect to have any especial !
use for it on good roadS, it is an adj
junct which will be invaluable in battle !
The advantages which piece of ar
tillery of this nature offer to a military |
force are extraordinary. 1t is capable |
whereas horses are doing well to cover |
ten miles ali hour. and having Travelled /
at this rate for two hours they are J
worthless for further work. Think OF
the advantage in initiative which such I
a fighting machine would have, 1t !
could advance with hardly less swift !
ness and force than a cannon ball itself, /
make a sudden spirited attack and turn /
and be out OF the way before the guns |
of the enemy could be brought to bear. |
There would be no horses to stumble |
or be wounded. and owing to its COM !
pactness and small size it would fur
nish poor target even for expert rife I
men. Neither would s1ere be any loss OF !
time in getting into position for firing. |
The ordinary modern gun must be de-
tached from the horses which draw II, |
turned about by the men who have /
followed in the limbers, and then pre-
pared for action. The automobile gun
has its muzzle always toward the enc
my and it is ready for action even
while the wheels are still in motion.
While Major Davidson believes that his
new machine will be of the greatest
Importance for actual military opera
tions in the field where the country
is rough, he suggests that its most ev-
ident use will be in the subsection of
rnobs and riots. where it can be brought
speedily to the scene by a small num-
Der of trained men. The cost of the
gun and carriage being only $1,000 will
make it available for any municipality.
or indeed. for any metropolitan police
force for use at such time and place
as necessity may dictate. The object
of Major Davidson's trip is not only
the testing of the gun carriage as an
engine of wax. but to furnish expert
ence in the field for some of the cadets
who attend the Northwestern Military
academy.
For Municipal Uses.
While this development is wonderful
enough in itself. ii is only one of many.
Indeed so rapid is the advance of the
automobile for all manner of uses that
il is difficult to follow its newest Won
ders. Just recently one of the foremost
eastern manufacturers has built what
he calls an electric emergency wagon
in reality, d ladder truck for use in fire
departments. 1t somewhat resembles an
ordinary police patrol wagon. II car
rieS ladders which can be erected at a
moments notice, and portable fire eX-
tinguishers. lanterns, axes. and other