Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-02-22
ARTILLERY OF THE BoERs.
Have From ego 10 $50 Guns of the
Most Modern Type.


London. Feb. 20 according to a let
ter from Durham the Beers nave from
220 TO go pieces of modern artillery.
The correspondent speaks with appar-
ent knowledge OF the Boer armament
and the way ii was obtained as fol-
lows:
The expenditure OF the Transvaal
government for artillery during the
last four years is shown with start
ling bluntnass in Il document that has
been brought here from Pretoria and
WAS issued some time before the open
ing of the war for tine private nfor-
nation of the members OF the volks-
raad.
I'm 1891 the Beers gave their first
order for a quantity of heavy guns
and then they eNepnded 100000 with
krupp, of Germany, and about 4. 1907
600 with an Austrian firm for small
arms. The irupp guns were delivered
in 1895 and included two of what was
then the largest pattern for Il gun in
the world.
"rhesc guns are forty-eight feet in
length weigh 1870 tons. throw Il she'll
weighing 900 pounds. and require
90l pounds of powder for each dis
charge.
Cone OF these enormous weapons
has been dragged to the hills over
looking I.adysmith, The labor neccs-
sary TO accomplish this feat having
been prodigious. The other is on the
Notifications defending Pretoria.
where it awaits the approach of the
British i'm their coming attack on the
capital.
lin ls95 :;asn9tler .G.aoo.ooo WAS cN.
pended with Krupp, and a number OF
field gums of long range were OBJ
tanned, as were also several mountain
and bush guns. these being especially
adapted to the hilly country and the
hot climatesof TIL" Transvaal.
"1'ut it vastly. 1896 that the Beers
contracted f5p. s'he guns that have
thus far i'm the War done them the
most effective service. II was at this
time that they made their first pur-
chase of six cannon manufactured at
Creusot and so satisfied were The l'ocr
officers with them that eighteen have
been added to the Transvaal arma-
mcnt since that date.
Eight shots may be 'fied each min
ute without Ii uting the metal. and
every gun goes into action provided
With IA rounds of ammunition. There
is sufficient quantity of ammunition
for these particular guns to keep
them in. active service for the next
twp years.
Daring s1s97-9s and Il portion OF
1899 the Beers continued to strength
en- their artillery arm and also to
fortify many OF the hills along the
frontiers. I'm this period they bought
forty-eight rapd-tire schneider-canet
l4l-pounders that throw Il schrapnel
containing a34 bullets. Five batteries
of eight raPid-tirc maNims each are
being used against Matching and
Ladysmith.
The Beers also provided themselves
with four batteries of 1a-pound quick
firing Nickers-maNim guns. with Il
range extending up to 5000 yards.
They have also four guns with a
range of 10000 wards. Two of these
are said to be mounted at the hills at
either side 'of thu narrow pass that
leads from Natal into the 1ransvaal,
another is overlooking Ladysnlith, and
the fourth protects Pretoria.
I'm all Che Beers have between 220
and $50 heavy guns and field pieces.
every individual gun being the latest
design and with the latest ,:3mprove-
mcnts. and the entire numltr super
ior in nearly every way to tlfose pos
sesscd by the British 81