The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-19
new GUNS SATISFACTORY
Practical Tests of Mountain Ord
nance in the Philippines.
A Report to the War Department on
the Work Done by Several Halter
les Used in Campaigning in Rough
Country - Excellent Results OBJ
tained-No Premature Explosions.

The Secretary of War yesterday made
public report by Capt. George W. Van
Deusen, CT the Seventh Artillery. who
| was sent to the Philippines in charge of
| several batteries OF Maxim Nordenfelt
mountain guns. Secretary Root adopted
| these batteries for use in the Philippines
soon after succeeding Secretary Alger.
| The American Army had never before used
any gun CT the kind, and it was considered
experimental. The guns are so constructed
that they can be carried on pack mules
over the smallest mountain trail, and in
action they throw shrapnel that, accord
| ing to Captain Van Deusen's report, did
considerable execution among the Fill
| pinos in the trenches.
The guns were shipped from London. and
Captain Van Dausen took charge of them
! in Manila. BY direction of General OTIS
several OF the guns were distributed to
| such places as Vigan and APART, but
| battery was retained for action under the
immediate command of Captain Van Deu-
sen. He was sent to assist Colonel Locett
| in the operations at San Mateo, and found
the enemy strongly eatrenched at Montal-
ban. The Entertainments were on the side
OF mountain, commanding the road and
river. He placed two of the guns in
field at distance of about fifteen hun
dred yards and opened fire with shell, fol-
lowed by shrapnel. The fire was over the
heads of the advancing infantry line. and
it had telling effect on the Filipinos The
report says:
THE last shots were at a range of $500
yards, near the top of the mountain. At
4 hi fxyn shra al ad py.
actly in the spot from which the smoke of
the enemy's rifles appeared as they fred
Referring to another engagement, he
| adds:
Il found the battalion deployed in a rice
! field about 500 yards from the nearest
| trenches. l took up position directly in
| the rear of his line and opened fire upon
| two sets of trenches. The fire of the guns
was very accurate, and five rounds at a
range of 500 yards and five rounds at p
range of 500 yards were sufficient to ST.
| lence the enemy and drive them from the
trenches. In the upper one FIVE dead Fill
pinos were found, killed by the last shrap-
nell"
Captain Van Deusen reports encounter
ing many difficulties. and remarks upon
| the lack of transportation assistance.
| such as mules and ammunition wagons.
| He refers to an expedition under General
| Schwan in which the mountain batteries
played an important part, but had to be
1 transported through the toughest kind Of
| country. He says:
1.-The trail leading through the ravine
was SO steep and slippery that the cav
airy command lost two horses and rule
| in making the crossing. 1t was neces
sary for me 10 take all my packs through
| by hand. We reached the mountain
| above Taal without any trouble. In many
| places the trail had been worn down to
1 almost a point in the soft rock. SO that
| it was difficult to even lead large horse
or mule through. In these places it was
necessary to completely unpack the ami
mails and lead them through, and then
| carry the packs and saddles through and
repack on the other side During the
march along the shore of Lake Taal it
was necessary to lead the animals through
| the lake, the water being about breast
deep"
Captain Van Deusen. in conclusion, says:
During my stay in Luzon l gave the
Maxim Nordenfelt mountain gun and pack
| outfit as severe a test as could be. In
many respects the circumstances were ex-
| ceptional. The men furnished me were
| utterly ignorant of the gun and method of
| packing. none of them having had any
| previous experience. The behavior of the
gun and ammunition In actual use was
excellent in every particular. The guns
were hauled over rocks and through rivers
so deep that the guns were entirely under
| water Often they were upset and dragged
| for some distance On one occasion the
| mule carrying the gun jumped from a
| bridge at least twenty feet above stream, :
striking on his back, that is on the gun,
| on a rock without infiicting the slightest
injury to the gun or mule. The ammuni-
fCr
There We're no misfres, no premature ex-
plosion or failures"