Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-30

vided with a gas-check. This latter con-
sists Of q fat band Of copper. forced by
tremendous hydraulic pressure on to q
groove In the base Of the projecti,e
When the explosion occurs the shot is
ly fits. while the slightly larger copper
band is nodded under the stress Of the
exploding cordite to the shape Of the
riding. The mass of metal 10 forced by
this method to revolve as 1t leaves the
barrel, which 1t continues to do
throughout its course in mid-air.
The greater number Of projectiles are
Is one Of great interest Masses Of
molten metal are poured from huge re-
ceivers into molds from which emerge,
when cool, rough castings very differ
ent from the smooth shell with which
every one Is familiar. These are turned
in q lathe until they are sufficiently
smooth for painting, when they have
the copper band applied.
The projectiles vary considerable in
size, from that required by the tiny
seven-pounder to that necessary for the
service Of the monster 1925 gun, the
110-tonner. This mass Of metal weighs
three quarters Of q ton, stands feet
8 inches high. and Is propelled by a
charge Of 800 pounds Of powder. cor
dite not being used for these guns.
Roughly speaking shot Of all kinds
fall into four groups. viz, armor-pierc-
ing. common shell, shrapnel, and case.
The first named Is made Of cast Steel
with an exceedingly hard point. Its OBJ
ject, as its name implies. is to penetrate
the armor-plate Of an ironclad and
then to burst; hence It can always be
recognized in pictures by its having q
sharp point instead Of a flattened nose.
The bursting charge il comparatively
small, and these shot are provided with
a fuse In the base.
Common shell are merely travelling
mines. fred from a gun and made to
contain as large a bursting charge as
possible consistent with sufficient
strength to avoid breaking up in the
bore Of the gun after firing. They are
therefore merely hollow skins Of cast
steel filed with either cordite. powder
Or lyddite. They are fat-nosed, and
have two varieties of fuses, either time
Or percussion; that is, a shell can be
timed to explode practically when de-
sired, the velocity being known. or it
may be made to explode against shelter
trenches, ETC., by impact.
Shrapnel, Invented by Gen. Shrapnel,
and first used at the battle of vimiero,
consists Of q thin iron case filled with
bullets set In resin. The bursting charge
Is contained In a tin at the base, to-
gether with the fuse, while the head
and nose Of the projectile are strength
ened to make 1t capable Of being rough
ly handled. 1t Is especially a man kill
Ing missile. the case flying of at a
range Of 1000 yards, while the bullets
search out an area Of about 120 yards
Mt that range. With the exception of
a few common shell and fewer cases.
all European horse and field artillery
corps are mainly provided with shrap-
mel. Modern tactics lay down as an
axiom that sooner or later troops must
advance in the open, and hence q pro-
jectile like shrapnel is most useful.
Against shelter trenches it is. however,
Of little use. and artillery firing 1t are
outranged by an enemy firing common
shell, for the reason that 1t breaks up
at 1000 yards, while common shell does
not. To sum up. against an enemy who
plays the game" shrapnel is "facile
princeps," but against one who does
not 1t Ii distinctly at q disadvantage.
Case shot are simply flat-headed cyl
Inders Of thin iron, filed with bullets,
and this missile Ii never used save in
the direct emergencies. The horses Of
the battery are all down, and the per-
sonnel, with orders to delay the enemy
at all costs, see that they must die
where they stand. They load with case.
and at q few hundred yards range dis
charge their stream Of bullets into the
midst Of the advancing savages. (The
word savage IL used avissdly, a.
against modern troops armed with the
smaIl-bore even this resort IL not prac-
ticable-as witness the artillery loss at
the Tugela battle.
In heaps Of shell 1t will be noticed
that their bases have ropes twisted
round them. This is for the purpose
Of protecting the safe copper gas-check
from any risk Of injury during transit.
and II removed when the shells arrive
at the maSasine. Filling ahell, although
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