The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-20
B0ERS' ARTILLERY.
They POSSES a Large Number of the
Most Deadly AMI Ever Made.

Correspondence Of Associated Pres.)
London. February 10.-The CORE
spondent of a news agency, writing
from Durham. speaks with apparent
knowledge of the Boer armament and
the way it vas obtained as follows:
THE expenditure Of the T~ransvaal
government for artillery during the
past fOur years il shown with start
ling bluntness in a document that has
been brought here from Pretoria, and
was issued sometime before the open
ing of the war. for the private informa-
ton of the members of the volkSraad.
In 1894 the Beers gave their first order
for a quantity of heavy guns n then
they expended 10000 with Krupp, of
Germany. and about S100, 900 with an
Australian firm for small arms. hi
Krupp guns were delivered in 1895 and
included two of what was then the
largest pattern for a gun in the world.
These guns are 4S feet in length,
weight 120 tons. throws a shell weigh
ing $500 pounds and req lire 904 pounds
of powder for each discharge. One of
these enormous weapons has been
dragged to the heights overlooking
Ladysmith, the labor necessary to ac-
complish this feat having been prodigi-
Gus.
Inc OIneT Is OH the lOTllIlCdllOHS ue-
Tending Pretoria where it awaits the
approach of the British in their coming
attack on the capital.
Both guns are amply provided with
ammunition, which in addition to the
great steel and iron shells, consists of
shrapnel, holding 5000 balls weighing
three and one-half ounces each. Its
bore is 1888 inches and all these attri-
butes have enabled this gun to make
Ladysmith a most uncomfortable spot
during the past several weeks.
I'm 1895 another 9100, 900 was expend-
ed with Krupp n a number of field
guns of long range were obtained, as
were also several mountain and bush
guns, these being especially adapted
to the hilly country and the hot climate
of the Transvaal.
But it was in 1896 that the Beers
contracted for the guns hat have thus
far in the war one them the most
effective service. 1t was at mis- time
that they made their first purchase of
six cannon manufactured at Creuso
and S o satisfied were the Boer officers
with them that eighteen have been
added to the TransSaal armament since
that date One of h many effective
features of this gun is the clever arm
of springs and brakes that lessons the
recoil materially and brings the gun
back to its former position within two
SSSOI1OS = IlS I'll SOus
This gives greater velocity to the pro-
jectile and increases the range. The
velocity is a trif1e under five miles, this
remarkable result being obtained from
a charge Of less than two pounds Of
powder and from a gun weighing only
3,400 pounds. Eight shots may be
fired each minute without heating the
metal and every gun goes into action
provided with IA rounds of ammuni-
ton. There is q sufficient quantity Of
ammunition for these particular guns
to keep them in active service for the
next two years.
During 1S97-9s and a portion Of 1899,
the Beers continued to strengthen their
artillery arm and also to fortify man
of the hills along the frontier. In this
period they bought forty-eigh rapid
Schneider-Canet 14k-pounders that
Five batteries of eight rapid fire Max
inns each are being used against Ma
feking and Ladysmith.
The Beers also provided themselves
with four batteries of 12-pound quick
firing vickers-Maxim guns with very
long range. They have also four runs
with immense range. Two of these
are said to be mounted on the hills at
either side Of the narrow pass that
leads from Natal in the Transvaal.
Another is overlooking Ladysmith and
the fourth protects Pretoria.
I'm all, the Beers have between 300
and go heavy guns and field pieces,
every individual gun being of the latest
design and with the latest improve
ments and the entire number superior
in nearly every way to those possessed
by the British"