The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-10
CHINESE NOTIONS OF GUNNERY.
Lord Charles Bcrssferd's Amusing Account Of
what He Saw at Shanghai.

From the Engineering Times.
Lord Charles Beresford. discussing the OPEN
ings In China for mechanical engineers. gives
an amusing description Of Chinese forts and
a~rsenals.
4 would like he says. TO tell you ono or
two stories thoroughly characteristic Of the
Chinese. At Shanghai in the superb arsenal
under tho superintendence Of Mr.. Blunt and
Mr.. Cornish, both British mechanical engl-
neers. I saw an Armstrong gun which had had
the breech piece repaired in a most clever
manner. As q matter Of fact, it was really a
Krupp gun. but with an Armstrong breeoh
mechanism. On asking for explanations. I
was told that the original breeoh piece had
been blown out and on visiting a fort later on I
found out how and why. At this fort | con-
graduated the mandarin on having the guns
~Io7-ton) mounted In proper positions. and
then said: You surely do not use this powder
d.r fn0' '.s s1dR s' 's But ( E's vim ' sfss he ssi Sro %sS:
e Pss On Out S.lns "a sf, 4 S Sess' X. SsS S Sss ssp'y gr e%i
othsf gun and killed ,xenty.iouE men:
there were Nv. .isty:son guns: Observing
DARN where his, front was, The mandarin
pointed in one direction, but VI, the guns s., pointed
DARN nodded. and said he thought there was
one gun could be fired safely in the desired
a !Ms Should ' i9s them nS; a IfP''. 4. my 1ss rs %aesat the
experiment was then made, and on pointing
the guns around az desired they became en-
e ens gun W Would uId' have destroyed the detacR.
ment on duty at It's neishbor, Knowing this.
I placed soldiers hats and clothes about the
sSns; s snd ON tr were BE SioE sas's Ky IN hi sSH0s' 'YSn
seep' / observed to the mandarin. Yes re-
piled the latter. we should have had some
men killed, but the shot would have reached
A another place there was . cotton muzzle-
loading gun. at which the arrangements were
such that the CUR, was actually loaded In the
Wsd might, therefore, have blown the whole
up. l pointed this out. remarking that ! had
never seen anything so dangerous, The
said: You are the cIeyerest man | have ever
met. That Is just what. happened last year
We did fire the gun and the magazine blew up;
been killed in this explosion. but NO alteration
had been made in reconstructing the battery.
Later on I went to a powder mill and found there
excellent machines Of German make: noticed ! 3D.
pan. and. further, that the windows were all
open and protected by gratings, Hence Y
va: possible for dust or STit to {. h HsS. IN X a ID,
friction caused. to start an explosion, 1pointed
this out and the mandarin replied: Yes, II blew
up like that last year. this is the new place we
have built since
THE Chinese were also delighted with me
at other arsenals having no European super.
i~ntendent when I showed them how to set
-In one place I found a man boring a o
FOUNDER gun. and the tool protesting most
vigorously against the ill-treatment showed
the man how to adjust 1t, and got 1t going prop;
talked excitedly. I asked what they were
saving and was told: They are saying that
England produces the most wonderful man.
darins In the world. We have many. but moi
one OF them knows anything about any OF the
machinery In the shop"