The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-15
LYDDITE NOT RELIABLE
SHELLS FILLED WITH THE COM
POUND DO NOT ALWAYS EXPLODE.
Kitchener Bamed by Pretty Dutch
Girl-HOw the Beers Received
News of Cronje's Surrender.


Correspondence of the Associated Press
LONDON. May 5.-Reuters correspondent
at Pretoria writes interestingly of the eff
fects of lyddite. as follows: THAT the
moral effect of artillery far exceeds the
practical results has been demonstrated
over and over again in the present war
After firing so many rounds the side firing
has been convinced that so many hundreds
of the enemy hav- been rendered hors de
combat and has promptly accused the
enemy of concesling casualties when the
published results disagreed with expecta-
tons When the war commenced the
burghers had heard so much about the
terrible effects Of lyddite that it was with
fear and trembling that they faced the first
fighting. They learned. however, that the
ordinary British field battery does not fire
lyddite and that on soft ground lyddite
is comparatively harmless. For any one
with weak nerves the whistling of the APP
preaching lyddite shell and the crash as
IL expiodes are calculated to have a de-
pressing if not a demoralizing effect, but
the Boer is the most phlegmatic of men
and he has no nerves. At the battle of
Spion kop saw young Boer within three
yards by measurement of a big lyddite
shell when it exploded, tearing up the
earth and sending a score of fiery fingers
into the air, lazily rising and finding his
limbs sound. muttering to himself, The
reds are vicious to-day. But all were not
so lucky. One young burgher pitifully
complained that the lydGite had turned
MS hair and skin as yellow as a canary.
Nor would the stuff come of The most
general effect of the poisonous greenish
yellow cloud rising from the explosion was
q violent mt of coughing, and mild strang-
= fnfI Or.d H.
biggest slaughter reported as having re-
suited from a single big lyddite shell was
three killed and four wounded one day in
the trenches at Colenso after the battle
OF Colenso. Lyddite is an untrustworthy
explosive. Numbers of partially exploded
smells We're found, especially at Colenso
And still the unexploded stuff burnt all
right Tor Beers used IL by firing trains
TO kill flies. which became an unbearable
pest In the trenches at Colenso."
Of all the stories told by correspondents
OF General Kitchener this by far is the
best; while Lord Kitchener was engaged
IN suppressing the Preiska rebellion he or
dered the destruction of a certain farm
mousse Not seeing any signs of his orders
being carried out he rode over with his
STAN and found an interesting situation
In the doorway of the doomed farmhouse
stood pretty young Dutch girl, her hands
ciasping the door posts and her eyes flash
ing ire from beneath her dainty sunbonnet
The Irish sergeant in charge of the party
or destruction was vainly endeavoring TO
persuade her 10 let them pass In but to all
his Establishments of 'Arrah, darlint; wisha
now, acushla, etc, the maiden turned a
deaf ear and a deadlock prevailed. Kitch-
ener's sharp What's this? put a climax
to the scene. The girl evidently guessed
that this was the dreadful chief of staff
and her lips trembled in spite of herself
kitchener gazed surliy at her standing
pravely, though tearfully, there and turned
10 MS military secretary. Put down.. he
growied, that the commanders orders
with reference TO the destruction of Right
mans farm could not be carried out owing
10 unexpected opposition. Forward, gen
tlemen.'" o.
This Is vouched for by c. A McNuellen.
an engineer recently returned from
johannesburg