The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-03-01
GOT READY ON
THE QUIET.
A Large Number Of Powerful
Guns Back the Beers in
Their Struggle.


A CORRESPONDENT writing from Durham,
South Africa, to . newsper In London
speaks with apparent knowledge OF the
Boer armament and the way it was OBJ
tanned "a follows:
"The expenditure Of the Trsnsvaal gov
eminent for artillery during the past four
wears is shown with startling bluntness in
document brought here from Pretoria
and was issued sometime before the open
ing of the war for the private information
of the members OF the Volksraad. In
1894 the Beers gave their first order Tor
quantity Of heavy guns and then they ex-
pended 100000 pounds with KruPp' OF
Germany, and about 100000 pounds win
an Australian firm for small arms Inc
Krupp guns were delivered in 1893 and In
cIuded two of what was then the largest
pattern for a gun in the world. lnese
guns are 4S feet in length, weigh l2o TONS
throw a she'll weighing $500 pounds ana
require 9O4 pounds of powder Tor escn
discharge. One of these enormous weap-
ons has been dragged to the heights over
looking Ladysmith, the labor necessary 10
accomplish this feat having been prodIg-
mons. The other is on the fortihcatIoh
defending Pretoria, where it awaits 'he
approach of the British in their coming
attack on the capital. Both are amply
,rovided with ammunition which, in ad-
dition to the great steel and iron shei's'
consist of shrapnel, holding 3,OOo balls
weighing 3i-2 ounces each. Its bore Is
l6 Is inches and all these attributes. nave
enabled this gun to make LadysmIth
most uncomfortable spot during the pas'
several weeks.
"Iu 1895 another 100000 pounds was
exnended with Krupp and a NUMBER o'
!. field guns of long range were obtained al
, were also several mountain and busf
guns. these being especially adapted Il
, the billy country and the hot climate o
the Transvaal
Rut il was in 1896 that the Beers con
,rocted for the guns that have thus lar II
the war done them the most effective scr
, Woo II was at this time that they mao
). THAR first purchase Of six cannon manu-
h. featured at Crensol and so satlshed "''
,ho Roer officers with them that 10 nav
been added to the Transvaal armameh
since that date. One ofthe many ehec''
features of this gun is the clever arrange
ment of springs and brakes that Jesse
tho recoil materially and brings the gu
hack TO its former position WITHIN I"
seconds after its being discharged IN
- gives greater velocity to the projectile All
increases the range. The velocity IS
triae under five miles, this remarkable r.
suit being obtained from charge oil lei
than two pounds of powder and from
Up gun weighing only 3,4O0 pounds. Eig'
LAP shots may be fired each minute w''ho'
heating the metal. Every gun goes III
action provided with l44 rounds oil amm
milton. There is sufficient quantity
nj. ammunition for these particular guns
keen them in active service for the ne
ed two years
DIS During 1898 and portion OF io'
the Beers continued to strengthen the
m. artillery arm and also to fortify many
m the hills along the frontier. In this peri
and they bought As rapid fire Schneider-Car
AK FOUNDERS that throw shrspnel co
~ tanning 234 bullets. Five batteries
= eight rapid Maxims, each, are being US
against Mafeking and Ladysmith' l
rIl Beers also provided themselves with &c
batteries of ~ pound quick firing Nicke
D. Maxim guns with range OF l2,ooo var
md Two of these are said to be mounted
dav the hills at either side OF the narrow p'
that leads from Natal into the Transva
another is overlooking Ladysmith
the fourth protects Pretoria.
"in all, the Beers have between 22o
80 heavy guns and field pieces, every
10 diyidual gun being of the latest des
,, and with the latest improvements and
entire number superior in nearly ev
way to those possessed by the British.