The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-13

Golfers Weekly.
There have been marked improvements
in field and naval guns in the past five
years and there have also been marked ad-
vances made in projectiles. The shrapnel
which the English and Beers are using in
South Africa is regarded as ahead OF any
shrapnel which has been used I'm recent
warfare. Only a few years ago two thou
sand yards was deemed the maximum
range at which shrapnel was effective. In
South Africa and at Omdurman the Brit
fish shrapnel has been used effectively at
ranges of $500 yards. The shrapnel shell
is an ordinary looking projectile filled with
a number Of small balls. The majority OF
field guns of 295-inch caliber use shrapnel
containing about $50 small balls. In the
center Of the shell is a charge of black
powder, and in the head of the shell time
fuse. This time fuse resembles in its work.
ing the combination mechanism of a safe
door lock. There is a graduated arc cut to
seconds and fractions of seconds. Now,
knowing the distance away of the enemy
and the time required for the shell to trav-
ell that distance, the fuse is cut according
ly; /. e., puncture is made through the
walls of the fuse at the desired number of
seconds. The discharge of the gun ignites,
through the medium of PERCUSSION ar
rangement, the illuminate, and at the expi-
ration of the elapsed time the flame dashes
into the powder chamber and the dis
charge follows. The effect of the burst is
to release the small balls within. AS the
shell had downward trend, it being near
the end of its flight at the time of the
burst, the small balls are carried onward
and downward. AT the same time there is
slightly scattering effect. In general the
trend Of the shrapnel balls. following a
burst, Is that of a cone inverted.
The artillerfst endeavors to burst his
yards short of the enemy's position. The
effect is very much akin to that of $50
sharpshooters suddenly opening fire on one
head not over thirty yards away. In ex-
periments made with the shrapnel for the
United States field guns of 3.2-inch caliber
1t was found that at a range of 1000 yards
the cone of dispersion is about is degrees,
which will cover circle about twenty
three feet in diameter at a distance of TWEEN
ty-seven yards. The number of balls and
fragments of the shrapnel contained within
this cone of dispersion is about go for the
135-pound and $50 for the 165-pound shrap-
mel. The shells used in the United States
field guns are heavier. a rule. than those
employed in Europe. The 13.5-pound Amer
lean shell contains 200 small balls and the
16.5-pound shell 236 balls.
AT Omdurman Lord Kitcheners force
opened on the advancing dervishes with
shrapnel at ranges in excess of 1900 yards.
The effect Of the shrapnel bursts along the
dervish lines, ii is reported was to NOW
down twenty-five to thirty men at each dis
charge.
The shell proper as employed in field
guns is used nowadays almost wholly in
operations against buildings or against
protected positions. Against exposed
bodies of troops forces of the enemy
lying behind intrenchments shrapnel is
brought into play. So important Is shrap-
mel considered to-day that the ammunition
supply for many field batteries in Europe
consists Of So per cent shrapnel and 40
per cent. shell and canister. The high
velocities obtainable by reason of the intro
6uctlon of smokeless powder and the fit
ting of recoil mechanism have yielded
greater ranges for shrapnel. While $500
yards is recorded for field guns when using
shell, a range of 1880 yards is deemed
maximum for shrapnel from the general
type of field gun. The shrapnel balls de-
pend on that velocity of the shell proper
remaining just before the burst for their
own velocity, and this remaining velocity
must be sufficiently great to afford power
70 inf1ict dangerous wounds upon horses.
The least energy essential is placed at 2S2
foot-poundS For the average run or small
balls employed. say forty-two to the pound,
an energy of 2S2 foot-pounds is obtainable
from remaining velocity of about S14 feet
per second. This corresponds to muzzle
velocity of 1000 foot-seconds and affords
an efficient shrapnel effect at $500 yards.
The French, however. in their endeayor
to increase shrapnel powers have added To
their artillery a number of howitZers of 10
milimeter caliber, designed almost ex-
CluSively for shrapnel work. These guns
are employed with the small-caliber field
Iieces Now that the French field ar
tillery is to be reduced to four guns per
battery it is surmised that the howitzers
will be employed in independent organiza-
tons The British have recently dispatched
10 South Africa three full howitZer bat
teries, the only organizations of the kind
in the British service. These howitzers are
counted upon to do very efficient work.