The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-18
THE BOER ARMAMENT.
Their Splendid Equipment and the
Way it Was Obtained

London. Feb. 17.-(Saturday The
correspondent of a news agency, writing
from Durham, speaks with apparent
knowledge Of the Boer armament and
the way it was obtained as follows:
The expenditure of the TlmSvaal
Government for artillery during the past
four years is shown with startling blunt
ness in a document that has been
bought here from Pretoria, and was is
sued some time before the opening OF the
war for the private information of the
members of the Nolksraad. In 1891 the
Beers gave their first order for guam
tity of heavy guns and then they eX-
pended 100000 pounds sterling with
Krurp Of Grmany. and about 100000
rounds sterling with an Austrian firm
for small arms. The Krupp guns We're
delivered in 1880 and included two of
what was then the largest pattern for
a gun III the world. These guns are IS
feet in length, weigh 100 tons throw a
shell weighing 1900 pounds and require
904 pounds of powder for each discharge.
One of these enormous weapons has been
dragged to the heights overlooking Lady
smith, the labor necessary 10 accomplish
this feat having been prodigi0us. The
ether is on the Notifications defending
Pretoria where it awaits the approach
of the British in their coming attack on
the capital Both 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 1858 inches and all these at
tributes have enabled this gun tC make
Ladysmith a most uncomfortable spot
during the past several weeks.
I'm 1895 another 100000 pounds steri-
ing was expended with Krupp and a
number of field guns of long range We're
obtained as were also several mountain
and bush guns, these being especially
adapted to the iilly country and the hot
climate of the Transvaal.
But is was in 1896 that the Beers
contracted for the guns that have thus
far in the war done them the most eff
fective service. 1t was at this time
that they made their first purchase of six
cannon manufactured at Creusot and so
satisfied were the Boer officers with
them that IS have been added to the
Transvaal armament since that date.
One of the many effective features of
this gun is the clever arrangement or
springs and brakes that lessons the re-
coil materially and brings the gun back
to its former position within two seconds
after it's being discharged. This gives
greater velocity to the projectile and
increases the range.
The velocity is a trihe under i've
miles, this remarkable result being OBJ
tanned from a charge of less than two
pounds of power and from a r:ll weigh
ing 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 ammunition.
There is a sufficient quantity of ammu-
pition 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 f0rtify
many of the hills along the frontier. In
this period they bought As rapid fire
Schneider-C anet 1415 Founders that
throw shrapnel containing pa bull
lets. Five batteries of eight rapid fire
Maxims each. are being used against
Mafekipg and Ladysmith. The Beers
also provided themselves with four bat
teries of 12-pound quick-fring Vickers-
Maxim guns with range extending up
to 5000 yards. They have also four
guns with range of $4,000 yards. Two
of these are said to be mounted on the
hills at either side of the narrow pass
that leads from Natal into the Trans
vaal, another is overlooking Ladysmith
and the fourth protects Pretoria.
TN all the Beers have between 220 and