The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1900-02-22

IL Is certainly crumb Of comfort to
"A man about to fight for his country
To know that In battle not more than
one In every thousand projectiles of all
descriptions and weight take effect.
Competent authorities state that on
the average II takes ton OF shot 10
kill one man. For instance, II has been
estimated that In the Crimean war the
British and French troops fired bo-
tween them the enormous amount OF
AZ, 100000 projectiles, resulting in the
death OF only $1,000 Russians, while
on their side the Cars adherents kill.
ed some $4,000 of the allies with an ex4.
penditure of over o0,00O,O00 projectlles.
this representing d death for every
1857 shots fired.
The American civil war returns.
which were got out with very great
care, showed that the loss 10 both the
Federals and Confederates WAS about
I per cent. of the force engaged, 10
bring about which involved the ex'
penditure OF nearly twenty-five hun
dred weight Of ammunition per man.
At the siege OF Mezleres. la the
Franco German war. the Prusslans
threw no fewer than 1917 900 proJectiles
into the Inflated town, but strange TO-
say, less than 400 people were killed by
them. Then at Trouville two people
only were killed after some $1,000 odd
shells had been discharged. At Sedan.
however. the aim OF both the Germans
and the French showed marked Inn.
proyement. for after $40. 900 projectiles
had been fired nearly 1900 French and
Prusslans were killed.
For the Spanish merican war the
returns showed tremendous amount
Of shot and shell fired for very meager
results. or course, In this case. al
though the mortality was not great. the
damage 20 earthworks, fortifications
and government buildings generally
was enormous. and there can be little
made themselves scarce the death roll
would have been appalling.
Again. when the American marines
landed at Santiago, during a fusiliade
upon the enemy lasting two nights. the
machine guns and rifles alone account
ed for the consumption OF $4,000 rounds
of ammunition. sixty-eight dead Span.
iards were found Ms result OF this
enormous expenditure OF ammunition.
) Our own experience In our little
wars has been very little. II any. bet
Ter than ths results just recorded.
Take. for instance, the Chartered Com
pany's expedition into Matabeleland.
Every one will remember how the war
riors OF Lobengula were moved down
by the Maxim guns like skittles. but
even In this instance. which. perhaps.
IN the most effective on record, as the
impy advanced on the British lines Ia
solid masses. II would have puzzled "A
blind man TO have missed shooting
some Of them. The mortality was very
small considering the vast number OF,
cartridges expended. but this is ac-
counted for By the fact that on exam
lnation some OF the dead bodies con-
talned more than fifty bullets 10 each.
ON another occasion. at an attack OH
lager some twenty miles south of
Buluwayo. 1900 rounds OF ammuni
ton were disposed OF with a result or
$40 dead Matabele.
Military authorities now regard rap
idity OF fre as being more essential,
than range and precision. and contetut
themselves with general orders to aim
low. and this, perhaps. accounts for.
the fact that most wounds are Inflicted:
on the enemy's lower extremities. sta
tlstics showing that on the average 40,
per cent OF the wounds occur In the
legs. 80 per cent In the abdomen. 81,
per cent. In the arms and chest, and
only per cent, In the head
IL will be interesting to learn how
many Boer bullets II takes to kin "A
British soldier. and vice versa. II only
for the sake OF really ascertaining
whether the Transvaal burghers' abIli.'
ties as crack shots have not been con.
siderably oyerrated.-London Mail.