The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-21
RAPID FIRE GUNS
FOR THE POST
Wonderful Engines of DeStruc.
ton to Be Installed.
-A
GREAT ARTILLERY DEPOT
4
OFFICER OF MILES STAFF TALKS
OF FORT DOUGLAS.
GREAT ARTILLERY DEPOT

Lieutenant Colonel Henry H. Whit
ney, an hide to Lieutenant General
Miles, spent yesterday in Salt Lake
City, en- route TO the Pacific coast on a
tour Of rest and recreation. He is ac-
comranied by hrs. Whitney. The
couple spent pleasant day visiting
with old friends 1t Fort Douglas Later
a number of officers and their wives
called and spent the evening with the
visitors.
Fort Douglas is a unique post in its
way, anG viii be one Of the most inter
estins in America as soon as the bat
terry equipment is received" declared
the colonel. "Out of a total of thirty
field batteries, not enough by far to
give one to each state, this post has
been favored with two. A battery is
the most interesting thing to be found
in the army. No other branch of the
service is progressing so rapidly and
no other branch viii have the signifi-
canoe in warfare in the future.
Rapid-hre Guns.
Wonderful experiments and tests
are being made at this time, and it will
capable Of throwing twenty-three thir-
ty-PGund shells a minute viii be in
stalled at all these posts that have
field batteries. The possibilities Of
these modern guns throwing shrapnel
is almost beyond human comprehension
in their death-dealing powers. At the
same time an automatic revolver is be
ing examined with a view to adoption
equipped with magazine that viii en-
able the user to fire nine shots almost
as quickly as one can be fired now.
The Tapid-fire guns have been tested
up TO the point where they are about
TO be taken to Fort F.iley and dragged
about To demonstrate their mobility.
This post is properly an artillery
-cpOt, The hills and canyons afford
an excellent opportunity to drill in
marching and in moving z. battery on
just the kind of ground thar il is like
" to have to contend with IN action
1t will be worth a great deal to the
city in adding to its attractiveness to
have the batteries here when they are
fully equipped.
Improvement Of Post.
Something may be heard soon in
connection with the effort TO rehabili-
tate the post. The departmental board
prOvements are usually ln,-de, VIII
meet next Monday. Major Young mas
explained TO me his plan to double the
capacity of the post at slight expense
and 1 think it decidedly practical He
COntemplates raising the roofs of the
barracks and building in an additional
story The lower story or stories. the
foundations and the roof viii be saved
in each instance and the necessary
stone can be secured from the hills
back of the fort. OF course, It is not
in my province to predict what viii be
done by the board but ] am sure its
Importance from a geographical stand
point, from the standpoint of its proX-
unity TO transportation facilities and
its central location viii not be over
looked. Those who are interested n
the matter should rush their recon-
mendatiOns and suggestions to the sec
rotary Of war at once.
-'The automobile in warfare?
General Miles, who is an author
fly on those subjects, recently endeav-
ored TO explain the possibilities of the
horseless carriage in military life. AS
a means of quick communication be
tween the advance guard or some wing
of an army ana the main body, he re-
CARDS it as of possible value. The
same IS true Of the machine for ambu-
.ance purposes or to mount a light
rapid-firing gun on to be rushed ahead
10 participate in a skirmish at a ford
or something of that sort. AS means
Of transportation or for general pur-
poses, it is out of the question"