The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-24

series. the firing spreads over a period Oh
three days.
The shore works were built after the most
approved manner. and consisted OF two
batteries, containing not only models or
guns, but dummy gunners and accessories.
Each battery carried the representation OF
eight guns. four heavy pieces and four of
medium caliber. One of the batteries had
a height above the water Of sixty-five feet,
the other, browning the crest of the island,
had command OF more than three hun
dred feet.
The result of the firing was little or no
damage To the works themselves, both
from shells filled with melinte and those
filed With black powder. More than half
the dummy gunners were hit. and about
one-quarter of the guns were dismounted
or more or less damaged. The melinite
shells IL was found, would have been par
tscularly deadly to the personnel Some
fragments were found at more than one
thousand yards from the batteries. proving
the enormous initial velocity produced by
the explosion.
The French authorities in summing UP
their findings called attention to the adj
vantage forts possessed in being able to
draw on a practically unlimited supply of
men and ANN unition, and that the defense
could continue so long as the work was
tenable and a gun remained fit to fire.
TO dismount few guns and disable a
few gunners IL was estimated that the Adj
miral Duperre and the Sfax found il neces-
sary TO fire thrty-nine tons weight of pro-
Jectiles. This indicates in some measure
the disadvantage ships labor under when
contending with well-constructed shore
works. If. on the other hand. the sixteen
guns which served as target had replied
TO the fire of the two French warships il
Is fair to presume that they would have
sustained some damage.
The experience gained by the French au-
thorities was largely borne out by firing
tests conducted by the English navy and
army authorities early in the past decade
at Portland. ten-inch breech-loading gun
dummy working up and down in a pit was
fired at by III. NJ. S. Hercules According
to arrangement the dummy was TO be Wis.,
ihle for one-half minute In every three min
utes, and small charge of powder was
fired electrically at the moment of dis
appearance TO represent the discharge of
the gun.
Ranges varying from $50 to $50 yards were
employed. and in ten minutes time 500
rounds We're fired from one-inch and rife
caliber machine guns and twenty-nine
rounds from six-pound Hotchkiss rapid-hre
guns
Owing to an accident to the whip operat-
ing the dummy the gun remained in view
fully three minutes after the seventh min
ute. Notwithstanding that the dummy was
exposed four times as long as a real gun
would have been, it received only sixteen
direct and nine splinter hits.
In European military circles the con-
sensus of opinion to-day seems to favor
for the mounting of seacoast guns the en-
vanced positions. which are greatly ex-
posed, GruSon turrets. 1t is now pretty
generally recognized that in all ordinary
cases no form of mounting should be adopt
ed for coast batteries which cannot be
worked by hand. The en- barbette system
recommends itself because of its cheapness
and because the guns be rendered in
conspicuous. Armored positions. in the
case of iron riveted fronts. do not appeal
to engineers as strongly now as formerly.
To rim or steel-face fort, il is asserted,
is to favor the attack, since the same guns
and projectiles which the ship must carry
in view of naval action are best suited
for dealing with just this type OF shore
works.
So long a gun does not occupy a for
ward position and is inconspicuously placed
II is counted to-day to have received nearly
the full measure of protection. Without
going into detail it seems TO be recognized
thas the entrances at both the east and
west ends of the Nicarauga canal can be
securely held by couple of Gruson tur-
rets and a few guns mounted en- barbette,
supplemented by an effective torpedo de-
tense.
POLICING" THE CANAL.
For the policing of the canal throughout
its length the work would naturally de-
volve on gun vessels, handy craft mounting
effective rapid-fire batteries and capable of
being used on the coasts if need be.
The guarding of the canal against land
attack will devolve on land force and an
estimate of this work calls for a brigade
of infantry, a few squadrons of cavalry
and two or three light batteries The loca-
ton where this force should establish it
self is recognized as a point or points on
the high ground lying between Lake Mica
ragua and BrlIo. The seacoast works will
be expected to maintain garrisOns at all
times but for climatic reasons there will
necessarily have to be frequent shifts, the
details coming from the main force posi-
toned on the high ground in the interior.
The only interior approach to the canal is
over trails leading up from Costa Rica,
along the San Carlos river, and over a
rough and mountainous country. Small
parties OF troops can effectually hold pos
session of these trail approaches, and
in that section. The swamp country back
of Greytown swarms with poisonous rep
tiles and insects, and its foliage is so dense
that only the smallest of forces could hope
to make its way through. Added to the
natural difficulties of the terrain is the
heavy fall of rain amounting on the av
erage to twenty-five feet per annum
The coast defense guns of the United
States are manufactured wholly within this
country. The heavy forgings are supplied
by private plants and not a few of the
guns installed have been turned out COM
plete from private shops, but generally
speaking, the War Department assemblies
the guns at the Watervlet Arsenal, 90
Gated near Troy, n. Y. The carriages are
largely made at the WATERFOWL Arsenal.
The type guns employed in the United
ing high-power rifles of the following cali
bers: Pinch, 10-inch S-inch, 6-inch and
5-inch. In addition there are quick firing
guns of 6-inch and 47-inch caliber. being
mostly pieces purchased in England just
prior &c the breaking out of the war in
1888.
THE MOST POWERFUL GUN
A 16-inch gun, having a weight of one
hundred and twenty-six tons and which
will not only be the heaviest gun ever
built. the largest gun ever built. but the
most powerful gun ever constructed, is
now nearing completion at the Watervliet
Arsenal. This gun, however, is the only
one of the class that has been authorized
for this country.
For the defense of the mine fields against
countermining efforts, and as a defense
against the attack of landing parties, rap
id-fire guns of the fifteen-pounder and six
FOUNDER types are employed. The six
FOUNDER guns, mounted on specially de-
signed parapet-mount carriage admit of
being fired over parpets, or of being
dragged rapidly about as for concentra-
ton against an assaulting force. Machine
guns also play an important part in the
defense of breaches, but they properly be-
long to the supports for infantry forces.
Assuming that the Nicaragua canal is to
be guarded by defensive works. the only
standard is one approaching close to i'm
pregnability. The works guarding the APP
proaches to st. Petersburg by way of
Kronstadt represent the Russian idea of
defended waterway. The Russian works
comprise guns in tarrets and in earthworks,
all supplemented by very elaborate and
ckillfullv MANNED tOrnedo defense