The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-07-13
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
lAPM'S DEADLY EXPLOSIVE
&***k&<*%&
3nIMOSE DID TERRIBLE DAMAGE
IN THE CHEMUlPH0
FIGHT.

y bate on the question as to
q 0 whether the projectiles
tx Il 4 which caused so many
| SHoS casualties among the crew
| Of the Russian cruiser Variag off
| Chemulpho, at the outbreak of the
war were shrapnel or high explosive
shells. The Russians are divided In
| opinion. The French and Italian Off
GERS aboard the cruisers Pascal and
Biba are of the opinion that little II
any shrapnel was used. The British
| officers who were aboard the Talbot
think that most of the havoc was due
to slirapnel.
| DIR. Wada, chief surgeon of the ia
panese Navy, has given n correspond
ent the following details in regard to
shimose, the secret explosive used by
the Japanese. DR.. Wada had twenty
four of the worst cases after they had
been aboard the Pascal for four days
and where most of the fragments had
already been extracted. He extracted
some more fragments, all of which he
said were undoubtedly parts Of high
explosive Shells"
The doctor showed parcel contain
Ing fragments extracted from one man.
The largest piece was two inches long
and half an inch wide at the greatest
point. 1t was shaped like an arrow
The next two pieces were about the
size of hazel nuts. The other frag-
ments, numbering 100, ranged in size
from a pin head to full grown pea.
An examination of the largest piece
showed that the outer walls of the
shell were not more than three-eighths
of an inch and that it was fired from
nothing smaller than n six-inch gun.
The inference is that nothing but the
best of steel can be used to stand the
pressure on the bore of the gun Moth
ing but n high explosive could smash
strong steel shell into such minute
fragments.
DR.. Wada in operating on twelve
sailors did not find larger fragment
than the one described. There were
no indications of shrapnel. He de-
scribed how on decks made slippery
with blood he saw small bits of flesh
and bone scattered everywhere. He
stumbled over an arm here and leg
there. He saw men with their abdo-
mems carried away. and the flesh torn
Off their bodies. Nothing but high
explosive shell. he said, could have
caused such effects.
The wounds caused by such shell
were no worse than those resulting
from old-fashioned shells or shrapnel
If man was lucky enough not to be
killed he had very good chance of
getting off unhurt or with very slight
wounds. but they We're meant to kill
The doctor continued.
1.-TWO sailors stood on the bridge
with Capt. Rudineff, Count Nlrod and
a petty officer. One of the new shells
struck the petty officer. The new
shells are provided with fuses and
take effect not only OH contact with
water, but with parts OF the rigging
living men, even clothing-in fact
wherever the resistance is sufficient
to alter the speed ever so little. The
shell referred to exploded and blew the
: petty officer to atoms. There was alb.
, solutely nothing found of him after.
. ward. Count Nirod, who was stand
Ing next to him. was also blown to
pieces, only one arm being found after.
! ward. The two sailors stood a little
way Off. The explosion tore all the
! flesh from the lower parts of their
legs. which had to be amputated af
terward. Capt. Rudineff was still q
little further off and escaped with
slight wounds in the head
"In old shells the fragments are
meant to kill or wound. The explosive
Is there merely to burst the shell and
| give additional impetus to the frag
ments. In the new shell the explosive
itself Is meapt to kill. The function
! of the shells is simply to convey the
, explosive to the desired spot"
DIR. Wada said he md not know the
limits in which the new shell kills oi
wounds seriously. But the instance
described above proves that 1t is no
very large. Referring 20 the numerou.
, cases of suppuration of wounds caused
by pieces of clothing entering will
= the fragments of n shell. DR.. Wads
=. suggested that the Government should
make n new rule in the navy tha
"heheNer Hght IL expected ever!
: man shall have his body we'll washed
: and his clothing dislnfected. He con
Q tinued:
Happily It is the rule Of our mel
In the army and navy always to g
> into battle in the newest and cleanes
!. uniform. This is not for sanitary con
! sideratlons, but 1t works the right wal
u all the same."-New York Sun.
n Nothing Lost.