The Washington times., 1904-09-19
AMERICA STRONG
IN FIELD ARTILLERY
Powerful New Guns Lately
introduced.
INTEREST IN JAPS' WORK
Terrible Efficiency Of Oriental Powers
Ordnance Stimulates Dis
cussiOn Here

Cu5SlUu mere
Would the United States be found
wanting in the artillery arm If it were
to engage in war with a power Ike Ja-
pan?
Reports of the appalling efficiency OF
the japanese artillery have caused
American students Of military affairs to
ask this question.
The stories of havoc the japanese have
wrought with Shimose powder. lyddite
and other destructive agencies are so
alarming that evsu the most patriotic
Americans may be excused for suspect
ing that the American army might suf-
fer the fate Of the Russians were it COM
PEELED to face the Mikado's troops.
Many New Field Guns.
American ordnance officers. the men
who know absolutely where the United
States army stands In artillery efic en-
cy, say, however, that this country IS
equipped as we'll as. If not better than
Gry other nation. American officers
have been especially active in develop
ing the artillery since the war with
| Spain. The RUsso-Japanese war was
not necessary TO teach the importance
Of artillery. and American officers Co
not think the Japanese have improved
their artillery more than might have
been expected.
Ordnance experts are confident the
new field gun which is being manufac-
tured for the American army will be
better than the field guns Of any other
army At present the army orinar T.
department has under construction IfS
ty-two light batteries Of four guns. each.
These are all Of the model adopted IN
1902. The guns have a caliber OF three
inches and fire a proiectiIe of fifteen
pounds with an initial velocity Of ]. 200
feet per second The gun is of the long
recoI type and uses fixed ammunition.
II fires six times as rapidly as the gun
now in use.
Four to Battery
4 The present guns are assigned six TO
La battery The new batteries Of four
guns viii be much lighter and will re-
.quire smaller number of men to throw
-four times as many shells. The weight
.Of the new gun and its aDpurtenances
viii be 1890 pounds
A prOjectile can be hurled more than
five miles with the new gun and Will be
man-killing at that range. This dis
tance is as great as a light artillery
proJecttle can be fired to any purpose.
as in the ordinary country it IS imp9s-
sible to make out a target at greater
distance. even with the use Of glasses.
In Use at Fort Riley.
American ordnance officers have not
been asleep" one of the experts Of the
serviC= remarked yesterday when ask
ed about artillery. 1T is no exagcera-
tion 20 say the new field gun far sur
passes that of any other army. IL IS
as near perfect as il is possible to make
la gun, based on the experiences Of forces
In modern warfare"
one battery of the new field guns is
now completed and in use at Fort PiIev
Kan The rest Of the batteries are nm
der construction at the Rock Island Ar
senal, and IN the factories of nriv9fe
concerns IWenty-SiX OF the new hat
terles VIII replace the old batteries now
IN use and the others viii be made for
such National Guard detachments as
may be armed in case for war.
HOwitzer and Siege Guns.
In addition to the new field gun the
army is also To be provided with six
other pieces for field and siege use
These are "a 3-inch mountain gun. to be
carried on pack mules: a 3.S-inch heavy
field artillery rifle. weighing 4 500
pounds; 47-inch siege rife; a 3S-inch
howitzer; a 47-inch howitzer. and q g.
inch siege howitzer- Tne smaller how
itzer is intended to be used with the
3-inch field rife. the 49inch howitzer
with the 5S-inch heavy field artillery
rifle. and the 6-inCh hOwitzer with the
47-inch siege rife The weights Of the
hOWitzcrs and rifles thus paired nearly
correspond.
The hOwitzer is capable of shooting
shells. shrapnei. and solid shot. IL Is
intended, however. for use chiefly in
shelling iutrenChments and fortified
works. While Its range is less than
that OF rifles, by reason of its short
ness. its muZZle can be elevated TO a
greater degree than n rifle, and cunSe-
quently II can throw projectiIes in
such a way that they viii curve high
, I'm the air and fan behind intrenchments
The most effective use of the field rifle
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