The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-08-01

taking Oft the bayonet, nor could q
charge be made after friug without
stopping to put the bayoret on. It
was natural that q manner less iucon.
venIent should be devised, and it soon
Was.
Later the experiment was made OF
using a trowel and shaped bayonet, so
1t could be employed in throwing up
trenches. But this was discarded be
ca"se Of its weight and shortness,
which placed men at q disadvantage
against troops equipped with longer
bayonets.
Fifteen years ago it was thought
that the long range modern rifles
would practically do away with close
encounters between opposing armies,
and the moral support which a soldier
gains from having e bayoust in his
possession could be given by less
burdensome variety Of the article. A
rod bayonet vas therefore introduced.
1t had a pointed tip and was carried in
the same position which the ramrod
used to occupy on the gun barrel.
But the Russo.Japanese war has
brought back the old bayonet with it's
deadly power in hand to hand en-
counter. The events around Port
Arthur demonstrated that it is impos.
sible for troops 70 advance in the face
Of modern firing. They simply can.
not stand up against it.
AS consequence, the advances up
on fortified position must be made
ut night. The old knife bayonet is
more cGeotual IN the hand to hand en-
counters which come either in case of
sortie or in storming the works to
which these night advances bring the
| troops. ...
It is matter of curiosity to the
outsider what becomes Of the old guns.
In many cases certain parts of them
can be used again in the manufacture
| of improved models. Others are pass
ed in from the regulars to.the militia.
Some are sold to boy s military schools.
Hundreds of them are sold to dealers
and bythem to collectors Of souve-
| Mrs. :. =.
While the life of gun is more Of
ten cut short by it's going out Of fash
ion than in any other way, still it
grows feeble aud useless just as hu-
man beings do. Every time a modern
rife is fred the explosion liberates
gasses which have ON enorr.1us pres
sure.
This produces heat which in in-
tense. Firing many rounds is liIely
to cause such erosion Of the interior
of the barrel as will seriously impair
the usefulness Of that partic ular gun.
So that there is pretty steady de-
| mand for new rifles even in times of
| peace, when guns wear themselves
| out, though more slowly, in mere tar
get practice. ~. ,.,g.3.. -, r.
Cartridges which are suspended by
another type are broken up at Frank
ford: Pa, where the government man
ufactures its ammunition, and the
| available materials are used again. s...=
| I'm times Of war: the percentage Of.
loss depends entirely on the indiyid-
ualt circumstances. The greatest fac.
tor is continued and rapid firing. Thia
might render q gun unseryiceable ky
heating the parts So that there would
be erosion. IS: * .s s95S 3;ts i5t
There iaf in ( the: nauasun /: at5 the
Springfield armory a2 Interesting group
of gune, showing how y rife itself may
come to q violent end 4 Bursk barrels
broken stocks, jammed locks, bullet
holds trayersely through the barrels,
barrels which haya reesiyed 2a bullet
diressly into the imuzsle--these are
aone Of she ways.i which 8 rifle iis
put ont of action. s:=. S. s ::,sS :s5 .s ,
.,W hen the b,ystsnde Ell ssss d stack of
gnns from which at 8 mjoImrlssanns 81 rlsan j warn.
Ing soldiers are suppo rs take esoh
his own weapon the civilian J Hond dedrs dt
lihow ID she sEorld The men know pai which
y vhiofh. Soldiers S ttemselYssss3 ssay W
that they grow i % !; familiar with 3 tlis
feel Of their ownsr lss as u cavalry.
man does With ths gsits sof hisI, ,otrsee te e.|y BOG
iEa3 If there ah0i11d IA il ioHn frsni Az ss