Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-22
ARE BEST EQUIPPED.
American Troops Sent to Cuba
Have Finest Weapons
in Army.
8USlNESSLIKE NEW BAYONE1
Sharp on Both Edges, and Is Intended
for Something More Than
Ornament.

American troops sent to Havana
have been prepared for warikc OBJ
mcnt of arms and ordnance that any
army of the United States has ever
carried, says Washington correspond
ent of the New York Globe.
The rifles, machine guns and field
artillery of the troops sent To Cuba
will represent the highest type of dead
ly scientific Inventions. No European
army has ever gone into Il campaign
with weapons of equal merit, and it is
doubtful if any European army today
has weapons of equal merit available
Not Il single weapon that WAS carried
by the American soldier of 1898. when
he went to Cuba, will be carried by
the soldier of 1906 who has been sent
to Havana. Everything is more mod
ern, bearing the stamp of latest i'm
provement Even the revolver used
by the officers is newer type of
Colts manufacture The troops. in
fantry, cavalry and all will carry the
new magazine rifle, sometimes called
the new Springfield. For the first time
i'll the history of the army, Infantry
and cavalry have the same weapon,
the cavalry having hitherto used the
carbiuc. Il shorter weapon than the
army rifle. The new rifle is consider
ed by experts the deadlieSt army rifle
in use. 1t is of 30 caliber, has the best
features of the MauScr and the krag,
is simpler than the Krag and has IL
much higher muZzle velocity. The Gu
ban inSurgeut. taking refuge behind
an eighteen inch tree. will not be safe
from its bullet, such is its terrific force.
1t is fitted out with another ugly
weapon in the shape of a sixteen inch
knife hayonet This bayonet is sharp
on both edges and is not intended for
ornament.
Ban ON Rod BnyOnet.
resident Roosevelt and high army
officers reading the account of the
RuSS0-JapaneSc war and finding the
bayonet was not obsolete. but still
much in vogue in modern warfare. con
Guided the rod bay0net with which it
NdS 1T iiISl ltlfi lllit't " 'tAi'i Ah'
new rifle would not do at all. Reaching
this conclusion. it was decided to de
wise n bayonet that when used would
be effective The new sixteen inch
product is the result.
But the new army rife is no further
advanced in military excellence than
the new three inch field gun. General
CrOzier chief of ordnance. considers it
superior to the field gun used by any
other army. 1t has recOil cylinder
and shoots Il fifteen pound Shrapnel,
having bursting radius of fifty yards.
Long range and great accuracy are
other features of the weapon. The re
coil arrangement is so perfect that an
can set glass of water
on a wheel of the gun and fire twenty
shots minute without splitting the
water. \ sheet of steel is arranged to
shield the gunners.
The mountain guns are also new and
powerful weapons. They have 80
inch caliher and shoot a fifteen pound
proicctilp. but have Il lower range than
the field gun proper. The piece itself is
carried Oh enc mule, the carriage on
another and the ammunition on other
mules. The artillerymen walk. \ noun
tain battery can he carried over trails
almost inaccessible and through noun |
tain paths where men hesitate to ven
turc
Then. too. for the first time the army |
is entering campaign with a machine
gun detachment for each regiment. |
there has been no system to |
hn handling of tIn
der the new arrangement detachment |
Of twentyOne men is detailed TO each |
regiment TO handle the machine weap- |
OnS. These are NickcrS- Maxim guns of |
the same caliber as the new army rifle. |
They are mounted on tripods when in |
use and are so effective that an expert |
enCed man using one can saw a board |
in two at Il half mile.
Cubans Have Wholesalers.
Army officers are much Interested in |
the question of just what arms the Gu |
bans have. Ten thousand Wholesalers |
Of the same caliber as the Krag rifle |
have been sent to Cuba since the pres |
INT trouble, and through third parties |
this government has sold large SUP |
ply of krag cartridges to the Cubans, |
forces there. This government disposed |
II this way of number of old ma
thine guns of II caliber, the same cali |
Ter as the old Springfield rifle. and |
ammunition for these guns. If all these |
weapons are at Havana, where they |
AN easily he taken over by the Ameri
AN forces, there will he no difficulty
In the present disorderly state it |
night happen that sOme of these weap.
ms got into the hands of elements |
oStile to this cOu&try, and the result !
would not be calculated to aid in the
movement TO bring peace and order to
he island. Until il is definitely known
What has become of all this equipment
rmy officers will not he entirely easy
a their minds. 4 few thousand maya
inc rifles out in the Cuban provinces
\ the hands of a lot of irresponsible
evolutionists might prove serious