Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-16
BEST EQUIPPED TROOPS.
American Soldiers Sent to Cuba Have
Finest Weapons,

Finest Weapons.
American troops sent to Havana
have been prepared for warlike ope-
rations in Cuba with the finest equip
ments Of arms and ordnance that any
army of the United States has ever
carried. says Washington correspon-
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
deadly scientific inventions. No Eu-
ropean army has ever gone into a
campaign with weapons of equal
merit, and 1t Is doubtful IL any Euro
pean army today has weapons Of equal
merit available.
Not a single weapon that was car
ried 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
modern, bearing the stamp Of latest
improvement. Even the revolver
used by the officers is a newer type of
Colts manufacture. The troops, in
fantry, cavalry and all will carry the
new magazine rife, sometimes. called
the new Springfield. For the first
time in the history Of the army, in
fantry and cavalry have the same
weapon, the cavalry having hitherto
used the carbine a shorter weapon
than the army rifle. The new rifle is
considered by experts the deadliest
army rifle in use. 1t Is Of 80 caliber.
has the best features Of the Mauser
and the Krag, Is simpler than the
Krag, and has a much higher muZzfe
velocity. The Cuban insurgent, taxi
ing 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 sixteen inch knife bayonet.
This bayonet is sharp on both edges
and is not intended for ornament.
President Roosevelt and high army
officers, reading the account Of the
Russo Japanese war and finding the
bayonet was not obsolete, but still
much in vogue in modern warfare,
concluded the rod bayonet with which
1T was determined to equip the new
rifle would not do at all. Reaching
this conclusion, 1t was decided to de-
wise bayonet that when used would
be effective. The new sixteen inch
product Is the result.
But the new army rifle Is no fur
ther advanced in military excellence
than the new three inch field gun.
General Crozier, chief of ordnance,
considers 1t superior to-the field gun
used by any other army. 1t has re-
coil cylinder and shoots a fifteen
pound shrapnel,, having a bursting
radius Of fifty yards. Long range and
great accuracy are other features of
the weapon. The recoil arrangement
Is so perfect that an artilleryman
can set a glass Of water on wheel of
the gun and fire twenty shots a min
ute without spilling the water. A
sheet Of steel Is arranged TO shield
the gunners.
The mountain guns are also new
and powerful weapons. They have a
2.95 inch. caliber and shoot a fifteen
pound projectile, but have a lower
range than the field gun proper. The
piece itself, Is carried on one mule,
the carriage on another and the am
munition on other mules. The artil-
leryman can walk. A mountain bat
terry can be carried over trails almost
inaccessible and through mountain
paths where men hesitate to venture.
Then, too. for the first time the
army Is entering a campaign with
machine gun detachment for each
regiment Hitherto there has been
no system to the handling Of the ma
chine guns. Under the new arrange
ment a detachment Of twenty -one
men is detailed to each regiment to
handle the machine weapons. These
are Vickers- 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 board
IN two at q half mile.
S>o-