The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-06-17
HIGH EXPLOSIVE TESTS
Terrific Power of New Shell
Shown at Fort Riley, Kan.

Ammunition Made by German Firm
Would AnnihiIate Infantry In the
Field and Silence Other Batteries.
Stout Stone Walls Quickly Raced.
The field artillery board of the Unit
ed States army. which is stationed at
Fort Riley. Kan. has recently conclud-
ed one of the most interesting and at
the same time thorough tests Of ammu-
milton for field artillery that have tax
en- place in the United States. For the
past two years the army has been ex-
perimenting with a high explosive
shrapnel and shell with q view of in
creasing the killing power of the for
mer and the destructive qualities of
the latter The ammunition used in
this test. which occupied a week, was
the product Of German firm.
There were many features of the
firing which were spectacular and of
great interest to the layman. From
vantage points on the reservation and
safe beyond the danger zone the flights
Of the shells could be plainly heard
and the bursting of the many shells
could be seen as they hit about the
targets or, striking them, tore them to
pieces.
The terrific power of this new ammu-
milton was plainly demonstrated, says
Fort Riley correspondent of the Kan
sas City Star, and the tests, which
were conducted under the personal su-
DarviciOD of tho mann harS 90 +bo hoor5
proved successful beyond the fondest
expectations.
The first target to be attacked repre-
sented infantry in column on the
march. Eight board targets. each forty
yards long, two yards high and of inch
planhng. were arranged one after the
other and twenty-five yards apart.
Roth shrapnel and shell were used on
these targets from a distance of 5000
yards. The shells were exploded over
these targets in order that the flying
pieces would go downward. After the
first shot the targets were riddled like
a sieve, showing what the chance
would be for a column of troops NOV
ing in the open in the face of such a
fire.
Another type of target was a shielded
gun and caissOn, with a caisson chest
loaded with shrapnel and shell and
with five dummy cannoneers at their
posts. The firing was begun from a
rangN Of about 1000 yards, with the
artillery finally moving up to within
about 1000 yards of the target The
rain of we'll directed shots literally tore
the target in pieces. 1t was set on fire,
and many of the shells in the caisson
chest were exploded. The cannoneers
were killed" the dummies having
been hit many times. The object of
this fire was to ascertain what protec-
ton there was afforded by a shielded
gun and caisSOn.
The third target on the programme
was made up of two stone walls. each
six yards long, three yards high and
one yard thick. 1t was assumed that
these targets sheltered troops. and the
object was to destroy this shelter as
we'll as TO burst the shells over them
and reach the troops assumed to be
behind them. These walls were RACED
in short order. The second wall was
destroyed by five shots of the high ex-
plosive.
Corporal Edward Peterson of Bat
terry G was complimented by the board
for his remarkable craftsmanship. The
terrific bursting power of this high ex-
plosive ammunition was shown on that
days firing. Pieces Of shell were
thrown half a mile One piece struck
a man working in a stone quarry on
the reservation with sufficient force to
cut through his shoe and into his foot.
Another piece of the same shell struck
dinner pail in this quarry.