Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-29
NEW EXPLOSIVE
MAKES RECORDS
IN FIELD MEET
ATASCADERO PRACTICE NOW
ON IN EARNEST
GUNS PROVE TER
RIsLE DEsTRoYERs
Camp by Tonight Will Have About
5000 eguIars-Aready Presents
Busy and Picturesque
Scene
1By Associated Press.

NAMP ATASCADERO, Sept. 2S.--
I With the completion today of tar
~ get practice of light artillery I'M
der Captain A. NJ. Faulkner, whose
three-inch field guns today re-echoed
through the beautiful oak-studded hills
to the westward of camp, all ball am
munition was boxed tonight prepara-
tory to the coming maneuvers.
All afternoon Captain Faulkner's
guns, the latest and most modern field
pieces, doomed several miles to the
west as, racing at breakneck speed,
they suddenly unlimbered and quickly
fired at moving targets shaped Ike
gun carriages far distant over the 1000
yards.
Good records were made and the
new high-power explosive gave most
satisfactory results. The shells broke
up in very fine splinters and demon
strated the terrible destructive power
of the new explosive.
The Twentieth infantry from Monte
rey, under Colonel H. b. Macon, and
Captain John II. Parker's company of
machine guns reached camp today
noon. With the arrival tomorrow of
the Eighth cavalry from Fort McDow-
ell, San Francisco, under Colonel Fred
erick A. Smith, which is camping to-
night at Paso Robles, and the four
troops Of cavalry from Arizona and
New Mexico who have marched from
Los Angeles, about 5000 regulars will
be in camp. The cavalry is command
ed by Colonel Schuyler and is resting
at San Luis Obispo tonight.
Camp Atascadero presents most
animated and picturesque military en-
campment. Long rows of tents
chine guns at the south and the mill
tary on the north.
Location Admirable
The location is admirably adapted
| for the purpose. Situated on the gentle
slope on the eastern edge of the ten
mile maneuver field, the camp faces
the west and overlooks a large open
valley mile and a half long by a
mile wide, on which the various evo-
iutions will take place and where Gov
ernor Gi1lett and his personal staff will
| review the combined forces of regu-
lars and the national guard of Cali
fornia and Arizona. Colonel Marion p.
Maus, who is in command of the ma
neuvers, has invited the governor to
review the troops, and he is expected
within a week or ten days
To the west of the valley is a long
range of hills, thiclkly studded with
| live oaks, which will serve admirably
as q screen for infantry movements
during the battle maneuvers, with
here and there bare hilltops and open
places where cavalry and artillery can
| be utilized to advantage. The camp
| is splendidly laid out and well equipped
| for comfort and convenience, even to
shower baths for both officers and men.
It has long distance telephone and tel
| egraph connections, postoffice and an
express office.
A feature of the various tests, ex-
periments and tactical demonstrations
! in military problems will be a severe
test of the new French rapid-fire ma
chine gun, which for the first time Will
| be used by the army on the Pacific
coast. Two of the guns, which have
been imported from France, will be
used here with ball ammunition to
demonstrate their effectiveness as an
arm of defense and offense. Several
officers are coming especially to be
present at the firing Of these guns, and
| a thorough report on the results Will
be made to the war department.
The new machine gun Is just half the
size and weight of the machine gun at
present in use in the army, requires
| less men, but it is claimed has the
same range and effectiveness.
With the arrival today of Major
George E. Pickett, chief paymaster.
all of Colonel Maus' staff is now IN
camp except Lieutenant Colonel j. w:
Benet, chief ordnance officer, who VIII
arrive here the latter part of the week.