The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-01
Cumming for Bircnaen, a Rare Sport Which OUR
Both Arms of Service Have Perfected HigEAngle Gums
Mn~a
M JOHN ELFRETH wArkINs.

~ oohN WATKINS.
Washington, ID. c., September u.s.
Cunning for birdmen Is a new and
terrible sport for which military MINI
rods are feshiontng weapons odd and
sinister. It la turning the science of
gunnery all topsy-turvy. for ordnance
experts must now create tho art of
aiming project'es zenithward rather
than. as heretofore. toward the horizon
bar.
Thus is to be fought out new round
In the timc-honored contest between
offensive and defensive Instruments of
war. which monsters, 1t is devoutly to
pc hoped. VIII ere long, like the Kilkeu-
ny cats. eat each other up, and leave
warfare but q crumbled relic of bar
barism
a few years back. when the aeroplane
began to excite apprehension rather
than cachinnation in mankind, we were
told that the haphazard mortar was the
only piece OF heavy ordnance that could
hurl she'll anywise near to an airscout
Hcurrying overhead through the en-
pyrian blue. And since you couldn't
aim your clumsy mortar. what was the
use? The airscout seemed destined TO
hold undisturbed dominion over all
things beneath the weikin. 1t looked
as though we mere earthlings were to
be forever at his mercy-that he could
pelt us with mombs and stinkpots to
his hearts content, while we merely
uttered feeble squeaks of terror and
took to our bomb proofs. there TO wall
until after the old town has been blown
to smithereens.
The Chesty Air Knight.
But during recent months those
necessary evils of ours. the army ana
navy. have beer busy devis!ng ways
ind means OF knock!n. the chesty air
knight from his high horse. And tho
next thing you may hear of is an
ukasc from the biological survey nv.
Ing an open season for birdmen, nos-
ious and on-insectiverous.
The navys chief OF ordnance. Rear
Admiral Twining. has presented mo
with the accompanying picture OF an
herop!ane gun. which he and HIS ex-
perts have devised after months OF
6eafeninE tests. made during the past
spring and summer at the naval prov
Ing grounds at indian Head or the
power Potomac. 1t will bore a hole
1000 yards through the turquoise dome
of the heavens-and that means moro
than Fix miles. which is going some.
This picture weapon Will not shoot Its
projection straight at the zenith
consnmmet! ton not devoutly TO be vyish.
ed inasmuch as a bomb or ball so aimed
would, II missing lts mark. fall back
among our attacking fleet, which thus
might be In grave danger Of hoist
BY lis own petard. But this aeroplane
gun can lie aimed to within I'VE de.
grees OF the zenith. or up to SIS degrees
from the horizon.
Shooting Near the vertical
II you know anything about naval
ordnance you viii note by the picture
that this new naval aeroplene gun
looks light for its mount This is due
10 the fact that for shooting near to
the vertical II must DC provided with a
much heavier bese than when banging
away in tho unual horizontal direc-
ton. IT being e three FOUNDER. 1t was
FOUND necessary. therefore, 10 give IL
the mount OF FOUNDER which thr
tests found necessary to compensate
for the more trying recoii to which it
Is subjected when nred at high Gle.
walton. Instead OF crawling unde, tn"
gun to take aim at the passing bird
man, the gunner takes his station al
the side and sights through q prIBrn
which bends the light rays up to HIS
eve. BY a single motion OF rhe lever
no sets going the quick pound proiec-
tiles flying at the rate of sixty rounds
per minute.
Army Keeps Its Secret.
The army wi,hholds the details of
the aeroplane gun for fear that tho
military attaches OF the foreign chan
celieries will steal the idea II can
be merely stated thst.this new weapon
designed to ann'hilate birdmen can,i
although given a fixed mount. DO
trained from the shoulder, like ma.
chine gun. In the view of the army
ordnance experts, no mechanical de-
Vice Is quick enough to follow a bird.
man on the wing. The sights vary,
automatically. with the changing Ella
Sation and trajectory OF the gun. and
ere, Ike those OF the naval weapon,
composed OF prisms, allowing the gum
ner some comfort while shooting
AS might be supposed. the war lord
NJ Europe Is also busv devisirc rune
with which TO snjoy tho new-Sport of
hirdman- shoe ting. Recognizing tne fact
that rapidly moving aeroplane might
rapidly get beyond the range OF HIS
guns, the Kaise. has had the Krupps
make him some armored automobiles
fitted with highangle howitZers, and
feet enough to chase q birdman and