Evening star., 1914-07-31
Use Of ARTILLERY
IN IMPENDING WAR
General Conflict in Europe
Would Mean Gigantic Duel
in That Arm of Service.
SITUATION DISCUSSED
BY RETIRED OFFICER
Does Not Believe Cavalry and Infan.
try Forces Will Play as an
Important a Part.

The impending general conflict in
Europe. if the various nations now en-
broiled actually undertake hostilities
against each other, will De a Siganue
artillery duel in the opinion of a retired
artillery officer in Washington. rms
officer. who has made a special study OF
his branch Of the science of war. ano
who is known to have a grasp OF military
conditions as they apply today TO the
nations or the world in the use OF Faii-
Gus arms OF offense and defense, does MOI
believe that either the cavalry or IN
fantry forces of the nations OF Europe
will play as important a part as VIII the
artillery, if the impending connict conieS'
France and Germany he said To-Day
ARE at the head, leaders, OF Two
schools in the use of artillery. All 'he
other countries of the world, lncluu-
ing the United States, have patterned
their artillery after France or Ter
many.
"Russia and the Balkan powers rep
resent the French school OF artuiery.
The other powers of Europe, excePtInS
England, represent the German schooi'
England has tried to steer an inaepsnr-
ent course, with the intention OF nav
ing individuality. and only crude anu y
conflicting guesses are made as to VIVA.
the efficiency of English artillery would
be in war with modern guns.
U. S. Adopts Some of Each.
The Prussian war was the
last artillery war. Since the civil war
in this country, and since the Franco
Prussian war, the United States, in de-
veloping it's artillery, has divided the
methods used in France and Germany,
adopting some of each In the Amer
lean artillery service all the bright
young, hustling, adventurous omcers
swear allegiance to the French schooi.
tive officers believe in the German school,
but many colonels of regiments nave
been influenced by the ideas Of the
younger. or French, school.
French methods Of preparation, or hx-
Ing data and adjustment Of fire are
taught at the school of fire at Fort Sill.
Okla, and at all the artillery camps OF
instruction in the United States. inciud-
ing Tobyhanna, Pa. to which 1.t.s;,t the pat u
Columbia National Guard is to go in
August
ITO glance for moment at artillery
history: There has been more advance
In artillery 'materieP-and the French
spelling of the word in use all over the
world, including the United States. is sig
nihcant-in the last ten or fifteen years
than there was before that In all the
years since gunpowder was first en-
ployed Materier means guns. harness,
ssWhen Prussia came to be a great
power and fought Austria In 1855 Prussia
had a rified field gun, which, Of course,
was a breech-loader The Austrians were
beaten at every battle by superiority OF
range and accuracy Of the Prussian ar
tillery.
Prussian Gun Holds Lead.
"France had clung to the muzzle-load-
ing. smooth-bore guns believed effective
against infantry and cavalry at short
ranges. Her artillerists saw the advan-
tage of the riied gun, as developed In
the Prusso-Austrian war, but the Franco
Prussian war came on before the French
artillery was remodeled. Much OF the
French field ordnance was hastily rffled
and converted into breech-loaders. but
the converted gun was found to be not
the equal of the Prussian gun.
ALSO, in the Franco-Prussian war the
Prussians developed the system Of massed
artillery fre-that Is. they massed their
guns and brought fire to bear directly on
the desired objective.
''Since that war. however. France has
taken the lead in artillery. and it was
that country which developed the field
gun which Is the standard field gun of
all the world today. 1t has been modified
by other powers. but the principles Of the
gun are of French origin. This gun uses
fixed ammunition. The three-inch field
piece. which Is about the standard aver
age size, uses a big cartridge on the
principle of revolver or rine cartridge.
in which primer. propelling charge and
SHE'LL or shrapnel or combination high
explosive shrapnel and combination fuse
are made up together in a brass cart
ridge case.
''The fuse, instead Of being cut By
hand for the number OF seconds OF digh'
of the projectiie, Is mechanically set fol
any desired range by mechanical fuse
setter.
THE rifle. in the matter Of recoil. Il
Independent Of its carriage. In the gun
today succeeded the recoil was communi.
Gated to the carriage. and after shot
the gun had to be brought back into
battery by hand.
Action Of Modern Gun.
The gun is now on a cradle on tht
carriage. and after the shot 1t recoils
On guide rails, the recoil being taken ul
by q piston in a cylinder of oil. and the
gun broght back into battery by three
counter recoil springs.
AS q consequence. the rapfdity OF drt
In such q gun has been raised from ONT
shot a minute to twenty-five shots 8
minute.
''The French. developing this gun, de.
veloped the system of indirect fire. where
by the gun is concealed from the enemy
but lays on an objective. probably ir
the rear or on the flank, called an aim
ing point. the angle between which anC
the target has been measured by an OBJ
server, usually at some distance from the
gun. and the angle transformed, so thai
the gunner sets OF on his panoramic
sight the angle between the aiming point
and the target