The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1914-08-24
The Right Arm of France.


Frances good right arm in her
greatest war is of steel. She places
her main dependence upon her ar
tillery service, for which her infan-
try and cavalry are but supports. At
this time the eyes of the military
world are centered upon that artil-
lery. No one doubts the skill of the
French gunners, but the experts be-
lieve that in the clash of the armies
1t is the guns that will turn the
victory. And the French cannon
are scientific marvels involved in a
sort of romantic mystery. In the
recent Balkan war the Servian ar
tillery service was equipped largely
with French guns, directed by
French officers. The Turks had
German guns and German artillery
men. In nearly every instance
where French battery faced a Ger
man battery the French fire seemed
to do greater execution. That seem
: ed to support French claims There
remains, however, the test of a
great battle, French against Ger
mans. Then the world will know
whether the French guns will per-
form the miracles of slaughter ex-
pected of them. Few foreigners
have ever set eyes on those guns, and
it is doubtful whether any have ever
handled them. They are made in
secret. They are guarded from hos
tile observation even on the battle
field. Not one piece is ever per-
mitted to fall into the hands of the
enemy. If a gun must be abandoned
the crew first dismantles it. The
complicated mechanism of the light,
quick-firing gun is held together by
little key-piece called "clavette. y
1t takes but moment to withdraw
the key, and the piece is not only
put out of commission but falls
probably not 100 living men cap
~ able of putting it together again
and they are Frenchmen sworn to
secrecy. The field piece has a crew
of 'six-1men and is drawn by four
. horses. Its bore is Is millimeters
or 3.2 inches. If reports are true
it is by far the most accurate and
destructive gun ever invented. 1t
is planted in protective spot, in
ditch or behind a hill. The Off
= GER in charge stands, with field
glass, ION some high spot and directs
the firing. A word or a gestures
gives the direction and approximate
range of the enemy. A gunner
punches figures stamped in the rim
of the ibreech, almost as a conductor
punches a ticket, and the powerful
weapon thereupon aims itself, with
absolute precision of range. The
shell bursts over the heads of the
enemy, about As feet in the air, re.
lesssing a hail of down ward plung
ing bullets. The gun automatically
v moves to right and left a little ir
action, giving a breadth of effec.
tive fire about a quarter-mile With
the direction and range established
there is no varying. Shells roal
- from the gun "muzzle at the rate ot
! forty a minute. That murderDus
storm of lead skaters and erases
whole regiments, particularly wher
Infantry advances in close fOrma.
tien,T as the Germans did at Liege
There are six such guns to every
1900 French soldiers. That means
10000 Of them if the war strength
of 100000 is reached The 1856
mf1limeter gun, a stand seven-inch
piece, is said to be the most terrible
of all big cannon. 1t is called LIE
*Rimailho," for the inventor. Like
the smaller gun, is non-recoiling and
automatic. The principle on which
it works is supposed to be known to
only about a dozen men. 1t can
wipe out a company on horses OF
foot at distance of eight miles
The French are creators of the Gin
ssdirect fire" system, and in the use
Of this gun they have reached the
maximum of modernity. The can
non is concealed behind hin or en-
bankment and is fired under the di-
rection of an aviator who observes
the position of the enemy and wig
wags his instructions to the com
manding officer, who watches him
with field glass. Under the fire OF
such guns an exposed foe faces an.
utilization. And if the secret of this
engine of destruction is ever di-
tsvulged, it is said that there is locked
. in sGthe French war office another
model, so per cent more deadly. In
this age of war by machinery
France expects every gun to- do its
! duty Rifles and bayOnets will
count for little now in the shock OF
great forces. In reading the W..