davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25
low Opposing Armies in Europe Meet and Str


me artiII'ry duel as separate thing
seldom exists the sweep OF the attack
If coIncldent with the aNaIanche OF smell
an" s"Idp"ei' anu uhuct us cover ~
nre ana IRON the attacking lines push
forward
the defe ndlng infantry pouring
through me gaps Hl"Neh mo Pos'tloh
at the foot OF the long slope to receive
the expected attack' Al h!Hht me me
mad neen heId IN f"rce ana the trenches
were Already prepared LOT the support,
ana reserves coming up, comparatively
lFeSn troops 10 '"Nc UP '"e pulu'H o'
REFUSING the assault
Ihfre was nor 50 mu'h AZ point OF
Igh' 10 marx the position OF the hostile
na'terles' lohs line "I intermittent
nashes. marking inc uelehu'hS HrlhH
line' nia@ed as tongue" Oh nam" from
the rlnes llch"h out ana over me posi-
tIoh there huhS maze III SHl"Ne n'"h''
ny quick creams "here 'he enemy :
shrapheI ourSt 10" anu S'i''''"' '"'
ueau'F cone Oh p"i'e'S upon ''e ri'eS
DOWN the s'ope "''o" th' "'''''''N
'he'' suuu'"'s H""I'' o"' S''N''S "'"''''
SFaleht I" 'he front anu S"e'p'nN
SLOWLY lro'i s'ue 10 S'u' H'e
'RH'S Oh the ue4'nOe h''"'l''u upon 81"
'o''o"'.e u u'nS '"''''" W. ~.
U"h OF the n"St,l' 'uNniioc' ~ 'n'
same moment ''' "a'''"S "'''''''
S'Iu'N'
me N''S eu' VI H'c'''.u W. 'p''' ''.'
r"oh' w "'''', '''.'".' .''.
'"'" ",'"''iN "'I' "''N ''''
p"o"' "ooIi "oo"' '",'"'' - 49,,
itcNt u"''''S ''"N w -.
.l'r '','le w - So" ~ ,'r , o o',
lr'S ""u - ~ Wv '''''' ''' ''',,'
cur vi w., w. - "".','' ST.. 80, ',
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

more searchH@hts. kept dark FOR con-
ccalm"nt, sprang into life ana played
upon the advance, disclosing masses and
NOR" masses of Infantry rushing for
ward 70 assault. and the defending guns
ignoring the artillery pounding upon
them. shortened tho range ~ the buzz
ing Telephones command ana concon-
;ratod upon the lines.
Summoned by telephone. from the
rear additional ca!ssors charged mp to
the guns win more ammunition. Re
gardless OF concealmcnt or shelter sec
tlon after scciiou IL the artillery pushed
from tho shelter Of tr, rpar slnpe To the
crest. uut!l tn gun muzZles pccrcd over.
md fred directly upon the hurryinc
attack now dImly seen in tho first light
ui the breaking If "A gray morning.
The turf was torn into great gashn-
in prolongation Of tho scorchluy muz-
zlcs from the blast Of the dischargc. and
wet as the ground was from the sudden
'ain. the gra dried. shr.v,uod and
scorched under the heat Men COM
menced to fall in rear ~ tho shields,
for the searching Of the hostile guns
was inccssant, firing ard sighting ports.
intervals between picc, and ralssuu. he
came ports Of entry for the whistliuC
balls that found their hil.rts iu human
flesh Vet the guns roarcd uu
From the trenches al the foot ~ the
hin the rifle lire cracked ard spat. in
creasing in density from moment 20
moment as fresh reserves crcpt into the
trenches, chokod hero and there with
fallen lAd crowded IN TO add their
rifles defiance TO that ~ their COM
rados. From the reserve trenches
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

on the Hill at last, intact, while the
clash OF deployed advance guard with
outpost line of resistance roared before
them.
Up the southern slopes of the ridge
bpbbng lanterns picked out the adj
vance of battery after battery to the
crest from their positions in rear, and
where the lanterns halted the batteries
deployed below the top of the hill The
sharp flash Of electric hand lamps IL
Illuminated the sights as they were sci
while the range finding parties scurried
to the ridge top, the salloping reel carts
paying out the telephone lines from OBJ
scrvation points to guns.
The lighting ahead was but prelimi-
nary and in the brief time before the
general action would be precipitated
caunoncers became laborers, while pick.
mdttock and spade chopped and cut into
the wet ground to make emplaCemen's
for gun and caisson. The horses carried
the limbers to the rear, down the hill
10 the shelter of the nearest swalc,
while extra Caissons were placed In
position near the guns and other Cais-
sons stood with horses hitched and har-
messed ready to dash forward at the
lfltlllDAti NDIu N4lH uNilllDuul dlIlUlu
milton.
There was no shouting. The officers
gave their brief commands in quiet
tones and there was no hitch In carry
Ing them out. Hand after hand was
raised as at each piece the gunner
flashed his tiny light. indicating readi-
ness.
At intervals in rear OF the ridge, 10
one flank or the other of the batteries,
lanterns burned dimly. low on posts,
These were the sighting points for the
gunners. upon which lay their aim. The
target Is seldom visible to the gunners,
who set their sights at certain angle
Of elevation, computed by the battery
commanders from the range ascerta!ned
by the range finding parties. The di-
rection was taken by stakes set in line
before the sights or by compass.
The batteries taking up position did
not form a continuous line Of guns
Such n formation is "A relic Of bygone
days when ranges were not as great ms
to-day Artillery battalions and regi-
ments were grouped together but with
intervals along the battle front some
whore, where q hundred batteries, two
hundred batteries and the units OF n
defence section were able AZ the voice
of the directing officer over the telc-
phone 10 concentrate at will upon any
desired point with a powerful fire.
Through the intervals between the
| artillery masses columns Of infantry
swept along In war Of the past the
infantry ~ each contender was con'en,
to await the outcome of a fierce battle
between the hostile guns until one OF
the other gained an ascondency before
launching the delayed attack,
Blu: times have changed, and to-day
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25
Ordnance Authority Says They Are Actual Menace Be
cause OF Ponderous Mortars Used in European
War; The Cathmann Gun and Shell

Now. against these varying com.
pleXitieS, along came Mr. Gathmdnn
with an entirely different project. He
proposed to put ship or a fort hors de
comoat by using thin walled shell
ioaued with some hundreds of pounds Of
guncotton, and he planned that his pro-
jectile should do all of It's wracking or
destructive work merely by exploding
against the outer face of the defence.
"His theory was that the motion ~
his projectile would serve to direct tn.
line in which the contained explosive
would exert Itself when dctonated In
other words, that instead of disslpaiing
it's energy in the elastic air and along
the path of least resistance the gun
cotton would actually concentrate its
wracking power against and through
;he solid obstacle met in flight.
The bird flies because Of the quick
ness with which he moves his wings and
thus obtains support by COMPRISING
the air MON ntarily. Again. it is the
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

I'm the competitive trials the ord
nance experts OF the War Department
elected to enter ~ inch shell charged
with an explosive developed by one ~
their own corps and officially known as
explosive ID. or dunnitc. being named
after Capt. Is. W. Dunn. In getting
their shells so they would operate to
A nicely and burst either in or after
penetrating Il Il irch plate some sixty
odd preliminary shots were fired by the
army utiiccrs AT Sandy Hook.
The target was only 200 feet away
and the projectiles We're planned To-
hit the obstruction under ideal con-
d.tions of assault. There was no chance
for the shell To tumble or hit at an oh
que angle, as might happen at long
range. Mr.. Gathmann wanted the fir
ing to take place at a distance of 1000
Yards 80 a, to simulate closely the con-
d!tions OF battle. but his army judges
would not listen t. this Indeed. as il
turned out, three officers having to do
with the testing of his system were
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

The battery commander. tired eyed
and unshorn, was, nevertheless, alert
on the instant, and. at his prompt
orders the reused non commissioned
officers made the round Of the sections.
shaking and waking the men. They
stumbled out drunkenly, shrank be-
fore the cold, steady rain which greeted
them, yet like automatons. com
menCed and completed the packing Of
their field equipment. then fled. cup in
hand. 10y the wheeled field kitchen with
It's slmmering boiler to receive warm
welcome coffee.
In the swaying light OF the section
lanterns the horses were harnessed and
htChed. Driver and cannoneer stood
at their posts and. through the down
pour, listened to the swelling firing to
which they had grown so accustomed In
the last few days.
The boom OF artillery threw a new
note into the battle. The character Of
the musketry changed, and instead Of
broken fire at will there came the roll
Of voleys, still. dun and distant, Yet
terrible. 1t sounded to sleep laden ears
Ike the sharp crackle OF drying sail
Tapping in the wind at some fair home
land port And the burst Of shrapnel
nearer, punCtuated the war motif, now
become a monotonous tone.
Without voice or trumpet the bat
terry moved out at command OF the cap
tain. the column striking n gummy road
and turning where a red light high on a
staff bespoke the position of reserve
| ammunition train tn the northWard
/ Already battalion ammunition carts
were waiting at the roadside to re-
/ plcnsh and extra caissons moved out
To Join the column.
! Up the hill toward the firing the
| horses strained in their steel collars
/ Gunncrs, dismounted, glued shoulders To
| the slipping wheels or themselves
/ slipped and strained as they strove ia
boost the guns Crestward.
! At each side Of the hill road heavy
columns Of infantry stood, clearing the
way for the artillery. The faces Of the
mon. shining dimly in the occasional
J lantern light turned to the passing
q r.Ihs.
"Thim's the boxes" sang out a
Tommy ndmiringly let the Betsys
got up, thevll stop the hlOOmin' racket
Scar the top the cut up road became
3 too much for the gun teams and the
battery halted The lead and swing
pair from the following team were added
/ 10 the teams of tho leading gun. Pro-
/ lOnges. long ropes were hooked to the
piece and manned. and under the com
bined cxertlons Of horse and man the
crest was galred.
In the sane way, gun after caissor
was brought up. and the battery stood
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

get consisting of n plate of steel ten
inches thick. The destruction in the
line of attack was astonishing, and in
proof of his theory that the gases would
exert themselves along this path was
ne fact that some Ranking sticks and
4 light wooden frame near by were un-
disturbed, whereas the massive plate
was broken into bits and the support
ng structure OF heavy timber backed
by u mound of sand was wrecked and
scattered.
Instead of helping his cause
these technical disclosures seemed to
sirengthen official antaKonism in the
War and Navy Departments and Mr.
Gathmann's road would have been
rough one but for the friend which he
had in Senator Mark Hanna. then u
power with the Administration Senator
Hanna saw to IL that an Appropriation
was made for the building of n Gath
mann gun having bore Of is inches
and that suitable targets were provided
for competitive test between this
novel weapon and regular IL inch
army service rifle. When built these
targets were made to represent struc-
turally the side of ship along the
armor belt with a steel plate IN each
case 1lls inches thick and I6 feet long
by ~ feet high.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

inventors Of o7dnarr" material which
would have been rendered obsolete had
the civilians gun and projectilr ncon
recognized as superior.
The official conclusions upon the COM
petitivc iir.ngs can be found in the re-
port Of the chef + Ordnance of tho
War Department for 1901. the tes'
having taken place in November of tha'
year. Supo riiriaily. and JUDGED by tn
apparent DAMAGE To the amor plates
and their immediate blcE.n-s the army
prolcctil"S seemed To- uujciaSs Gate
mann's. and the trial boards hndinrs
sp declared. But the facts were quite
to the contrary viewed in he light ui
what would have happened in actual
conflict and at battle ranges as they
then existed
Three shots were fired in each case,
Let MS take the first one f each series
for in action il would have been re-
motcly unlikely that either weapon
could hayc planted succeeding sho,s
clos" together as was possible when
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

pherc and in this fashion drive the fly
ng machine. The motion Of the birds
wings and the revolutions of the air
crafts propeller are sluggish in COM
p1r.son with the velocity of the eXpan-
Ion Of the gases generated by a nigh
Explosive when the whole mass is in
stantly detOnatcd. The element OF time.
,hen. is an inhnitcslmal fra ton ui a
second. and such "A blow delivered
against the air converts this normally
compro"s.ble medium into an envelope
ing wall or container of extraordinary
rigidity The line of least resistance,
then. IL against the target and through
It's mass.
"A Gathmann shell charged with 300
pounds Of wet guncotton was placed
within n few inches Of an armor plate
sixteen inches thick, and then detonatcd
by electricity. The damage to the plate
WAS extremely slight. This experiment
occurred on July /. 1891 on May II
following 500 pounds Of wet gun
cotton was placed in intimate con-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

result was that that great plate, which
then represented thu heaviest defence OF
the newest OF our battleships. was com
plctely shattered and hurled long dis
lance rearward.
But for the assistance VI the Assist
mt Secretary of the Navy at the time
Theodore Roosevelt. given in the fac,
" earnest opposition on the part OF
the chief OF the bureau Of ordnance
Rear Admiral Charles O'Ncil, Mr. Gath
mann would probably not have had a
chance then to MAKE that test 1t seems
the chief of the bureau had stated that
an attempt To destroy a heavy armor
plate by the explosion of 500 pounds OF
guncotton agains't 1t was absurd. where
upon the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy naturally said 1t must then he
safe to risk the plate, and ordered Il
finished We know what happened
In September of the same year
political influence alone secured for Mr.
Gathmann another trial. this time at
Sandy Hook and on" Of his extremely
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25
AMERICAN COAST FORTS YEARS
BEHIND ART OF MILITARY DEFENCE

- VERY seacoast fort we possess
- to-day Is more than decade
behind the state Of the art 4
military offences. Worse tnan
mt our forts are an actual menace.
because the weapons Ene.y TO attack
then can turn these holes in the ground
into ,critablc shambles without the foe
being exposed 20 the danger of retalia-
lion from the guns buried there"
Sucn is the declaration of an ordnance
man If International reputc. This stat-
n our coast defcnccs has been limited at
more than once Tho lessons Of the war
in Europe already made clear have par
u,up~ application here.
"TlAt We are circumstanced as we are
To-day I'm the matter Of the obsolescent
type ~ our coastal ordnance" this au-
thorl'y on urduanU went on, Els not
however. because "A promising remedy
was not at hand years ago. The present
struggle In Europe has shown how far
IN advance " other nations we could
hay, been had IN constituted authorl-
ties been open minded enough to wei
com, Improvement.
Nothing in the war has more amazed
the world at large than th manner In
which the heavy g.cge guns Of the Ger
mans have reduced to shattered ruins
the yauutcd srmorcd dcf,uC : of the
Begiars For years these mass We rabr!-
cations with their great dum,s Of h avy
steel had been commonly reckon Il
among ordnance experts as we'll nigh
imleEuaA,e. True. tn. could not be-
des,r,ye4 Ivy the ordinary field artillery.
bl. they collapsed when the pondarous
mor'ars OF the krupps were brought to
the front
sc mngy impcnetrable cupolas OF
case hardened 4t.cl were mashed fiat by
the mortar attack. much as one might
t.amp.e "A mushroom beneath the foot
Il was not that these doanes Of metal
were penetrated by armor piercing shot
but they were crushed or damned down
ward by the awful force of the blows
delivered and their supporting struc-
lures bent out Of shape and collar se,l
by the stups ndous burdens suddenly
brought to bear upon them.
Gums, mounts and the operating
crews were destroyed quickly after the
German proJectiles got the range. The
steel turrets were utterly outclassed:
they wsre doomed because they were
subjected TO an order OF assault for
which they were utterly unprepared.
They were wrecked by the exterior at
tack Of high Explosives
Back n the sos the Gruson tur-
re-; ~ chilled cast iron armor aroused
the ordnance experts to the powers Of
resistance Of curved surfaces OF masses
O.; that metal. Later, a.oag came Krupp
81 Germany and the Creuso. company
In France with their dome shaped cupo-
Jas Il steel for land forts. Germany.
France and Be GUM took the hint and
both their coast defences and their
fortified cities were provided with
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

these supposedly impenetrable shields
But the Germans were more alive to
developments abroad than their rivals
IN France ana Belgium, and they knew
how to profit by foreign experiments.
Also they We're wise enough not 20
voice their appreciation OF these dis
closures, especially when the people i'm
m@diately concerned saw NJ to discount
them and to he blind to their suggestive
value. 1t may startle you a hit. but
what the Kaiser's siege ordnance has
accomplished Of late to the amaZement
~ every one Is only the fruit of infOr-
nation paid for by the United States
Government in the first place and origi-
mating with an American inventor,
I'm the latter '9Os Louis Gath
mann, German born but a naturalized
American, besought the War and Navy
Departments to try out his system for
firing charges OF high explosives from
the regular types of big guns in the
f two services. Up to that time the
bursting charge of the projectiles used
I In thes" guns was black powder. and its
destructive violence was well known to
be a great deal less, pound for pound,
than that Of some other so-called high
employing any Of these more powerful
agents was their well known sensitive
ness t. shock and their liability to 20
IN when least desired.
"Thcor" tlcally the hurting Of high
explosives from the ordinary big gun
ot a ship or a land battery was much
10 b" desired, but the dangers incident
20 launching the proJectile so loaded
"er" iiscouragingly great. Again, even
u shell so charged could he projected
with safety to the gunners and the gun,
me majority Of ordnance experts were
- the opinion that nothing would be
gained over tho employment Of black
powder, because they were quite posi-
~" hat the projectile would he eX-
p6drd by the jar II impact when hit
lr- 'hr outer face Of the defensive
Afmnr instead of penetrating and burst
ING ''h,nd the protective plating. They
ar-1o' that the defamation OF the high
exp svo against the face of the steeI
l.a'" would be futile. and that the vio-
l':' gases would dissipate themselves
In tar castle air instead Of hurting the
'-' mass ~ the opposing metal.
'Wttt the conservative ordnance
r"'.'r wanted was a type of shell thai
would he structuraly strong enough t'
N-' Is way through the heaviest ar
mNr and detonate the destructive charge
V."n IN the very vitals Of ship or in
s'' Of a fort. 4 proicctile strOnl
enough to do this work would Of neces
s.'Y have to be made with walls ~
t'.' that the charge of explosive
""i.I b" reduced proportlonatcly, while
is ask Of SCATTERING these con'alnin,
Wa. would he increased. The problem
f"A"r Involved some really exquisite
h'seNcs Of control, because an order o
ri'' would have to be evolved tina
+" aid delay the detonation Of the hiSl
explosive for certain very minute frac
tons Of a second after the firing cycl'
nna been started by hitting the plate
TINS, lu be effective. would have TO sui
Z" resistance offered by each differen
thickness of armor.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-25

lowed by the thump of protest.
ing heels against equine ribs
and the dull plop OF a return to ground
in the sticky pastcrn deep mud.
The lines stretched between guns and
caisson wheels, whore the battery
horses were tied for the night. Rain,
which though not heavy seemed cease
less, dropped chillingly from a black
night and the canvas paulins over
the guns gathered the raindropS into
streams which poured along crinkicd
folds to the ground. II was a soggy.
miserable bivouac and there was moth
ing dry in camp.
Some of the men were snuggled under
the paulins 4 few found places in the
motor lorrles made vacant by the using
OF supplies. but most Of them had
pitched the small shelter tents and,
YEARLY oblivious to discomfort. were
sleeping the sleep of exhaustion
Lucky ones had clammy bundles of
straw under them or branches of trees.
even in the mud
For four days and nights there had
been succession Of taking up posi-
ton, fierce battle to stem an OVerwhelm-
ing advancing torrent NJ gray clad in
fantry with rain Of shrapnel, a mad gal
lOp to rearward at the last moment
leaving dead and wounded where they
lay, and the assumption OF another
position previously picked out by the
staff And at last the chosen position
| for the fnal desperate stand had been
reached.
The enemy pursuit had been shaken
off momentarly ana the inslstent de-
mands OF nature for sleep, sleep, sieeI
had been honored on sight for Of all
the living things belonging to rhe bat
terry only the heavy eyed picket guard
/ who wadcd a dreary round through the
mud and the two pccvIsh horses which
/ kicked and squealed were awake.
! over the unseen hills a few hun
dred yards To the northward there came
a splash Of rife firing. It was dIstan
and dull and came on SO gradually that
the slumber Of the bvouac in the mud
was not broken until a drenched mes
senger with orders refined in ant
slipped from his horse before the
dimmed light Of the guard shelter.