Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-08-21
DEFENSES OF LlEGE.
Forts Surmounted by Peculiar Steel
CupoIas Unknown Elsewhere.

Cupolas Unknown Elsewhere.
Capt. Godfrey Lynet Garden, Of the
United States revenue cutter service,
in giving a description Of the defenses
at Liege, where the Belgian and Ger
man armies were reported to be fight
ing, said, according to the New York
Evening Post:
The Belgian defense at Liege has
been greatly assisted by armored cup
olas. These cupolas were built at the
Cockerill works, located just outside of
Liege. Armored cupolas mounting
single rapid-fire guns and in pairs
command the approaches to many of
the principal bridges over the Meuse.
This form of defense is unknown in
the United States, but it follows the
general method in vogue in France of
commanding the principal avenues of
approach over the frontier by perma-
nent batteries"
Capt Garden, who for several years
was special agent in Europe for the
department Of commerce at Washing
ton, reported at length on the Cock
erill works at Liege. He says that the
Belgian cupolas must not be confound-
ed with the Gruson turrets Of the Ger
mans. The latter, he says, are built up
Of chilled cast iron and are designed
largely for heavy guns. The Gruson
turrets vary in thickness from four to
five feet, and have proven impregna-
BILE to a point blank attack Of 110-ton
guns. The Gruson turrets are intended
more especially for coast defense.
THE Gruson turret idea undoubtedly
gave rise Capt. Garden says, ito the
cupola, and in way the land cupolas
may be regarded as miniature Gruson
turrets. The announcement In the
dispatches that the cupolas were i'm
pregnable to the German field gun fire
at Liege might have been discounted
in advance. The cupolas can not be
demolished except by the very heaviest
gun fire, that is to say, by guns Of such
weight and calibre as do not permit Of
transfer with troops in the field.
How Guns are Hidden.
The Belgian cupolas lie very close to
the ground, and show not more than
three or four feet above the surface.
They are almost invisible. The cupola
gun position comprises an excavation
for the gun mount and magazine, with
the cupola covering the whole like the
iron lid Of pot. The only opening is
a port just large enough for the chase
Of the gun, and the piece Is trained by
the revolving Of the cupola. There is
generally an all-around fire.
The military engineers in Belgian
hay fnl
cupolas of positions which would alb
solutely command the approach to the
principal bridges over the Meuse. In
addition the practice has been follow
ed of locating the cupolas so as to af-
ford q cross fire over important high
way approaches. The same thing has
been done on the French frontier but
on a more elaborate scale, great for
tresses and concealed batteries giving
cross fire control over every road lead
ing in from the frontier.
The Belgians either from a matter
OF economy or for eXpediency, have not
INDUCED in extensive fortification
work beyond the protecting Of the
larger cities. The cupolas have been
counted on to hold the bridges at the
these cupolas which is proving so ef
fective in the defense of Liege.
THE cupOlas can be operated by not
more than ten men. The guns mount
ed within them are for the most part
Cockerill rapid fire weapons, capable of
firing from 25 to 80 shots per minute.
The cupolas are open to capture only
when turned or isolated. They can
doubtless be destroyed by high eXplo-
sives If properly placed. but they are
proof against the 75-millimeter stand
ard German field gun prOjectile.
"Liege is the principle manufactur-
ing city Of Belgium. All the artillery
and small arms manufactured for the
Belgium army come from Lege. The
great Cockerill works, the Krupp Of
Belgium, employing 10000 men, are
located at Seraing, just outside Of
Liege. Within the town proper are an
immense number Of private gun plants,
machinery and machine tool shops, and
locomotive works. Included in the
is the government small arms
factory known as Fabrique National.
'Liege is the principal railway ma
terial manufacturing city Of Belgium,
and Belgian locomtives, steel rails,
freight cars and mining machinery
which go to all parts Of the world come
for the most part from Lege. Many
in South America and the
far east draw their equipment almost
from Liege. The fighting
now at that city means an entire ces-
sation Of work in the great plants