The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1915-10-23
|HlGn POWER Guns
Long Range Weapons That Are
Used In Land Warfare.
TYPES or HEAVY ORDNANCE.

l---as~.as---
Flsld and Siege Guns. Hewitssrs and
Mertars Are Very Much Akin, and Il
10 Dif'euIt 10 Say Juss Where One
Ends and che Other Begins.
There IL no sharp nnd distinct I'M.
derstanding on the part of the average
person hs 20 the difference or dlstinc,
tion between the field gun, the siege
gun. the howitxef nnd the mortar The
precise line OF distinction or mnrk OF
dintlnctipn between these clnsscs OF
weapons Nigh, be difficult even for an
ordnance lc,hnlcian to define. II is
certainiy dlfiicnlt for laymnn to tell
juat where tue gun ends and the how.
itzer begins. or where the howitxer
ends and the mortar begins.
Considered In broad and general
way. the special purpose OF the gun
was and h 60 destroy other guns IN
march or Ia position. 20 destroy troops
Ia the open and 10 batter down objects
hshlnd which troops tind shelter. Tho
,'svieciile OF the gnn BY high powder
pressure was given high velocity and
d relatively iint trajectory. which
means that the shot passing from the
gpn 70 the target did not rise high
ehpvp the sarth or above limo joining
gun Rnd target To withstand the
powder pressure required for this work
the gun wss heavy in relation 10 the
wsisht of the projectile. From the
fact that the shot travelled In path
relatively " slight curve, Its slope OF
fall or iss angle Of fall was not steep,
II would so through stone wall. or
perhaps smash n. or would 10 deep
into dirt embankment, but It was not
easy 70 put n shot inside O narrow deep
trench. or 10 plant ahot no close be-
hind an embankment ~ TO XIII men
sheltered there.
The shot from the gun was good al
penetration. but inedectiye IN search.
ing tho rear OF cover. To accomplish
that purpose another style or gun was
devised. The pressure per square inch
OF powder chamber was decreased. the
angle Of elevation OF the gun was In.
creased. the angle Of departure of the
shot VISA greatly increased and the
shot after reaching the summit OF It's
path fell 40 steeply that n the range
wsrs known and the practice good tho
shot would land IN q trench or fall no
ciose behind an embankment or para.
pet that men would and no shelter
there.
This being possible by reduction Of
powder. pressure per square inch OF
chamber surface and consequent re.
duction IN the speed OF the projectilc.
II was found that the weight Of the
gun Ia relation 10 the weight of the
pFotecfiie could be diminished, thus In
creasing Its mobility or the facility
with which II could be moved from
place 10 place.
II was found that the barrel OF this
gun could be very much shortened.
thus efrectinE saving Ia weight. But
In making the changes ia this gun
instead Of absolutely decreasing Its
weight tho gunmekers enlarged It's
bore aud increased the sixe of It's pro-
jsctile. thus Increasing It's efficiency.
This type OF gun. though not Ia tho
narrow and technical sense gun" is
ordnance and an element OF artillery
and was given the specific name how.
itxer.-
Ths mortar was a gun that could
give q higher angle OF fire aud more
plangins nrs than howiiser. u was
Z very abort piece OF ordnance. fred
from q platform and held down by
ropsa Forts and mortar boats used II
fer getting high angle of iiro and
lnors plppging fie with larger shell
than could bs had using howitzcr.
Ths range used TO be obtained by vary
ms the power chargp. AZ this day
mosfayp wsighlng at least four tons.
nttsd with an elsvating deyIeo and
fangs scale and with Fecoil and counter
reeoii or recuperatoy devices. arc haul.
"a around on wheels. set down on q
platform also carried on wheels. and
predicting vertical iire with a high ex.
plosivs shell weighing 250 pounds with
os without delay action fuse.
The Geld gun for the purpose of Or.
Ing ovsr ridges. getting at troops on
The reverse slope Of ridges or across
piils, giving 60 shrapnel the proper
sycps 81 fell for effective distribution
md keeping tho iaad Hight on the
horses has veered away from tho gun
- developed IN ship and fortress ar.
IiltsTy and In tho direction OF tho how.
ltass.like properties. Field guns have
had their trails split that tho breech
may be further depressed. thus giving
Ihem q higher angle OF FIRE designed
'or uss against air craft. and In effect.
na useful compromise between pow.
y and mobility the trajectory OF shots
1sSha JAis gup Is high and the slope OF
~ qhits stssR.
Guns Of high power high poNdsr
'FessuFe. high velocity and long range
-hsve been built 10 give vertical iire
n nearly vertical elevation against
'sgopIanes or dirigiblas,
so, ~ announced. u Ia nor an easy
IuestIcn 10 decide Just whore gun.
lowitxer and mortar divide. Wash
nEton Star