The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-08-24

lobservtng the more modern type OF
Qualifications along the border Of
France might see what he took to ba
the backs OF huge tortoises, lytnrs
prone upon the ground with only their
black rounded shells showing above
the earth level. From distance Of a
few hundred feet the pent up possible
| lilies of these rounded objects would
not appear, but when Uncle Sam sent
| q number Of military Observers abroad
at the commencement OF the present
war in Europe, he instructed them to
study carefully these Qualifications.
The tortoise-hke objects are the
visible portions OF the modern turre+
fort the outgrowth Of the obsolete
Fertilization which rose with sfiee-
walls ltke-the castles Of old.
The evolution of the fort. the de-
ltermipatfon of its modern poss.biH tiles
particularly the lessons to be learned
Regarding construction and placing,
ranks among the most important of
the problems that are to be determined
If the United States is to increase its
military strength. Uncle Sam has the
facts.
Turret Fort the Latest.
OF all the lessons hammered nome
by experience in the present war zone
is more important or more revolution
airy mar the impotence of he old
style fort against modern artillery.
The sheer-wafled fort, which has come
down to us in only modified form
since the baronial castles def1ed the
puny attacks of poorly armed enemies.
no longer offers material resistance to
modern gunnery and an entirely new
method of Demonstration had to be
evolved to keep pace with the i'm
lprovement in gun manufacture. The
turret fort with its doomed roof ani
novel method of handling guns, is tho
latest step in this evolution.
The reason for the curvature of the
steel "skin" of the fort is to offer the
least possible resistance to the pro-
|jectiles Of the enemy. To the lay
man the thought Of fort conjures up
IDEAS Of impregnability by reason OF
Shells by sheer weight of protecting
armor. But modern fortifcations have
|lfollowed the line of least resistance
and the turret fort is designed, not u
stop the enemy's projectiles, but to
|ldehect them so that they will do little
damage shell striking the curyed
|Idome OF turret fort will be so de-
Elected that it will eSpend but little
|of It's energy upon the fort itself but
|out damage to the fertilization.
Then again. the domed construction
|IaIlows of another revolutionary devel-
Iopment The modern turret fort is SO
|Iconstructed that it can be reyolyed
about its axis by means of electrical
power, thus making it possible for the
lmuzzles of the huge rifles to be point
led in any direction. The rifles them
|Iselves are mounted very much like
naval guns and the entire operation
Iof serving and loading the pieces APP
pears to have Leen borrowed from
naval usage. The entire fort becomes
hut an enlarged turret that may be
,lturned about by the simple device Of
Throwing a switch.
Brooches are Moved.
h The method of aiming such battery
lis as interesting as it is novel. The
dome or barbette of the whole fortress
lis rotated until the guns are in line
with the target and then these are
elevated or depressed until the proper
range is attained. Ordinarily, this
would require large aperture or slit
| in the rotunda. like that which per-
| mits of the operation of telescope in
an Observatory. But this slit would
also permit of the entrance of shrap-
mel or fragments Of other shells which
would be extremely dangerous to the
gun crews. In order to obviate this
danger. the guns are mounted in close
fitting embrasures and. instead Of
pointing the rifles up or down as was
formerly done. their breeches are
moved forward or backward and the
desired result is attained without dan
ger to those inside the turret.
| The sighting and loading mechanism
Of the big guns, together with the ma
chinery which rotates the barbette. oc-
cupies the entire dome. The ammuni-
ition MAGAZINES and hosts. the en-
glnes which supply the electrical pow
\ er and the quarters of the gun crew
are all situated IN concrete vaults be
meath the surface of the ground IN
Inns manner space is economized and
4 the fort is therefore made much
4 go