Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-09-24
HIGH POWER GUNS
Long Range Weapons That Are
Used In Land Warfare.
TYPES OF HEAVY ORDNANCE.

Field and Siege Guns, HoWitzers. and
Mortars Are Very Much Akin, and It
Is Difficult to Say Just Where One
Ends and the other Begins.
There is no sharp and distinct un-
derstanding on the part of the average
person as to the difference or distirc-
tion between the field gun, the siege
gun, the howitzer and the mortar The
precise line of distinction or mark of
distinction between these classes Of
weapons might be difficult even for an
ordnance technician to define. 1t is
certainly difficult for layman to tell
just where the gun ends and the how
itzer begins, or where the howitzer
ends and the mortar begins.
Considered in a broad and general
way, the special purpose Of the gun
was and is to destroy other guns in
march or in position, to destroy troops
in the open and to batter down objects
behind which troops find shelter. The
pressure was given high velocity and
relatively fiat trajectory, which
means that the shot passing from the
gun to the target did not rise high
above the earth or above line joining
gun and target. To withstand the
powder pressure required for this work
the gun was heavy in relation to the
weight of the projectile. From the
fact that the shot Travelled in a path
relatively of slight curve, its slope of
fall or its angle Of fall was not steep.
1t would go through stone wall, or
perhaps smash 1t, or would go deep
into dirt embankment, but it was not
easy to put shot inside narrow deep
trench, or to plant shot SO close be-
hind an embankment as to kill men
sheltered there.
The shot from the gun was good at
penetration, but ineffective in search
ing the rear of cover. To accomplish
that purpose another style of 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 its
path fell so steeply that If the range
were known and the practice good the
shot would land in trench or fall SO
close behind an embankment or para
pet that men would find 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 projectile,
it was found that the weight of the /.
gun In relation to the weight of the
projectile could be diminished. thus in
creasing its mobility or the facility |
with which it could be moved from
place to place.
1t was found that the barrel of this
gun could be very much shortened,
thus effecting saving In weight. But |
in making the changes in this gun
instead of absolutely decreasing its
weight the gunmakers enlarged its
bore and increased the size of its pro-
jectile. thus increasing its efficiency.
This type of gun. though not in the
narrow and technical sense "gun," is
ordnance and an element Of artillery
and was given the specific name "how-
itzer."
The mortar was a gun that could
give higher angle of fire and more
)lunging fire than howitzer. 1t was
| very short piece of ordnance, fired
rom platform and held down by
.opes. Forts and mortar boats used it
or getting a high angle of fire and a
more plunging fire with larger shell
han could be had using a howitzer.
rhe range used to be obtained by vary
ng the power charge. AT this day
nortars weighing at least four tons,
itted with an elevating device and
ange scale and with recoil and counter
ecoil or recuperator devices, are haul
d around on wheels, set down on a
'latform also carried on wheels, and
reducing vertical fire with high ex.
losive shell weighing 250 pounds with
r without delay action fuse
The field gun for the purpose of fir
ne reverse slope OF ridges or across