Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-01-09
JIUUI WAR ENGINES
Army and Navy Officers Plan
New Death Machines.
Have as Many Ingenious and Eff
Client inventions to Their Credit
as Have the Officers Of Any
Other Nation.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

| Newspaper Union.
WASHINGTON. Some little time ago {
word or two was said publicly about a
new navy torpedo, accurate and serv
iceable at range hitherto unthough'
Of The navy department naturally
was displeased because of the public
word spoken of this invention. Not
enough has been said about 1t to en-
able anybody else to seize on the Sc
cret and. therefore probably no harm
has been done. The country may moi
know 1t, but army and navy officers
are trying constantly to invent some
hing which will go other nations one
better.
As the records will show the Ameri'
AN officers OF the two services have
IS many creditable and efficient in
,ntons credited to them as have the
,fficers of any Of the armies and ma
lies of other nations and, to make this
tronger, it must be remembered that
ur army is comparatively small af-
air and our navy stands fourth from
he top of the size and strength list
There is hint that If unhappily the
Tnited States in the near future
lould become involved in war a sur
arise or two may be in store for this
ountrys antagonist or antagonists
Individual initiative is common
hing in the war and navy department
I'd while secrecy as to details shrouds
UGH matters It Is probable that con-
let might bring to light something
ow in the shape of devices for de.
anses and offenses.
The officers of the service today
lrgely are students. Things were diff
rent in the old days. Now in the
rst place the officer of today before
can be promoted has to pass an
xamination. Moreover study of mill
ry and naval problems Is enjoined,
md again, moreover, the success Of
ONE officers In inventive lines hae
Durred the ambitions of others to
quail OF excel their comrades. When
yer a new thing appears in foreign
cid 1t is the attempt of many men Of
he American services to produce
omething which will put another
something out of business.
Not all of the inventions of military
arms have been those of men of the
service, for the American civilian
with his inherited knack for novel
constructive work has created many
things which have been adopted In
some form or another first by the
American army or navy and later.
when the secrets were out, by the 9th
or armies or navies of some of the
oreign powers.
The study In the signal service to
lay is directed in large part to the
perfection of the aeroplane. Every in
nident connected with the air service
n Europe Is noted. When 1t is re-
'orted that an aeroplane attack has
allied and any hint is given as to the
'eason for the failure, the minds OF
he signal service officers are directed
oward the task of making the failure
impossible in our own army.
Armored motor cars are under
tudy. When the American car finally
8 put into service 1t will be found
very likely that 1t will do things that
he armored cars now in use in Europe
cannot do, and that it will have con
rivances possessed by none of the
'ars OF Europe which will add to its
Nothing In the way of sug
sestion which comes from the other
,ide of the water is being lost.
The army and navy have done much
or themselves In the last half century
fhe old single-shot breech-loading
Springfield rife was the best weapon
If Its type in use anywhere In the
world. 1t was simple, strong. accurate
Ind 1t could be loaded and fred rapid
y. After single-shot rifles went out |
he American army adopted maya
line rife which later was discarded |
or the new model magazine Spring
ield, which is made in the govern
nent factories. 1t is said to be a
Weapon of extreme ease of manipula-
ion and Of deadly accuracy at long
ange. 1t is superior rife, experts
lay, to that in use anywhere in the |
world.
The army officer who is at present |
;hief of ordnance, General Crozier
vas the inventor, or at any rate one
# the inventors, of the disappearing |
,un carriage for use in our sea coast
ortifications and elsewhere where big |
uns are a necessary part of the arma
nent. Range finders, delicate YET
trong and of great accuracy are other
American service inventions.
The army and navy officers here
here and elsewhere are at work con
family on the problem of improvement
# wars material.