The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-03-08
Deadly Implement Recorded In
History as Far Back as
i: Siege of Aries.
1RlGINo Of ERM"GRENAD|ER"
Japanese Employed Protective Nets Of
Wire Against Them in Fighting
Russians-Present Use Shows
Return to Former Types.

New York.-The S of hand gre!
aades as an implement of war dates
back nearly four centuries and this
deadly Weapon remains today, as in
the sixteenth century, n of the most
effective weapons of warfare. In the
current issue of the United States In
fantry Journal, published by officers
Of that arm Of the regular service,
there is an article dealing with gre
nades, which is a translation from the
German military publication, Militaer!
Wochenblatt.
"Hand grenades," the article reads,
"as an implement of warfare date back
many centuries. History records their
use as far back as 1886 at the siege Of
Aries. Up to the close of the eighteenth,
century soldiers were trained in the
throwing of hand grenades. They
were for that reason called %grenadiers.
1.-THE grenades were hollow balls Of
half inches in diameter, filled with
powder and provided with a fuse,
which was lighted before being
thrown. At first there were a few in
each regiment, later entire companies
we're formed, and still later every in,
fantry battalion had it's own grenadier
company, which in the different armies
had precedence owe the other COM
panies At parades and other forma-
lions. This continued to be the case
long after the grenadiers had ceased
to carry grenades which had originally
given them their names; their distin-
gushing characteristic became their
great height and their peculiar head
dress (grenadier caps).
During the war between Russia,
and Japan hand grenades We're again
used in great quantities by both sides,
especially in fighting at close quar-
ters and in assaults on the different
forts about Port Arthur. Those of the,
Japanese We're in the shape of q small,
thin cylinder about eight inches long
and three inches thick, which were
filled with explosives and had a safe
ty fuse in the cover. If the fuse was
lighted before throwing, the grenade:
would have about nine seconds to
reach its destination before exploding.
1t did not, however, burn long enough
to make it possible for the enemy to
pick up and throw it away before it
could do any damage.
Return to Former Types.
I'm a general way, these grenades
and their use indicate a return to for
mer types. Any conserve can, filled
with powder or dynamite and provided
with a fuse, could accomplish about
the. same damage.
Nevertheless, the effect Of these
hand grenades, especially in an in
closed space, a very great. For ex-
ample, on n occasion, Il guard of II
men in the guard room We're killed
by the explosion Of an %improvised
grenade of this type, which consisted
Of a piece of gun cotton provided with
a fuse, and which was thrown into the
room through a window.
LAS the effect of the grenades is
great, especially when they are used
under favorable conditions, for OK
ample in the hands of an %assaulting
column or a sortie detachment. the
Japanese employed special protective
nets, which consisted of wooden
frames covered with strong wire net
ting from 12O to 21O centimeters high,
when working on Notifications at close
range.
IF hand grenades attained so salts.
factory an effect in an improvised
form, it is not surprising that the in.
ventor's mind occupied itself with this
means of combat, and has endeavored
to adapt it to the requirements Of mod.
ern warfare.
First of all, it was very importan;
to invent a projectile that would unite
deadly effectiveness with complete
safety of the thrower. Mr.. Aasen, the
Danish inventor, constructed a mum.
Der of hand, rifle, and mine grenades
which are said to fulfill these require
ments.