The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-03-28
STRANGE SHELLS
FALL IN PARIS
COMMANDMENT OF CITY RESUMED
EARLY THIS MORNING.
MYSTERY STILL UNEXPLAINED
People However Pay LittIs Heed as
Shells Do Small Harm. Go About
Business As Usual. Warn
ings Sounded.


London, March 25.--The unexplain-
ed appearance of the high power Ger
man shells falling in Paris today is
regarded as the greatest mystery OF
the war.
British experts suggest the possible
ity of the shells being propelled from
Zeppeins at great heighth, possibly
behind the German lines.
A report of the monster gun being
located more than seventy miles from
Paris has not been satisfactorily con-
.firmed.
Experts here today suggested the
possibility OF the discovery of an in
creased propellant power effect, here
tofore unknown that expels great
shells. The possibility of such
shell to be used in the air would sur
pass any previous possibility.
The Germans undoubtedly are de-
string to express the belief that they
have developed such gun in the hope
of demorailizing the public morale in
Paris, London and the English Coast
including Dover all within its range.
Shells Don't Scare Paris.
Paris, March 25.-Mysterious Ger.
man shells began falling in Paris again
lat $3.50 this morning.
The people remained in bed and
were not disturbed. The force of the
explosion of the shells is not so great
as that of many of the shells that
were dropped from aeroplanes during
previous bombardments of the city.
The shells used today were of light
explosive power and made only very
small holes in the ground.
Measurements at different. places
show that the holes average only about
four feet in diameter and were only
two feet deep.
Bombs from aeroplanes, heretofore
frequent. have been of much greater
effect.
French experts have directed atten-
ton to the fact that shells fall with
a slackened speed and with practic-
ally no force at all
To Give New Warning.
The government has decided that
In the future the bombardment OF
Paris by long distance guns shall not
interrupt the normal life of the cap
ftal, but that the population shall be
warned of bombardment by dis
tinctive means, differing from the
usual warnings sent out in cases of air
raids. Drums will be beaten and the
police will sound whistles. The public
services, the trains in the subways,
the tramways and the automobile buss-
es VIII continue to be operated normal
~
The new warning is to be known
as warning No. 8. 1t will mean that
any formation of crowds in the streets
is prohibited and that all shelters. ex-
cept the subway stations, will be an
as before by a special trum-
pet call and the ringing of church
bells.
The comment of the French press
this morning was about evenly divided
between the big gun which is bonn
harding the city from back of the
German lines. and the terrific battle
raging en- the British front. The tone
Of the comment on the bombardment
was OF establishment at the Feasibility
Of the performance. AS to the battle
a favorable ending of ii is confidently
expected
Long Distance Guns Impossible.
Camp Dodge. March 25.- Brigadier
General r. n. Getty, commander Of
the Ssth Divisioi. told the United
Press this afternoon il was hardly
possible that the Germans could shell
Paris with gun stationeaa about
seventy miles from.-the- CITY.
Ordnance experts with the division
agreed with the Commander that the
Iiring OF 9 nine inch field piece would
wreck all of the field pieces near by.
They said the muzzle OF a field
piece with a velocity so great as FIR
Ing seyenty-two miles would be en-
Iirely impossible and that 1t would
DO worn out with several rounds.