The Washington herald., 1918-07-03

all the trench smashing instru-
ments turned out of the American
factories and they also must ap-
prove the strength of most OF the
artillery forces guns.
The United States will have
plenty Of field guns and howitzers.
II a sight of the long lines being
unloaded at the testing field is any
evidence. These guns are showing
up well and are making several
miles of good lowland look as If it
|, had been put through a fine coffee
grinding machine. AS for the noise
we'll the Board of Trades vote was
unanimous about that advertising
scheme.
The tests of ammunition as car
ried out today for a group of visit
ors, brought out about as good a
stimulation of warfare as even q
movie director could sigh for. 1t
also showed that in the Sutton
Armstrong trench mortar. the Uni
ted States has a weapon fit for the
proper blasting Of hell itself with all
way stations thrown in.
The Sutton Armstrong. commonly
termed, "Oh, you baby" is about as
oh oAAoAA oS man CNCE oC-
vised. 1t looks simple and even
modest, but in the tests today it
barked out 9o-pound T. N. T shells
which fioated several thousands of
yards through the air, much like a
long and high hit fly ball and then,
gracefully settling to earth, pro-
ceeded to throw about a quarter of
acre Of soil as high as a ten story
city block Any time any one has
doubt about Americas ability to de-
liver the punch. trip to the simple
Sutton mortar will effect a per-
manent cure
Like Steel Sewer Pipe.
The Sutton is to all intents a steel
sewer pipe, its hole being large
enough to put your foot in. for it is
eleven inches in diameter. 1t Is
mounted on nothing but a series Of
fiat steel plates which rest in a
slight trench. Two or three men
could pick 1t up and lug IL of most
anytime. The mortar is about four
and half feet long. On its back.
near the base is affixed a hollow
steel box. The silk bag Of powder
is dropped in the box and lands in
the bottom of the mortar. The
ninety-pound shell goes in next, a
whistle blows twice and then
':Bamb" and that ninety pounds of
concentrated destruction goes up at
a forty-five degree angle.
The motar is rifed and the shell
refuses to do any acrobatics or tumb-
ling stunts such as the shells Of the
lower calibre guns preform. 1t floats
upward and then straightens out for
a long glide before slipping back to
earth. You see it fall, 5000, or 5000
feet away. As 1t appears to ouch the
horizon, fan shaped cloud of brown
smoke checkered with flying chunks
Of earth. pops out from nowhere and
blots out the sun. After what seems
about five minutes, the crash of the
explosion Is heard. To anyone who
may have q vague PERCEPTION Of what
mean. the sight of that deafening
blast Is q never forgotten revelation.
1,so0 at Proving Work.
About the time that one has recov-
cred from the unexpected introduction
to the newfound ally of Mars, away
go series Of shells from the guns
OF smaller calibre. The projectiles
tear through the air leaving only a
faint sound as Of Kissing stream from
q locomotive coastins through a deep
cut Some sound as II a great sheet
Of paper was being torn.
There are 1so officers and 1863 enlist
ed men at the Aberdeen Proving
Ground. They are working like Tro-
jams at their task. They will never
see France. but by their tests and BY
their refusals Of unsafe weapons they.
VIII make 1t possible for many an
American to come through unscratch-
ed and return from France when
peace comes.