PREPARE WAR, | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 18, 1877

“PREPARE WAR,”

“A DEATH ENGINE,” of an ugly and effective character, has just been tried in the United States. The Philadelphia Evening Telegraph, of Sept. 22, says:—

“A special dispatch from Sandy Hook to the New York Herald of this morning, relative to official experiments with the Hotchkiss revolving cannon, gives a description of the terrible engine and its workings that is very grimly interesting. The following is a description of the new weapon. It consists of five barrels grouped around a common axis and revolved in front of a solid breech block which has in one part an opening for the introduction of the cartridges, and another through which to extract the empty shell. Both operations are accomplished at the same time, and as the cartridges are fed to barrels on the same principles as with the Gatling gun, the fire can be maintained continuously at the rate of eighty per minute, if necessary.

“The calibre of the barrels is one and a half inches, and the charge weighs three and a half ounces, with a shell weighing about one and a quarter pounds. The shell is exploded by a percussion fuse, and bursts immediately on striking any object it meets. The barrels are revolved by a crank which controls all the mechanism of the gun, so that really a stream of shells, like water from a fire hose, can be poured on any given point with absolute accuracy and fearfully destructive effect, with scarcely more difficulty than playing on a street organ. A peculiarity of the revolution of the barrels is that they stop to discharge, so that the accuracy of the fire is not in any way impaired by a continuation of the revolution at the moment the firing pin strikes the exploding cap behind the charge.

“Judging of the gun, after this preliminary trial, which was conducted with the utmost care by the ordnance officers, the Hotchkiss revolving cannon takes a high rank among the most terribly effective engines of modern warfare. A battery of such guns, ably served, could hold its own against a division of the best troops in the world, because the pieces being so easily handled, they can be turned in any direction. To resist flank attacks a lighter gun on the same plan has been built by Mr. Hotchkiss for service with cavalry, and is believed to be even more effective than the heavier piece. In wars like that against the Sioux they would be invaluable, for no horseman, civilized or savage, could withstand their fire. The trial yesterday demonstrated that infantry in column would melt away under the fire of these guns like a tallow candle before a furnace grate. A continuous shower of splinters seemed to rain on the ground all around the targets while the inventor kept grinding out shells from his deadly mill.”

We have no doubt that there will soon be use for this and similar weapons; for we believe that the last wars are just upon us, and that the Lord is at the door. We

have seen the weapon described, and as we looked at it a shiver passed through our frame. We thought at the time, there is indeed reason for men’s hearts to fail them for fear, and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth. We know, however, that these ills that threaten the earth are but a sign of Jesus’ near advent; and if any should cry out, “Wonder what will come next?” we feel able to reply, in view of prophetic Scripture, “The Lord Himself.” For itself, the dark day so close upon us is not welcome; but since it brings our Redeemer, the sooner it comes the better.—The Bible Echo.