Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 263, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1917 — Magnitude in Modem War. [ARTICLE]

Magnitude in Modem War.

The magnitude of the war, as a whole, is repeated in every phase of Its activity, and in no way more so than in its instruments of war. As we have more than once remarked, says the Scientific American, it has been necessary to multiply our units of measurement by from 10 to 100. Weapons which were thought massive and powerful in 1914 are puny in 1917. Thus, heavy artillery, whose weight tied it down to fixed fortification, is now moving merrily over the field of battle. Where, formerly, we talked in millions, now we talk freely in billions. Before the war 25 to 30 knots was battle-cruiser speed—today we have such ships of from 150,000 to 200,000 horse power steaming at 35 to 40 knots. A notable Instance of this growth is in the field of aviation, where the British have airplanes of 600 horse power and the Italians have gone up to 1,000. And the end is not yet.