Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1892 — SMOKELESS POWDER. [ARTICLE]

SMOKELESS POWDER.

It Gives Many Advantages to the Side Making the Attack. Iron Age. The introduction of smokeless powder has had considerable to do with change of tactics on the field of battle. In the absence of the smoke screen on both sides the company officers not only find it easier to work together, but can control their men and judge the effect of thejr fire on the enemy to a far greater degree than was formerly possible. From their point of view this increased power of control more than compensates''"the attack for the increased facility of concealment ment smokeless powder confers on the defense. It is true that the latter also profits by the same increased power of control, but they argue that from the nature of things the defense striving only to prevent being beaten, whereas the attack fights with the determination to win, the latter is now in the position to make far better use of this power than the former. Put in another form, it comes to this: The heavier and more accurate the fire whistling over a trench the harder it is to make men raise their,, heads to take aim. Smokeless powder makes it easier for the attack to deliver such afire; hence the difficulties of the defence will be increased. Further, in the absence of smoke, men stationary on the defense can not escape the depressing influence of the dead and wounded lying about them, but thaßttack leaves all these evidences of the fight behind it. So here again the advantage is on its side. With reference to the question of the use of smokeless powders by the artillery, the general idea seems to be that it was ali a gain to the side which thought more of killing its enemy than of avoiding being killed itself. It enormously facilitates the maintenence of fire discipline within the battery, permits of continuous fire even at the most rapid rate, for no smoke interferes with the laying of the guns, and above all things, cheers the hearts of the men by enabling them to see the results of thei? fire.As a means of concealment it is of no use at all, for even in extreme ranges of 5,000 yards and upward the flash of discharge is always distinctly visible, and at fighting ranges the flash enables one to note exactly the position of the enemy’s guns. This was not altvays possible with the old powders, for the smoke obscured the object and prevented one’s picking up an exact point to aim at,