Loading an "Osaka Baby"

Loading an "Osaka Baby"

183

Eighteen of these immense mortars, originally built for defending the coasts of Japan, were brought into position before Port Arthur. They were brought by sea to Dalny, carried by railroad a distance of fifteen miles to the end of the track, and from thence were hauled by hand over special tracks laid direct to the emplacements. In some cases they were dragged on rollers throgh the sand, as many as 500 men being required to haul one of these pieces weighing, eight tons. This task was accomplished under fire, in rainy weather, and in the night, to the accompaniment of bursting shrapnels. In each case an excavation had to be dug, the concrete prepared and rammed into place, the heavy foundation plates. traversing racks and the massive gun carriage, weighing rmich more than the gun itself, erected and adjusted and the whole of the heavy and costly piece put together with the greatest nicety. As soon as 203 Meter Hill was in the hands of the Japanese they were able to observe the effect of every 500-pound shell that was thrown from these guns and flew in a long curve over the forts and plunged into the body of a warship in the port.

1 stereograph. 2 photomechanical prints on stereo card : halftone, stereograph, color ; 9 x 18 cm

1905 Ingersoll, T.W.

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