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1、FROMTHEEARTHTOTHEMOONCHAPTERITHEGUNCLUBDuringtheWaroftheRebellion,anewandinfluentialclubwasestablishedinthecityofBaltimoreintheStateofMaryland.Itiswellknownwithwhatenergythetasteformilitarymattersbecamedevelopedamongthatnationofship-owners,shopkeepers,andmechanics.Simpletradesmenjumpedthe
2、ircounterstobecomeextemporizedcaptains,colonels,andgenerals,withouthavingeverpassedtheSchoolofInstructionatWestPoint;nevertheless;theyquicklyrivaledtheircompeersoftheoldcontinent,and,likethem,carriedoffvictoriesbydintoflavishexpenditureinammunition,money,andmen.ButthepointinwhichtheAmeric
3、anssingularlydistancedtheEuropeanswasinthescienceofgunnery.Not,indeed,thattheirweaponsretainedahigherdegreeofperfectionthantheirs,butthattheyexhibitedunheard-ofdimensions,andconsequentlyattainedhithertounheard-ofranges.Inpointofgrazing,plunging,oblique,orenfilading,orpoint-blankfiring,the
4、English,French,andPrussianshavenothingtolearn;buttheircannon,howitzers,andmortarsaremerepocket-pistolscomparedwiththeformidableenginesoftheAmericanartillery.Thisfactneedsurprisenoone.TheYankees,thefirstmechaniciansintheworld,areengineers--justastheItaliansaremusiciansandtheGermansmetaphys
5、icians--byrightofbirth.Nothingismorenatural,therefore,thantoperceivethemapplyingtheiraudaciousingenuitytothescienceofgunnery.WitnessthemarvelsofParrott,Dahlgren,andRodman.TheArmstrong,Palliser,andBeaulieugunswerecompelledtobowbeforetheirtransatlanticrivals.NowwhenanAmericanhasanidea,hedir
6、ectlyseeksasecondAmericantoshareit.Iftherebethree,theyelectapresidentandtwosecretaries.Givenfour,theynameakeeperofrecords,andtheofficeisreadyforwork;five,theyconveneageneralmeeting,andtheclubisfullyconstituted.SothingsweremanagedinBaltimore.Theinventorofanewcannonassociatedhimselfwiththec
7、asterandtheborer.Thuswasformedthenucleusofthe"GunClub."Inasinglemonthafteritsformationitnumbered1,833effectivemembersand30,565correspondingmembers.Oneconditionwasimposedasa_sinequanon_uponeverycandidateforadmissionintotheassociation,andthatwastheconditionofhavingdes
