The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-15 00:00:00

1 , erNIL "vt.4,
ing the mu Iles of the band in forcing home a tt, r 56 „.,... i,,
tAirpx
down a foul barrel. This advantage is one in vki '' ---;'4. t.
experiented officers recognise a very importan !",/ a
value. There is also a facility in cleaning the
weapon, which is fully admitted by those at all
conversant with the subject, and which is one
of those small trifles which, like the memorable
horse shoe nail, may materially affect a very great
result. On the whole, the superiority over the
present rifle seems so unmistakable that its adop-
tion may be looked upon as a necessity. There will,
however, also arise the necessity for consideration
as to details before an alteration so extensive as that
comprising our whole army can be confirmed. That
of keeping up a perpetual supply of ammunition to •
troops when in action will he one objection present-
ing much difficulty. Nothing so effectually para-
lyses the British soldier as the finding himself with-
tut a cartridge in his pouch. Though he might
forcce no immediate use for it, and might have-rea-
son to suppose that ere long he woad be supplied
with it, the actual absence of it is likely enough to
crease that irresistible spark—a panic. Since the
breech loader can be fired some five or six times as
often as a =zee loader, it is obvious that a pro-
portionate supply of ammunition must be at hand.
At present arch brigade carries its own, but it is
probable
system will
being responsible
necessitate each
regiment,
for its own supply. In fact, there seems no doubt
but that a certain extra number of men must be told
off solely to supply the pouches from the tumbrils.
This, as it will seriously diminish the fighting
strength of each regiment, will requires good deal
of careful consideration from the authorities err
they sanction the system dernanaidg it.
It is but fair to admit that there still exists a very
formidable obstacle to the securing the entirety of
the advantage which a breech loading rifle would
confer on our troops. Those who use breech loaders
over the stubble or in the forest, have of course over
and over again congratulated themselves that the
cartridge is the charge per se, and the " bother of
caps" has been done away with. But the military
authorities have hitherto, with commendable pro•
dente, invariably set their faces against the use in
the army of a cartridge which shall combine such
elements of danger as the presence of the percale•
sion powder as well as that of villanons saltpetre.
Moreover, the cartridges which include the combia
nation are delicate of structure, and would be very
easily liable to get out of order, and indeed to be-
come useless, under the rough usage of the camp or
the barrack, It is obvious that the brass pin which
stands out at right angles at the end of the cartridge,
and the blow on which causes the ignition of the
fulminating powder, would be extremely likely to
be bent from its position or forced out altogether in.
the rough handling to which it would be subjected
in a campaign. The scrupulous care which sports*
men are apt to bestow upon their contrivances for
preserving their ammunition from harm, even for
the bloodless campaign of a moor, of itself establishes
`his drawback. It is, however, not insurmountable;

It seems that there is an American invention already
in practical operation which will obviate at least the
obstacle of facile derangement. The cartridge is to
all appearance similar to that in ordinary use, save
that it is without the " pin." But it seems that the
whole inside of the copper rim, which forms its base,
is lined with a paste of the fulminating powder, and
thus the hammer, especially formed for the purpose,
striking it through the aperture in the barrel where
the pin would have usually intruded, on any pore
tion of its circumference, will ignite the charge.
The facile derangement is therefore obviated, and
there is a minor difficulty (but still a difficulty) also
superseded—that of its being necessary to insert the
cartridge into the barrel with the pin accurately
fitting the groove prepared for it. There is, how-
ever, another advantage asserted for this cartridge.
It is dec. ared that nothing but the peculiar action of
the hammer will ignite it. It has been shaken,
struck, thrown down violently on stones, and sub-
jected to the most elaborate rough handling, with
the avowed intention of accompiiahing its explosion,
but all to no purpose. The inventors explain that
to do so it requires a tque,,zo as well as a sharp blow,
and that, unless it be inserted in a close-fitting
barrel, its elasticity presc:rv6s it frein the combiva-

tion of the two.
The question of expense is one which, however
formidable, as it will undoubtedly be, is one
which we submit should never be weighed by this
country for one moment. There are occasions when
no expense is extravagenef2, but whorl thrift is ruin.
The expense with which nest year's estimates are
thus threatened is one which should be regarded
only by the advantages gained in return for it, or
rather by the overwhelming consequences contin-
gent upon its retention. If those competent and
authorised to decide pronounce an unhesitating
opinion that the improvement is desirable, we can•
not conceive a singlo guardian of the public purse
demurring to the expenditure. That the authorities
will very carefully weigh the considerations on
which the committee have founded their report, we
make not the slightest doubt. But we earnestly
trust that pounds, shillings, and pence will not be
allowed to turn the scale. That it would eventually
prove the fairest economy conceivable, is as clear as
the sun at noonday. The benighted economy that
cost us so dearly in the Crimea should preserve us
from a repetition of it for centuries. In fact, we
must needs march with the times, however fast they
may progress. It stands to reason that if rival
nations can invent a rifle giving them a superiority
over us, though they cost a hundred pounds a piece,
we must unquestionably lay out another hundred
in their counterpart. If not, we shall retain but
brief possession of the hundred pounds we think we
have saved,