The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-08 00:00:00

M. THE LOCK.

Optional,

N. RAPIDITY OF FIRE.
Capable' of firing at least 12 rounds per minute, without
aiming, the cartridges being arranged
on a table.
o. ACCURACY WHEN FIRED FROM A FIXED REST.
The arm must give a mean figure of merit of not more
than 86in. at 1,000 yards, 30in. at 800 yards, 12in. at 500,
and 6in. at 300.
Tho mean to be taken u
shots each. Pon at least five targets of twenty
_ r. TRAJECTORY. •
Not to require at 500 yards an elevation of more than 1
deg. 30 min.

Q. POTJLING.
The shooting not to deteriorate more than 20 per cent.
at 1,000 yards after firing 250 rounds.
it. PENETRATION.
The mean penetration of five shots not
to be less than
that of the present service muzzle-loading Enfield Rifle—
viz., 12 half-inch elm planks, which have been soaked 48
hours in Water.
Distance 30 yards.
s. LUBRICATION.
Wax on bullets is indismsable, but any other lubricant
butY be superadded or applied to the cartridge, if thought
necessary by the competitor.
111.
No arms will be received without the usual proof marks.
Specifications, and drawings of the methods proposed,
stating the probable cost per arm, and accompanied by a
Eoished specimen arm, with 20 rounds of suitable ammu-
nition, should be sent to the "Director of Ordnance, War
Offico, Pall-nuill," on or before the 30th March, 1867.
The specifications and specimen arms will be considered
by the Ordnance Select Committee and its associate mem-
bers, who will be selected bthe Secretary of State for
War, and who will, after grin the 20 preliminary rounds,
select and recommend for further trial such of the systems
as may appear to them sufficiently promising, rejecting all
such as may not be considered to offer sufficient merits to
warrant their being included in the competitie, the eon_
ditions of which are stated in this advertf,,,ree'ni.
Each accepted competitor will theme
t.. 00 required to furnish
for xperiment, at Woolwich. '..x arms in strict conformity
toe the specimen arm sutnitiad, with 1,000 rounds of am-
munition per arm, v;.ithin four months after date of de-
mandm . Each c'.;.opetitor will be required to disclose to the cttee ilLe exact nature of the lubrication he may em-
Ploy- 11. sum of
Tol`petito £3OO will be paid to each of the accepted
ra, to cover the w expense of the six rifles, and of
e supply of ammunition require&
arm
The Secretary of State offers a reward of £l,OOO for the
which, on combination of all qualities, is considered
by the committee to be the best submitted.
, A second reward of £6OO for the arm which, while at-
" Lining a satisfactory degree of excellence in other particu-
lars, 113 selected for merit in respect to its breech mechanism.
A. third reward of £4OO for the best cartridge. The qua-
ies which will be principally taken into consideration in
b.warding this prize will be economy of manufacture, power
of sustaining rough usage, freedom from deterioration in
Various climates, and general serviceability.
The sLooting qualities of the cartridge must be fair; but
as they may depend upon the rifling of the arm with which
the cartridge is associated, they will not be so much con-
sidered as those above-mentioned.
It is clearly to be understood that under no circumstances
will a competitor be entitled to more than One prize ; but
such prize will be irrespective of any reward which may be
g.ven to the inventor of the arm finally adopted into the
i
Service.

I v:
MAGAZINE AND REPEATING ARMS.
Magazine and Repeating Arms for Infantry will be re-
eived and examined in a manner similar to the Breech-
loading Rifles. They must not be less in length than 48
nebes, including the stock.
The limit of weight for these arms is fixed at 91-Ib. ex-
elusive of the charges in the magazine.
It is indispensable that the arms be made to take a
bayonet.
~,The Secretary of State offers a reward of 300 for the best
Magazine or Repeating Arm produced that fulfils the above
conditions ; and in the absence of experience does not at
present define the standard of accuracy or other conditions
to be fulfilled before such an arm can be adopted.
_ Those Magazine orßepeatingArms, which are accepted
for further trial, will be paid for at the rate of £6o,each.
This sum is to include 1,000 rounds of ammunition per
arm.

tov.
The Secretary of State
Will take care that no ingenious
elty produced in answer to this advertisement shall be
Adopted into the service without proper acknowledgment,
arid that the name of the individual with whom it origi-
tntos shall bo recorded in conuection with it.
intolf tho rig© to which the first prize is awarded is adopted
the service, it will bear the inventor's name.
h. ..
J. ST. GEORGE, Major-General, Director'
of Ordnance'Nl' OfQce, Oct. 22 4866