The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-04
From The NJ r. Herald
The Swiss C&rabiue Presented 10 the lated
States.


From Tie NJ Y. Herald.
The SWISS C&rabiuc Presented ~ the lated
states.
The Swiss confederation has presented,
through me, to the federal government, = speci-
men carabi,,c~-the national arm of $ sitxerland.
II was consigned, with the Announcements, to
Messrs. Meyer Il Metzler, Of 81 Maiden lane,
without instructions, and it came through the
custom-house on the payment OF ordinary duties
and charges. A neat plate on the right face OF
the breach bears the following Inscription -
- Aur Eats Unis de PAmeriqus du Nord pc
Mr.. W. M CmrB Ia confederation Suisee =
As soon as got the weapon into my posses
sion, made trial of II at various distances IN
It's range of thousand yards, from one,third
OF that distance down TO one hundred and hsty
yards, and found il splendid shooter. There
was no suitable place known to me where
could obtain longer shot. 1t may be seen
for several days at the New York Herald
office, where it will be placed for public examl-
nation before going to Washington.
The description ofthe carabine and its history,
are worth preserving and will not soon be for
gotten by the American people The discrip-
1t appears to have been made by j. Hermann,
Of Berne, for it has his name on the lock and
barrel. It has walnut stock, closely fitted and
well polished, but plain; shod at the breech with
steel work, peculiarly fashioned and contains a
metal case to receive the ramrod, with fastenings
for the leather strap by which it 10 carried. The
color OF the barrel and the lock and bayonet is
blush brown, so as not to contract rust, daz-
zle in the SUM- The barrel il rihed, and has a
chamber to receive the charge. 1t is thirty two
inches long and about third-inch calibre. The
carabne and bayonet are five feet eight inches
long, and weigh eleven pounds. The lock is
percussion, and it is mounted with hair triggers.
The sights are double, and the back sight plays
in scale which is graduated with the proper
elevations for given distances plainly marked at
the side. The ramrod is beautiful straight
steel bar, so made at the top with shoulder,
that when it is put up it holds its place. and when
used in charging, it marks the right point, and
cannot be forced beyond it. 1t has a brass fe-
male screw at the foot, which fits down upon
the bullet when it is to be forced home, so as
not to fatten it, and which is made to receive
the male screw and wipers, when necessary in
cleaning. There is three pronged screw driver,
to take the gun to pieces; curious wooden
machine, for making cartridge papers and an
excellent pair of bullet noulds.
The cartouch box is very large, and slung by
broad strip, containing pocket for the caps,
and the box has divers compartments. Speci-
mems of powder, in proper sized cartridges, and
OF balls and caps, accompany the gun. The
powder is coarse, but the grain is round, and
the color good. It's strength is equal to any of
the sporting power, and the charge is small ;
each one is done up in very tough white paper.
The balls are odd enough They are an inch in
length, cylindrical in the middle; the base
square, but the point tapered quite sharp. They
have piece of cotton cloth tied round the base
with string which comes off on entering the
barrel, which binds good deal at The muzzle,
but not afterwards, and they weigh sixty to the
pound. The gun is like that of the Chasseurs
FAf-ique, and shoots as far. 1t is deadly at
1000 yards, and at 400 the ball went through
an cid oak fence-rai of two inches and half
The bayonet is twenty inches long, very fine
temper, and is held to the barrel by spring
which it contains on the shank, and which plays
in tube. 1t can easily be detached with the
hand but not with the sword
The history of the gun, &C., is as follows -
AT Paris, in the summer of 1850, Col. Samuel
Colt, the inventor, gave me one of, his largest
cavalry revolving pistols. 1t was not so much
a present as thing to be made useful to the
democracy of Europe. He foresaw all the roya
per6dies that have since been successfully en-.
acted We agreed that the people must achieve
their liberties on the field of battle against Their
tyrants; and that Switzerland could only pre-
serve hers by force of arms He had brought
out from the United States all his inventions
and secured his patents in France, Austria
Prussia, and England but not in Switzerland
In the fall of the year, | went to Berne and
spent six weeks under the roof of Col. Dudley
Mann,* while he was negotiating the treaty
since before the Senate. Gle introduced me to
President Druey. 1t was at the time when
Switzerland was menaced on every side on ac-
count Of her stern republicanism.
The King of Prussia claimed one Of the States
of the confederation, Neufchatel The Emper.
or of Austria had taken offence, because some
of his Italian victims bad found refuge in Others
Of the States. These sanguinary rufiians were
| seeking the VOLTS quarrel with acts of the Swiss
republic ostensibly, but really with its glorious
principle of self government, then and now de-
nounced by them a crime. A million of bay
onets threatened Switzerland on every side but
that next to France; and while insoent convo
cations Of monarchs were held near the frontier
at Brigertz, the Veralsburg swarmed with the
soldiers of Prussia and Austria those Of Russil
occupying Eastern Germany to keep order, and
thus co operate. The French President also
had just been making his royal progress, as
Prince and heir Of Napoleon, through Alsacc
and his minister at Berne was menacng the con
federation if it did not apologize for its decision
not to associate with the neighboring kings II
offering his master monarchial courteses al
Strasburg. President Dreuey and his council
peremptorily refused any apology, ard it was
said that Louis Napoleon meant to have salts
faction. On that side of Switzerland, likewise
a hostile array of 10000, called an army of OBJ
servation, was moved up to the Jura Alps, OF
the preienco of watching over the peace of Ly
ons and the frontier 1t was asserted that the
President had been insuted by the Swiss resi-
dents of Besancon as well as the Swiss govern
ment, and the court circle at the Elysee was IL
active concert with Berlin. Vienna and ST. Pc
tersburg, meditating How at the republic o
Switzerland. The true objects of the French
army of observation was to prevent the rush o
French sympathisers into that country, if j
should be attacked. The danger of Switzer
land was mminent but the courage and calu
of the people and government were supreme
They knew they were bandful--only 100000
soldiers, and population of little more than 3,
100000; but they stood on independence an'
Justice, and on public opinion, especially in thu
L - Al