New-York daily tribune., 1853-12-16

TARGET I-Dssnee sss yards Five shots enly drsd two
TARGFT No Dbtsnce $40 yards Five shots only fred
touches the black
black little the corner to the right
TAGoET N3 & 80 S y;i f"1yy S .sii s Hsd &
TARGET No. v-Dassee go yard. Ten shots cred. in
tie black
TARGET No vID,snse Yards Thrss shot. fred found
irins The fsrs down to the blsek.
TARGET No vI-Ds,Ance I.A yards Twelve shOt. frsd'
tlfte io1eh tie black
Tie party engaged in firing consisted of twelve per-
fons usiDg the gun and each fired he felt dis
posoi TO thy the effect of his aim The two shots
On parallel line through the middle and on the out
ride OF the last target, were fired by Lient Birtlet6
Major Mimic placed the three balls in the black, which
is most extraordinary feat. Only think of driving
three balls into mark the Fze Of man 1hat three
times in succession at Il distance OF threequarfers Of
g nile, oi-haId and Major MIME says h. can do as
well all day, and teach any other man OF or
dinary capabilities the same accuracy On late Oc-
casion Msor Mimic hia but" seven times out Of ten
at the immense distance of 4 yards. with sufficient
force 70 pass through cuirass aud kill The " but'
was 100 eet in length and lo feet high, representing
for example, though not perfectly, thirty mounted
men, Ii is frieluul to think of the havoc which
weltraned amy, equipped with these guns, might
make On an enemy equipped after the Old style
Tie reason why the Mimic ball has not been adopted
is simply Iecapse the baile-dge wasinvened first and
each are similar. The gun required for the latter ball.
as mentioned before, requires to be OF particular
construction, which may be described IN few words:
steel pin 3-l6 inch in diameter, is screwed into the
brCeoh-pn upon which the ball strikes when put into
the barrel (the powder being first put in) and rests
there sustained On the pin, not on the powder The
consequence is, that when the heavy iron ranrot,
made with a cOncave but, strikes down on the
ball. the pin is driven upward into the substance
Of tie bali, spreading it out on all sides nrmy
n. Al. kf1h oita
ecy and consequently directs the ball with more
curacy than is possible TO obtain with any other slug.
cing The same principle of suggng therefore is used
in both balls, bat produced by different methods: in
tie ball just described being produced by rammIng,
willie with the Mimic ball it is produced by the expo-
sion The balls both of precisely the same exterior
foIm and OF the weight; when the ball weighs 40
ersmmes the charge Of powder is grammes, and when
tie ball weighs so grammes the charge Is grakncs
BY this principle OF slugging therefore, IL will be seen
that the old uncertain muskets at once converted into
close shooting rifle Of most extraordinary range be-
fore which no field artillery known to science could
sustain itself 1t is the opinion OF the most dstln
eusl.d French officers that heavy cavalry can be no
longer used with effect and that artillery must be re-
stIicted siege operations and the defense OF fortified
places.
To show more forcbly the difference in the power
ard execution betweeB the old musketw round ball.
and the improved musket with baiie-d+ge, may cite
the following experiment which did not see, but for
the truth OF which have the best evidence. -Four
regiments of French soldiers (n0t picked fired at the
Polygone of Vncennes, 100000 balls, onehaf out OF
the old regulation muske with the usual round balls
the other hall with the improved rihe-musket with
LGliesd-tige To make the experiment ialr each man
fred the fame number OF balls from each Kind OF gun
Tie following was the result:
From 80 TO 100 yards-superority rather III favor OF
tie new cum distinguished British officers have OBJ
iected HAT the new French gun not adapted to
short range and therefore less efficient than the old
musket. These experiments disprove theassertion)
$50 Yards-Tbe improved gun twice as good as old
Musket and round ball.
2OU lards-1brice s good.
3C0 Yards-Sevon time better
4C0 Yards-Eltyen times better
500 Yerds-The improved musket rife hit nearly as
often as at $50 yards, but no Old musAet hit
600 Yards-The new gun bit nearly the third OF what
bit at $50 yards distance. ~
200 Yards-Hit nearly the samc as at 600 yards dig
tance. ~
sOO Yards-Hit nearly one fifth as at $50 yards d,
tance.
II will be SEEN therefore, from these experiments
that if eny $50 men of any of these four regiments were
armed with the improved gun and bdHe-dhge that az
distances of from so to 600 yards, they would In one
minute do execution than 90 men at similar ds-
tarces and the time With old muskets ana ainmd-
milton consequently 500 men be made equal TO
$3.50 men, or 1900 American soldieSs can now be
drilled and armed TO do as much execution as could
lave been done by $1,000 OF the veterans oi the reVO
luton.
There guns without doubt will become general, un
eEs something more perfect should be discovered to
tale their place The late results obtained with them
an tLe hank of the Danube will be sufficient to satisfy
those 10 already convinced of their vast superiority
over all other forms Of firearms Other instances,
however, are not wanting Of their sersce IN actual
vaiiaIe. year ago, Gen Mac Mahon, commanding
tie French troops in Algeria, used them win great e
feet sesiIst the Arabs. On one occasion his rear guard
consisting OF only two companies OF men, but armed
with the improved rife musket and bdEledttge was az
tackled by considerable body Of Arab cavalry, VINO
boldly approached 10 within 100 yards, when VOley
was poured into them which sent them to the right
rbcut Tie cavalry rallied and again showed face at
distance Of SEQ yards supposDg thenselTes an saiety
but another voll.y was poured into them producing
nearly tie effect at that distance ss the nrSs vol
ley, and those not disabled fed in dismay.
Evidence enough exists 10 satisfy any man acquint
cd in the least with firearms that the United States
Government cannot afford longer TO 10 without one or
the other of these improved balls IN its armed ser'ce
Against tie Indians the western Prarlesi is IN
fneuse advantages will be obvious at rst glance An
American army equipped they now are opposed 70
aFr5nch army equipped with the improved arms would
be well IepTesented by army of the day which pre-
ce6ed tie invention of gunpowter opposed to an army
of modern days To see two armies drawn up face 10
tuce 80 wards apart srd while the balls Of were
scattering death and destruction into the ranks oil tae
otIer perhaps picking of their officers the balls OF tae
nTosite side should fa peut halfway, would partase
tco much OF reality TO be amusing Although have
snail opinon Of the great body Of tie treren soiier
ulyscsiv and rnorzIy--beeyng thGn inferior IN shese
icrses 10 at least tile soldiers OF three other Eafo-
rear uatious-yot tioir vast superiority IN e4npA-nt nts
gives them an advantaee which vii place thea TT 10
sjrsree OF all otters 10. equally Well equipped re-
.t fb,r tLat III lnaaA.Rd vii insist on making
science it would prove the groseest im2rudencsto ne