Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-11-01
a New weapon of Defence.

The London DAILY Ne1cs describes a new
weapon of war, which, it fancies, will enable
England to defend her coasts effectively
against any invasion. After a hasty sketch
of modern Improvements, in various kinds of
arms ii says:
Seeing that we cannot rife our cannon. be-
cause of the mass of metal we have to deal
with, Sir CHARLES SHAw-the author of the
invention which we now proceed to describe
proposes to divide our cannon itself as well
as the shot He replaces the field piece. can
non or howitZer, by a row of rifle barrels
twenty-five in number. These are accurately
placed on the same level, each barrel diverg-
ing slightly from the central one, so that the
volley of rifle bullets discharged by the bar
rels Will cover width of about five wards at
a distance of eight hundred wards. Sir
CHARLES SHAwis rife battery is indie, d a re-
production of FIESCHI'S Internal machine
placed on wheels, and made far lighter and
tar more manageable than light brass nine
FOUNDER gun.
This implement may, therefore, be regarded
as rited cannon, divided into twenty-five
portions, as destructive as grape or canister
shot at 500 yards, or Shrapnell she'll at 500
yards: with It's deadly aim extended as far as
the rifle can reach. Conceive battery of
horse artillery with four of Sir C. SHAw's in
fernal machines substituted for their guns
What battery of field artillery what troop of
horse, what battalion of infantry could with
stand their deadly shower of Mimic bails?-
The cannon or howitZrr requires nine men at
least to serve ii, aud 1t must be dragged bv
four or six horses; the rife battery requires
but two men TO load it. and one to fire IL
can be fired by one pull of the trigger, or in
sections of twelve barrels at time, as may
be expedieut.
The best method of conceiving the power
of this new weapon is to regard it as the
effective firing power of a company of sol
diers standing two deep. When a company
of men. formed two deep. are firing, the tail
men are in front, the small in the rear both
are in heavy marching order. encountered
with knapsacks, havresacks, and all sorts of
gear. The little rear men have to level their
rifles between the front ranks; in the midst of
pushing and lostling how can steady aim
he attained? Now if we suppose one eompaly
firing at a company OF regimentof infantry,
at range of some nine or ten hundred yards.
we need no military statistics of the average
value OF shots, to convince us that ten per
cent. OF effective shots is first rate firing for
crack regiment. The rifle battery is equal
in effect to 25 rifles deliberately aimed. not
from mans shoulder but from a fixed rest.
1t Is no exaggeration, therefore. to regard
one rifle battery, manned by three rifemen as
a fair equivalent for company of soldiers
firing from the ranks
1t seems 10 us that Sir CHARLES SHAW has
done for the rifle what the first NAPOLEON did
for his artillery. He made his field artillery
tell, by massing it and concentrating its eff
fects. Sir CHARLES SHAW masses and concen-
trates the rifle. making it as deadly in its
effects, at range of 100 yards, and far
more certain of aim, than a shower of grape
shot at 500 yards. These rife batteries can
be applied to boats, to the poop of vessel of
war. or its yards. Three or four men can
thus be made equal in power to company of
marines.