Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-29
A NEW WEAPON OF DEFENCE.

The London Daily News describes new
weapon of war, which, it faDcies, will enable
England to defend her coasts effectively against
any invasion. After q hasty sketch of modern
improvements, in various kinds of arms il an va.
Seeing that we cannot rife our cannon. be-
cause of the mass Of metal we have to deal with
cir Charles Shaw-the author of the inyent;on
which we now proceed to odescribs-proposss 10
divide our cannon itself as we'll as the shot.
lie replaces the field piece. cannon or bowitzer.
6y row OF rifle barrels, twenty FIVE in num-
per. Inese are accurately placed on the same
level, each barrel divergins slightly from the
central one, so that the volley of rife bullets
discharged by the barrels will cover a width of
ABOUT hve yards at distance of eight hundred
yards. Sir Charles Shaw's rifle battery is in
deed reproduction of Fieschi's internal ma
chine, placed on wheels, and made far lighter
ana Tar more manageable than light brass
nine FOUNDER gun.
as rifed cannon, divided into twenty Eve DOR
uons, as destructive as grape or canister shot II
300 yards, or sbrapnell she'll at 800 yards, with
Its deadly aim extended as far as the rias ca
reach Conceive battery Of horse artillery
with four Of Sir C. Shaw's Internal machines
substituted for their guns. What battery Of
held artillery, what troop OF horse what hat
TALON Of infantry could withstand their deadly
shower OF MIME balls? The cannon or how'll
zer requires nine men at least to serve IL and
II must be dragged by four or six horses. the
rlne battery requires but two men to load II
and one to FIRE. 1t can be fred by one mil Of
the trigger, or in sections of twelve barrels At
time, as may be expedient.
Ihe best method Of cOnceiving the power of
TINS new weapon is to regard il as the effective
hrlng power OF a company of soldiers STANDING
Two deep. When company of men. formed
two deep, are firing, the tall men are in front
the small In the rear, both are in heavy march.
Ing order, encumbered with knapsacks. hare
SACKS, and all sorts of gear The little rear
men have to level their rifles between the front
ranks; In the midst of pushing and iostling how
can steady aim be attained? Noyifwesun-
pose one company firing at n company or regi-
ment OF infantry, at a range of some nine or ten
hundred yards We need no military statistics
OF the average value Of shots, to convince ms
that ten per cent. Of effective shots is first rate
hiring for a crack regiment The rife battery
Is equal in effect to 25 rifles deliberately aimed
not from a mans shoulder, but from fixed
rest. Ii is no exaggeratiOn, therefore to re-
gard one rifle battery, manned by three rife
men, as fair equivalent for a company Of
soldiers firing from the ranks
1t seems to us that Sir Charles Shaw has dons
for the rifle what the first n Napoleon did for his
artillery. He made his field artillery tell by
masslng 1t and concentrating its effects. Sir
Cnaries Shaw masses and concentrates the
rlne, 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 rifle batteries can be applied 10 boats. to
the poop of a vessel Of war, or Its wards Three
or four men can thus be made equal in power
to company Of marines. -.