The weekly Butte record., 1861-09-14
What Guns are Best.

the most efficient The principles of opera
tion and the principles of mechanical construc
ton embraced in the variety of weapons now
brought before the public, are so different ant
the opinions are so numerous respecting theil
merits, that it is very difficult to arrive at pro
per conclusions respecting them. A few words
on this subject, to bring the matter intelligi-
bly, before those in authority and the public
may be of some service.
Rifed cannon are now held to be the most
efficient for artillery purposes. Their aim is
more accurate, and their range much greater
than the old smooth bored cannon, hence they
are more destructive. It now seems TO be the
object of military authorities, everywhere, to
bring them into general use, and if one army
is provided with rifed cannon, its adversary
must provide similar guns or fight at great
disadvantage. For close engagements smooth
bored cannon must always be employed for
firing grape and canister; therefore, although
rifed cannon are more effective at long ranges,
smooth bored guns must form large portion
of the effective artillery belonging to an army
for action at close quarters.
There are two special classes of rifed can
non, respecting which there are divided opin-
ions among military men and others. The one
has movable breech and is loaded at the
rear the other has close cylinder behind
L. 4lo t. -, e.
the breech-loaders that they can be loaded
with less labor, are more convenient for re-
ceiving shot and shells, and that expanding
shot are not required for them. The objec-
tions to them are that they are more compl-
Gated and expensive in construction than muz-
zle-loaders, and that they are more liable to
get injured and become imperative in action
The great simplicity of muzle loading can
non is admitted, but either winged shot or ex-
pandng shot is required for them. If muzzle-
loading rihed cannon are as good as breech-
leaders, all the sound old smooth bores in our
arseDals, forts and navy yards can be convert
ed into servicibe and efficient rihed guns by
simply growing their insides, and this can be
effected at very small expense. This is,
therefore, the important subject for considera-
ton as it now divides the opinions of very
able military authorities.
The English and the Prussian governments
have given their countenance to the adoption
of breech loading rilled cannon, and Belgian
government has recently proposed expending
about $3,000,000 for the reconstruction of
its artillery, adopting the Prussian screw
breech guns, which are to be less dangerous in
loading, more accurate in aim, and easier load
ed than those which are charged at the muz-
zle. On the other hand the Russian, French
Dutch and Swedish governments have adopt
ed muzzle-loading rihed cannon, the Holland
ers having converted number of their DID,
worn-out pieces into good rifed cannon by a
process which exhibits genuine economy and
considerable ingenuity. In the arsenals of
Holland there were number of siX-pounder
bronze guns which had become so defective
from use that they were condemned to be re-
melten and re-cast. A happy thought struck
one of the engineers. He proposed to clean
out the bores and partially fill them in with a
re-casting of bronze and metal and then rife
them This suggestion was carried out, and
the old defective smooth-bores have been con-
verted iuto rihed guns. By this simple pro-
cess the Dutch have obtained from their old
condemned bronze guns as efficient light field
pieces as those of France and Russia, at an
expense of only seven dollars for each.
Those who have advocated the muzze-load
ers and condemned those which are charged in
the rear, say that the latter have been tried
and condemned long ago-that they were the
earliest class of guns made therefore they
should not receive that attention which is now
bestowed on them. Such charge as this
should receive but little consideration, for re-
volving firearms were really among the most
early that were tried, and in the Tower of
London there is frearm nearly two hundred
years old, which has revolving charge cham
ber operated on the same principle as the
most approved modern revolvers and yet such
weapons became lost to the public until re-
vived by the most improved Colt pistol.
Every frearm should be judged upon q con-
sideration of its own merits, after repeated tri-
ais, and not by the prejudices and interests of
any man or party. This is the only way to
arrive at right conclusions respecting the mer
its of any piece of mechanism.
Having paid considerable attention to vari-
GUS kinds of guns we believe that every sound
gun in our country may be converted, at
trifing expense, into a good and efficient RI
fed cannon by the simple operation of rifing.
We consider it folly to expend large sums in
obtaining new rified cannon while old ones
can be rendered nearly as good as the best that
are made from new materials.
The public has read accounts Of the Saw
yer, and James and Hotchkis cannon, but the
guns which have received s1ch names are com
mon rihed cannon. The names of the invent
ors of the peculiar shot which were fired with
rifed cannon, have been transferred to the
guns by correspondents Of papers unacquaint-
ed with the invention.
In the construction of new riaed cannon for