Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-08-24
n NEEDLE-GUN.

.,r.,e how far Austria must be and is
hoh;rd the times in her muskets than the
astonishing results attributed to the Prus-
sian needle-guns. Many have supposed
them some new invention. But the fact
il, that this precise arm has been well
known for more than ten years, and a
similar was on exhibition in a gunmaker's
in New York City in 1851 or 1852. So
far as the needle principle is concerned, it
may be doubted yet whether the objection
which caused it to be rejected altogether
by the English army is not valid; !. O.,
that 1.-THE needle and the machinery that
operates it-are too delicate and liable to
get u Of order. Since the battle Of the
Sd Of July, an army officer writes that IN
cooking this weapon it is particularly liza
BILE to send the needle into the charge pre-
maturely, and before the musket can be
brought to the shoulder. One Of the
many advantages claimed for the gun is
that it fires that part of the powder first
which is nearest the ball, and thus secures
the explosion Of the whole charge in the
piece, and so gives a longer range. 1t is,
however, the rapidity Of these as breech-
loading muskets, and as losing no time in
placing the cap, that have given the Prus-
SLAMS their great advantage in the present
war.
The greatest advantage of b%reech-load-
ing rifles is in the rapidity Of fire. and this
is so great that the same man who recently
found he could load and FIRE his muzzle-
loading Springfield ten times in four min
utes and ~forty-six seconds. fired his ten
rounds with the breech-loading or Snyder
Enfield in one minute and forty-four Sec
onds, or less than n third of the time q!
Yet, for years have the military men OF the
old world been fighting against breech-
leaders. Now, suddenly, since the battle
Of the Sd of July, orders have been given
to convert 100, 900 of the Enfield rifles
into Snyder Enfelds.
1t is chiefly against charges Of cavalry
that breech. loading rifles are so extremely
formidable. The infantry formed in
squares to receive a charge, and beginning
to drop their antagonists at a thousand
yards, could clear almost every saddle be.
fore a man could come near enough to fire
off his carbine, much less use his sabre &c
any advantage. Each foot soldier would
have his antagonist under FIRE long enough
to shoot at him ten or fifteen times, ac'
cording as he took aim. Let any ont
think Of the charge of the Light Brigade
at Balaklava. and ask how many Of them
would have returned from charging in thai
style upon a regiment armed with breech'
loading riiess
All through our war the English Off
GERS who viewed u battles spoke will
grea, contempt Of the way our c~avalr!
behaved in not making furious and de
cisive charges. But such charges agains
a cool and well-armed adversary now ant
henceforth must ever be decisive, but onl,
Of defeat. We knew the men and arm
we had to face. Such u charge as that a
Balaklava will never again be made, ever
by officers having no more sense thar
those who gave the fatal orders which
consigned to the grave uselessly so many
brave mon.
Thus far, the war in Europe has devel.
oped nothing but what has been wei
known to our army for years, and beer
acted upon as far as possible during ouS
late war. The escape Of gas has nov
been so perfectly prevented, as to leav
nothing further to be desired in this re
spect. The thin brass or copper cylinde
n which the cartridge is contained, over
leaps thy crevice of the JOINT. and, expand
ing, makes the whole perfectly air-tigh,
It seem that il II were found desirable t
explode the front part Of the charge first
il would not be difficult to effect even thi
by simpler and better means than tn
needle Of the Prussians.