New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-26
me Prussaan Nseals GUN.

The Prussian "needle gun, which was nsed
with such disastrous effect in the battle of Sadowa
was originally invented in 1885, although many i'm.
provements have since been made. The credit of
the invention belongs to Mr.. Dreyse, the manufao-
turer Of arms at Sommerda; but, in some re.
Epeets. the weapon is similar to, and an improve.
meut upon the breech-loading mus6et of Norway
1t Is supply hreeeh-loadng rifle the cartridge Of
which is exploded by the intrusion of a needle
into the illuminate attached to it, the needle being
propelled by spiral spring.
1nere Is no secret about Its mechanism, and the
only thing about 1t which there would be the least
difficulty IN copying is the Illuminating compusi-
ton. This says a foreign correspondent g is
d compound Of ingredients known only to one
mantle invehtor-and so determined is the gov
eminent that the secret shall not escape that the
man is guarded night and day by a squad OF
twelve soldiers Every letter which he writes is
suspected, and he is not allowed to communicate
orally with any person except in the presence OF
his guard.'
The rifle part of the barrel is thirty -six inches
long, and has oalibre of six-tenths Of an inch
with four grooves having twist of fiye-eleveuths
IN the length OF the barrel. The breadth of these
Is about quarter of an inch, and the depth three
hundredths of an inch, There is an utlrifed
chamber for q bed of the cartridge, OF diameter
slightly larger than the oaibre of the barrel and
enaEging very little Is the rear to admit the cart
ridge after repeated discharges. Where the
chamber untes with the grooves there Is gradual
slope to facilitate the passage of the ball, aud
prevent too sudden compression. The barrel is
screwed into cylinder, which holds together the
mechanism Of The piece.
Another account says The cartridge,is made Of
stiff Cardboard The bail, powder and explosive
composition being contained in the same eytinder
Its great peculiarly is that the decorating powde
ls placed immediately in rear or base of the ball
and between it and the powder The advantage
OF this is mat, when the powder is ignited, that
portion next the bail, in which combustion ia first
perfected, exerts its full force upon the projeete
the power in rear also exeFting its influence, as il
becomes almost instantaneouSly ignted Under
the present system in which that part of the body
next to the breach of the gun is first ignited q
portion OF the powder is frequently expelled from
the gun with the ball n condition of only partial
combustion the explosive force Of the powder
first consumed being adequate to expel the
ball and the powder in its front before the
whole charge has time to become entirely fgnited.
Thus in the needle gun all the powder Is con-
suned and applied to the best effect and 50 as to
obtain its fullest force ut the same instant and in
the same direction. The needle gun is a breach
loader; and when the trigger is pulled a stout
needle or wife ID thrust through the base Of the
cartridge, parallel with its axis into The detonat.
ing charge, causing its explosion and the ignition
Of the cartridge In accuracy the needle gun can
mot be surpassed and it's effective range is said to
be about fifteen hundred yards.''
The advantages Of the arm, besides the great
one of celebrity of fire, are the simplicity Of the
mechanism, which can be taken apart without d
screR driver or other implement; the safety and
ease with which it may be cleansed the conye-
nienee of loading in limited space or on horse
back the certain and uniform filling of the
grooves the reduced charge consequent upon the
entire consumption Of the powder; and the dis
use Of the ramfod The chief objection brought
against it has been that firing so rapidly the sol
der would forget to aim, and so waste more ammu-
milton than in the old weapons.