Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-08-08
The Needle Gun.

The PruSSlan needle cun,' OF which
much has been heard during the present
war, is breech loader In firing it. there
is double force exerted by gunpowder and
Illuminating or decorating powder. The
lock Is so constructed that pin or needle
passes through the charge of gunpow der,
and strikes upont the base of the bali in the
hollow of winch Is placed the Illuminating
powder, the ex p losIon tlres the gunpowder,
and the force OF the proieetile is claimed to
be thereby Increased 1t will, therefore, be
seen that the needle gun dispenses with the
percussion caps; ) the ball contains all the
detonatIng powder Necessary; the fixing of
caps, au operation which must occasion
some delay when rapidly OF firing is neces-
sary, is dispensed with, and thereby there is
"a saving of valuable time The advantage
jof breech loader is, that it always saves
time. The loading of a inusket by the or
dinary process of the cartridge and the ram
rod andhxlng the cap. all require some de-
lay. The Prussians dispense with such OBJ
stacles 10y making the bail answer for the
percussion cap, and abolishing the ramrod
altogether. The advantage claimed in the
! present campaign IS that the Prussians can
fire with three times the rapidity of the
Austrians, Between two voileys delivered
by the latter, il IS Claimed that the Prns-
slams can ire three times. Tins makes the
odds III a battle tremendous, and to 1t Is
ascrlbed the PrusSlan successes. There Is
no doubt that the Austrians are brave aud
stubborn, but they cannot, by dogmatic
siowness, overcoii the advantage OF celeri-
ty. In a proclamation of Benedek to his
troops, he alluded to the supposed superb
ority In the arms of the enemy, and exhort-
ed his troops to overcome it by bayonet
charges; but before soldiers, relying upon
the bayonet, can reach lines which fire rap
idly, the advancing columns may be shot
down. This is said to have been the case
in the recent battles in Bohemia, and it is
recorded that the number OF wounded Aus
trians, as compared with the Prussians, was
five to one. There is another advantage Cf
the needle gun, which same argue is dis
advantage.
1t is very light much lighter than the or
dinary mu,ket of the European and Amer
ical patterns, consequently the soldier is
not near SO soon tatlgued In carrying 1t, as
was formerly the case with the old flint
lock and percussion lock muskets. La close
quarters the English soldier, after he could
fire no more, or had lost his bayonet, club
bed his musket, and laying about him with
the stock, as he had learned to do, before
be entered the army, with the quarter staff,
belabored all of his enemies who came with
IN llS TSacH with KNOCK k-uOWn DiOWS. l. MS
cannot be done with the needle gun, and
that is supposed to be disadvantage. But,
the Prussian soldiers at Nachod, when it
came to close quarters. drew their heavy
swords and beat back the enemy with the
sabre / cannot be much disadvantage TO
the needle eun thai 1t VIII not serve TO do
the work Of . club, IS long as 1t will prevent
The necessity o: clubbing. by giving three
chances to-shoOtdown the advancing foe, to
one which the latter possesses. = ...sr
The success of the needle gun has rails
ed clamor in England for the abolition of
the muzzle-i loading muskes, and the adop-
ton of breech- leaders. 1t does not follow,
however, that the needle gun" is the best
weapon that can be found. In the United
States army the Spencer rife, which is
breech- loader, fires seren shots before it is
necessary to reload, and the whole seven are
put in the gun with one motion. 1t is eyi-
dent, however, from all our modern expert
ences, that the tendency of improvements in
fire arms is to make wars short, sharp and
decisive" consummation once promised
US during the rebellion by famous Gener-
al. who most woefully procrastinated the
time which he ought to have taken by the
forelock to carry out his own PROMISES
Philadelphia Inquirer.
YOUNG AMERICA WONDERS. w Wonder
why mother keeps Bridget home from
church all day to work, and then says 1t is
" ick ed for me to build my rabit house on |