The New York herald., 1870-09-17
FRENCH AND PRUSSlAN ARTIL.
CERY,
LERY.

The Grcnf Guns and Their Merits in Action.
before Metz august 22) correspondence OF Pall
Mall Gazette.l
To return to Thursdays Dattle:-After a careful
examination OF the French position must beg to re-
scind my dictum as TO the Prussian artillery prac-
was deceived by the nature Of the ground which
prevented my seeing the shells bursting on the pla-
teau occupied by the French, being on much lower
ground near Gravelote. But the ground to the rear
OF the Verdun road Is so poughed with shells tnat 1t
would be absurd to deny the good practice made.
they do with their rines-slow and sure''-the Cap
tain OF each gun taking aim as carefully If he
the persistency OF the men in not drawing trigger
until sure fthcir aim, haractersc story has been
told me OF lager III the battle at Spcheren.
and kept putting his needle gun up to his shoulder,
and bringing II down again without firing. An OH
Ger standing by got impatient and exclaimed.
"Shoot you stupid don't stand there all day" mo.
no. answered the soldier, quietly, "Ich habe Inn
nicht''-..ah So - he added, bringing his rife Gown
with look OF delight as French skrmsher rolled
over with bullet tnrougnNhis head. This 1t is that
makes the needle ,gun fire so deadly-the men are
taught never 10 fre without feeling confident OF hit
ting. And this sort OF fire has much greater moral
effect than the blazing away OF the French--Ofen
from the hip as hard as they can load and fire. can
speak from experience TO this, for when heard
the Chassep0t Oas singing above my head without
the excitement Of watching the Prusslan attack.
even when one came SO close TO my ear as to make
1t slug again. What would have been my sensations
had the men FALLEN at every shot Is another matter.
This is indeed, one OF the reasons OF the great
slaughter caused at close quarters by the mitrail-
leurs the men who had only seen them nre at dis
tance despised them. and so rushed them reck-
lessy, and were frighiiully Duchered The mitrail-
leurs-eight in number-were In as many separate
earthworKs behind the Verdun road ON Thursday.
They were SO placed that 1t was next to impossible
for the Prussian artillery to reach them, being o
little lower than the road, and Just sweeping IL.
This not only served to protect them from the
my's shells, but prevented the gunners from firing
at TOO great distances for the mtrailleurs were
placed so low down that they could only reach the
Prussans either on the road Itself or on the last 200
yards up the slope. We below could tell after
dark when the attacking columns were closely en-
gagged by the sulen roar OF the mitralleurs-a quite
peculiar sound plainly distinguishable even above
the deafenng roar Of Thursdays artillery / much
regret the Prussans did not capture one, that
might describe it for the benefit OF your readers.
did succeed myself IN capturing ION Friday, biea
entead,0 a loaded just ready TO be empted into
the breech or one OF the 'nfant LOUIS T" pet wea-
pons. This case, made OF strong cardboard is com
posed Of twenty-five separate cells for many
cart idges. The front, or lid, Is torn or when the
cartridges are wanted, and slight shake makes
selves strongly resemble ordinary central fire Daw
or Boxer cartridges, only they are bigger ana
onger-about slX inches long aud an inch Ia diane
ter The balls the shape OF Enfield ball. and
should fancy abou. double the weight. Round one OF
works IN winch mitraileur had stood counted
forty three empty cases. and ortythree multiplied
by twenty-five equals l075-pretty well for gun,
considering that the ninety guns which belong to
the Eighth army corps have only fired 1000 shot and
Shell Ia the battles OF Spicneren Colonbay, Reson-
Vile and Graveotte. or seventy-on shots each in
four battles, IN the two latter Of which artillery
played a very large part.
during part OF Thursdays battle was only ten
yards behind four Krupp four pounders and had thus
good chance of seeing the working Of Krupp breech
pieces. Al the risk OF offending my many Prussian
friends must say that saw nothing to prove the
great superiority which they claim for their breech
Loading guns over the muzle-loading guns. After
more than one discharge the gunner NJ the breech.
piece had TO tug tremendously hard To get the breech
open and once saw the lever had 10 be applied
before the gun could be reloaded. have spent
many long day on The sands OF Shoebury ness and
IT would be mere natteTy to pretend that the prac-
tice on Thursday was comparable TO what our own
gunners can do Relative 10 the French the PruBsan
fre was superior must allow, but absolutely excel
lent leg leave TO doubt its being. On tho other
hand the bursting OF the shells appeared to me TO be
good nearly all seeming TO burst at the right time,
and there but few uneXploded shells 10 be seen
on the held OF battle.
/ doubt whether the Prussians fred any shells
with time fuses; the French certainly did, for
towards dusk one could see them blazing through
the air from Fort St Quentin.