The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-09-09
Breech-Loaders for the Militia.

Brepch-Loaders for the Militia.
Never did the hope Of permanent peace
throughout the world seem further from
realization than 1t does now in this latter
half OF the nineteenth century. In the peace
societies of our fathers were embodied the
anticipations of an agI of universal nationa-
ninity which seemed to them but little moro
distant in time than the present decade. Its
promised coming has recedel with each adj
vancng year; aud it is infinitely further
away from us than it seemed to he from
them. II, then, we urge the adoption Of
more efficient means of warfare by our ctl-
zen soldiery, let no one say that tho era Of
on earth we see today not only prince and
peasant fy TO arms even the ministers Of
the Christian religion have exchanged the
cassock for tho soldiers uniform
II Is useless for us 10 drill our militia with
the muzzlc-loader any longer. 1t has been
rejected already by the best standing armies
in the world There is no variety of warfare
IN which tho brcech loader il not its superior;
and the experience Of the Austro-Prussian
war OF 1866 and Of the present contest in
Europe, indicates the terrible efficiency Of
this weapon. As in any war in which wo
may again he encagcd-whether our oppo.
nents be natives ofthc eastern or the western
hemispherc-we shall have to meet an enemy
armed with it, let Us not hesitate 20 give the
brccch loader to our own troops. To perfect
them in the use Of the old gun is only use
less expenditure of time AMI trouble. The
shock of battle Is a struggle between ma
chimes as well as men il tho men are equally
matched. the best machines win.
The practical difference between the use Of
tho mu2Lle-loader and the breecll-loadcr in
the field can best be appreciated by review
of the several movements which the soldier
has to make in each case in order to load
and FIRE his gun. with the muzzle-loader
these are ns follows Take cartridge from
box bite 1t place it in muzlle; draw ram
rod ram cartridge replace ramrod raise
hammer take cap from box place cap on
nipple; fire. While, with the brcech-loaler,
the soldier has simply to: Take cartridge
from box; open brcech place cartridge in
chamber shut breech fire. Here there arc
required but five movements against ten
with the mu2zle-loader. One of the greatest
conveniences OF the breech loader is the
capped cartridge; the needle gun is 50
named from the fact that tho cap is exploded
on the cartridge by means of needle.
In case of a war with any foreign
In nf NNil ha
found-as it was in the late rebellion
in tho militia organizations Of the sew.
eral States, rather than in the regular
army. That will furnish the nation with
officers. In order, therefore, that this nu
cleus shall be such as can organize about
itself u powerful army in any future emer.
pcncy, it must itself be rs perfectly organized
as possible. And to train the militia in the
use Of muzzle-loaling guns, though pardon
able perhaps up TO the present time would
certainly be most erroneous policy in view
Of recent military events, Our own regular
army is now nearly if not wholly supplied
with breech-loading guns, and familiarity
with their use will IN iow years go affect
the officers that they viii become compare.
lively incompetent 10 command or drill men
armed with the old weapons.
The British journals, impressed by the
military lessons Of the present war, are al.
ready urging the Government to arm the
rifle volunteers with the Snder musket, the
breech-loader now used by the British army.
II is said to be superior to the Chassopot and
ncedle-Gun in every respect, except accu
racy al long range The British War Office
has three hundred thousand Of these Sniders
on hand, and 80 viii have no difficulty in fur
nishing them to the whole volunteer force
In this country the expense of supplying the
militia with breech.loaders would necessarily
aud properly fail upon the State govern
mcn,s but 1t is an expense which taxpayers
ought not TO shur-that is, if there is any
US. in having a militia al all