The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-02
THE M~ITRAILLEUSE.
Full Description Of ,sthe q luster Of Gunbands',
What Two steady Men MAY Do.

WIND Two stendy Men May Do.
From the L6ndon Globe.
TO destroy your enemy in the shortest time, in the
easiest manner, and at the least possible expense, is
the first maxim Of war. The stone that whistled
gewehr," and the volley of the ''machine-gun" had
all the same object. Since the days Of Roger Bacon
the aim of all improvements In firearms has been
the greatest possible distance. Grape, canister or
case, and %shrapnel, all contain bullets, and are all
means for multiplying deaths. The ~held-gun mows
down its hundreds by showers Of case at close quar-
ts ursti in = sh 1papee The mi rail- pSge or m uaS% me-
gun, on the contrary, sends a large number OF small
projectiles independentlySa and with precision, 70 a
latter principle into two classes-frst, those which
discharge their bullets from q single barrel. fed by
a many chambered breech; and, secondly, those
in which each cartridge has its corresponding bar
lei, the charging and discharging OF which is d.
rect, and more or less simple. It is obvious that,
for rough usage aud continuous firing, IL is better
that q large number Of rounds should be 1red from a
considerable number OF barrels so placed as to sup
port each other and add strength to the whole ma
chine. The French Mitrailleuse, as well as the Bel
gian Montigny, belongs to the second class, and the
both arms The machine gun consists of a cluster
OF barrels, either bound together or bored out of the
solid, and mounted ON the same principle as an Ordi-
nary field gun. At a few hundred yards, indeed, 1t
would be difficult to distinguish between these wea-
pons, as far as outward appearance goes. To the
barrel is attached a massive breech action. capable
Of being opened and closed by q lever. In the Mon
tlgny arm the cartridges are carried in steel plates
perforated with holes corresponding in number and
position to the holes In the barrel. This steel plate,
In fact, forms the event piece Of the system. The
central fire cartridges being dropped into the holes
in the steel plate, stand out at right angles from it,
and the plates. thus ready charged, are so carried
in timber and axletree boxes specially fitted for
their reception. When the gun comes into action
the breech is Drawn back, a steel plate full OF cart
ridges is dropped into its corresponding slot, and
the breech block thrust forward and secured. The
gun is now on fun cock, and contains from
::barrel organ handle. either one by one as the
handle works round clck-clack. or in q volley by q
rapid turn OF the wrist. When the gun is empty the
hraaph hlnpk &c a9yotp uutth1rov un :. tho stool plafn
carrying the empty cartridge cases, lifted out, aud q
fresh plate dropped in, If necessary. The advantage
hat It is never : in a funk. Bullets Bull 1sV may %y'rraalSnnya around osE l.
bursting shells may I'LL the air, still the thirty-seven
barrels of the Mitrailleuse shoot like one
man, and at 500 or 1000 yards will pour volley
after volley of deadly concentrated fire into q circle
Of from ten 70 twelve feet in diameter. No boring
ton is performed so rapidly that two steady, cool
men could maintain a fire Of ten discharges per
minute. On the other hand, the Mitrailleuse could
not well compete with the field gun, and it is with
this weapon it VIII a%ssuredly be met. Its bullets
would have comparatively slight effects at the ranges
at which field artillery projectiles are perhaps most
effective, while its size would Offer O very fair mark
to the gunner. The foreign press are welcome to
write fanfdronnddes about the sudden death OF
wretched horses at incredible distances. This is
peace practice. The horses came from the Knockers
yard, not from the banks OF the Eibe, and there
were no Uhlans sitting on them. We are also
tempted on such occasions to take the squar root
future OF the Mitrailleuse, however, depends on
coming facts. The days experiments are over
theTe aIc hunufeos u macnlne guns bfulunng
towards the Rhine. The drum-like roll OF their
volleys may ere long be heard in the vineyards OF
hudesheim, or on the edge of the Black Forest; and
the ''thud' OF the bullet may strike something
softer than a wooden target. Yes, the machine -gun
is en- route for the Rhine; the experiments will now
be on a gigantic scale; and Mr.. Cardwell may ad-
journ his special mitt until after Christmas at
any rate BY that time the voice of war will have
given the verdict by that time the Chassepot, the
Fund. nadel gewem, the shrapnel, and the voley
gun win each be credited with a CHASTITY account,
and we shall know which engine destroys human
lie in the shortest time, the easiest manner, and at
the least possible expense.