The weekly Arizona miner., 1870-08-06

 cooked In the same piece with the serc IS the sore spring. at the end of which is the i trigger. In loading the gun, the needle-bolt | is drawn back by the mob SO that the car fridge may be inserted in it's chamber. When it is fired the needle first receives the gun powder but does not fire it until 1t enters the illuminate when tue explosion instantly takes place This illuminate, or "zundspegel" is a secret of the inventor, and possesses some power by means of which ignition takes place the instant the needle is brought into contact with it. Certainly it is different ti,1f-.,.c ,,....SSy f;lminstirg compounds, and no other ammunition than that made ex- pressly for this gun can be used.
 TIE cHAssEror,
 The chassepot is breech-loading needle gun, but differing somewhat in its mechanism from that adopted by Prussia It is French invention, made by NJ. Alphonse Antoine Chassepot, who was formerly head viewer of the Central Depot of Paris, and who was afterward rewarded for his discovery with the titie of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor The success of the Prussian needle gun led the French Emperor to appoint a commission of military men to examine the various wea- pons offered, and select the most perfect one | for the use of the French army. The Chase pot was thus selected, and became the na- | tiona firearm of France. lt is abont four feet three inches in length, and weighs tritie | less than nine pounds It is rAed ~ith four spiral grooves, turning from left to right, and going once around in the space of twenty one and a half inches. Its caliber is 433 lOO0ths of an inch. The needle is fixed in the end of bolt. which slides inside the breech, and is shot forward into the illuminate in the car ! fridge, by which means the piece is dis ! charged. The mechanism is little less com pcated, perhaps, than that of the Prnssian needle-gun, and the cartridge is more per | fecty formed. The principal advantages claimed for the Chassepot consist in the | greater rapidity with which it may be dis charged and it's greater cleanliness. It may be fired at the rate of twelve times m min ute for about four minutes, when the rate is slackened, as the soldier becomes fatigued; and it may be discharged 15O times or so without requiring to be cleaned. The Prus- sian needle gun requires frequent cleaning, and cannot be fired so rapidly. The Chase pot ca[trdge is completely consumed, and the closing of the breech is SO perfect that none of the gases escape, but are utilized in | propelling the bullet But there is one ser iOus drawback in using this weapon, as it is found that, after rapid firing for some time, 1t becomes so hot as to be dangerous Un- less this defect shall be overcome, the useful ness of the Chassepot as an effective military arm will be seriously questioned, and it may have to give way, before the present Euro pean war is closed, to the Enfield, Spencer, Beedan, or some other breech-load;a: rifle. The superiority of the needle and illuminate over the percussion cap is by no means gen orally admitted, especially in America.
 THE PRussIAS ARMY.
 The following is the state of the military power of Prussia. The army i. composed oi Battalions of Infantry. 36s Squadrons of Cavalry ry..... 30i Pieces of Artillery. y............ l,2T2 Battalions of Engineers. .. l3t
 Making total of ............. 4630Od There is, moreover. reserve corps of
 120 battalions of infantry, 76 squad
 rons of cavalry, 240 pieces of artil-
 lery, l2 battalions of engineers,
 numbering altogether. ..... 143,o0C The National Guard amounts to l97. .0OC
 Making grand total of. ... S03,00I To the above sum must be added the
 armies of Bavaria, Wurtemburg and
 Baden, which are bound, in case of foreign war, to do the same du- ties as those of the North German Confederation .......
 The kingdom of Bavaria has field army of..................,. 49,94G r The kingdom of Wurtemburg has. in time of war. r................ 34, 40, The dukedom of Baden has. .. 26,93l Total. al....................... ... 9l4 4,2Sl
 THE RESERVE CORPS