Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1870-08-05
Lntest iEnprOvems in Fire Arms.
The Needle Gun, the Caasscpot and the
Wall RIne,

1t becomes daily moro evident that
not only France, but also Prussia, has
Tor a number of years silently but
steadily lnade the most active prepare
tions for the great struggle for Europe
an supremacy which has just now
| commenced between them. This is
not only indicated by thorough re-
organization of both the French aud
| the German armies, but also by the
strenuous efforts of each to produce
weapons more improved and of great
er dCstructiVcncss than possessed by
| the other. II is claimed by French that
| the Chassepot is an Improvement on
the Hundpadelgewhr and, as long as
the latter served them as a model, they
I are probably all right there. Besides
that, they have introduced into their
| artillery service n light field piece, II
| Kind OF revolving cannon, called the
mitralleuse 4, said to be the most ellec-
| tive against infantry and cavalry. All
| OF a sudden one hears, however, of
| several new winyentions quietly introdu-
ced by Prussia, and first among them
a gun which can be fired TWENTY-FIVE
| times n minute with ease, and said to
| be q decided improvement on both the
| ZundnadelgCwhr and the Chassepot.
In connection with this they have an
| improved arrangement for carrying
200 rounds of ammunition. The superb
Ority of this new gun becomes at once
| self-evident, in as much as the present
needle gun can only be fired Off about
| ten or twelve times minute and sol
dier carries only sixty rounds of amuni-
| ton.
1t is, therefore, at least twice as effec-
! tive as their present style of needle gun
and a considerable number of them
| has already been manufactured, and is
ready to be distributed among the ar
my. Another new Invention of which
! the Prusssians seem to think much is
n kind of heavy and very large rifle,
with n cast-steel barrel four and half
| feet long and mounted on two light
wheels, very much like piece of artil-
! lery. 1t is named the wall buechse or
| wall rifle, probably because similar
very heavy and long rifle, probably be-
cause Il similar very heavy and long r.
! flc, has been in use during the middle
! ages for the defense of the walls and
! turrcts of castles and other fOrtiiica-
tiOus. This wall rifle has been dis
! tributcd extensively among the isfant-
ry. every battalion of which has now
number OF them It Is aimed and
fired of by soldier lSnceling behind
ii and catching the recoil, in order to
steady the aim by means Of n padded
cushion. or saddle. The distance nj
which this new gun carries is very
great the same as tl.at Of the heaviest
artillery, ~ shoots with great precis-
iun, aud seems 10 be more particularly
destined to be used against the cnemy's
artillery, for the killing of The meu
serving the guns, their horses, and the
explosion OF ammunition chests, al-
though it may also be used against in
fantry and cavalry. The proiectile /,
two and half inches long, cast iron
hollow, and filed with highly eXplo
sive substance. 1t eXplodes, however
only when it strikes with its point
which is furnished with slightly
projecting knob pressing II needle into
the charge, and thus causing an i'm
4 mediate explosion.
Besides these new inventions numer
Gus improvements have been introdu
ced, particularly IL the artillery o
both nations, and most OF them o
such destructiveness to life and liml
that this war will probably become th'
bloodiest on record.