The New York herald., 1870-09-24
THE NEW ENGINES OF WAR.
The Chnssepoi, the Necdle Gun ara the Mi-
trailleuse.


The Chnssep oi, the Needle Gun and the Mi.
berlin Sept. n correspondence of LONDON Tlmes]
Having been necessarily fred at from the Chasse-
pot for a period OF five weeks the German troops
merits ef tine French ordnance rifle. Before the
war the Germans, e as rnle, did not not M think very
Its effciency during the first fortnight after the
opening OF hostites of kind to alter their opin-
ions. In the numerous skirmishes at Saarbruck
which preceded the more serious conflict the Chasse
pot proved ANYTHING but very formidable weapon.
The French fired much but hit rarely Such beng
the case what did it matter II they fired at almost
inconceivable dstaDces2 With these Impressions
the Germans confronted the enemy IN the
bourG Accuracy being no longer Intended,
rapidly was the only thing wanted. But this Is
the very quality in which the ChassepOt eXces; and
as It's range Is so very great that an enemy be
fired at the moment he IL seen, the period during
which he finds himself attacked Is as long as posi-
TO the utmost account. 1t Is this combination Of
quickness and long range which In shooting at large
bodies Of men constitutes the excellence OF the
Chassepot; 1t is In this capacity for hurting perfect
hailstorm OF lead In given direction aud prolong.
peted TO the utmost practicable limits which, taken
together more than counttrbalances all deficiencies
arising from bad aiming or no aiming at all. IT, as
Is really the case Thousand Frenchnen 1re five
thousand balls per minute, 1t matters little II forty
nine out Of fifty fail TO take effect. 1t perfectly
answers all their purposes IL q thousand men can
Kill or disable hundred OF the enemy per minute.
And now imagine this process extended over
enemy to traverse the 800 PAGES at which the Chas
sepot tells, ard the number Of discharges with which
a French battalion meets the attack of Prusslan
battalion Is by arithmetlcal evidence proved to be
no less than 900. OF these as We have seen about
1000 may be regarded rs hitting the marx, which
gives exactly bullet for every one OF the assault
ing force. or course. this calculation OF probable
casualties exceeds the reality as an attacking col
umn rarely advances over l,sOO PAGES of open
ground but, In most instances, avas Itself OF some
intermediate shelter to cover It's front thin the
ranks Of The enemy before proceeding on its way.
Still the figures mentioned sufficiently account for
dreadful losses OF the Germans in the present cam
palgn.
Among the many memorable facts of the cam
paign 1t will no doubt be duly chroncled by history
that the range of the Chassepot being 1S00 PAGES
and that OF the needlegun only between 600 and 7O0
Lhe Germans had 10 traverse 200 PAGES before their
arm could be used 10 some purpose. Their gallantry
this Is the conspicuous when 1t is considered
that the French, knowing the superiority OF their
fire and relying entirely upon 1t, nearly always
awaited them In strong and sheltered positions,
which, being difficult OF attack, necessarily pro-
l0nged the time during which the Germans were ex-
posed to the bullet shower poured upon them As
rule, the French were in bitches eXcavated In the
upper parts oi mountainous slopes or they were In
rife pits and behind earthworks In the open feid,
or they took advantage OF the stone houses and
stone walls ab0uDdng In the villages OF the eastern
provinces. All these positions were selected with
the greatest ingenuity and fortified with the skill or
accomplished engineers In many cases they had
cleared the ground around them and marked dis
tances the trees or otherwise Only the strongest
moral incentives could have induced the Germans to
cope with so many disadvantages, and take the bull
by the horns again and again after t:ey had once
realized the peril incidental to the act. Only the
most manly vaor the most perfect indifference to
death at duy's call, could have brought their he'll
meted hosts 70 march right into the jaws OF DEATH
after they had once become aware OF the dreadiult
probability there was Of one har OF them being shot
down. But their morale Overcame all obstacles,
and, fighting battle after battle, irrespective OF
losses ultimately prevailed over most deadly rife,
IN competition with which they had apparently no
chance IL was this moral element III their Char
acter which the French government had left out OF
calculation in forming their plans, The knew what
Moltke's strategy was, and III estimating their pros
pect OF victory could not but have taken into account
the sagacious moves to be expected OF him on the
chessboard OF war; II they were nevertheless, sure
OF success they must have fancled that human flesh
and blood could not stand their proJec,iies and 1t
was certainly easy task, even Tor the stout
hearted men that undertook II, to convince them of
their error.
THE MITRALLEUsE.
At the commencement of the war 1t was the
business OF tue French to give confidence TO their
troops by eXaggeralng the value OF the mltrali,
taught TO despise It. Obviously the french generals
should have taken an opportunity OF obtaining
success or two by concentrating heavy mitrall-
lelse 1re upon body of Prussians ut moderate
range SO ~ show Off the weapon 10 the best AT
vantage. There could nave been no difficulty about
il, Tor the prus slams were known TO be weak the
1rcptier II Is incomprehenslbe why Marshal Lee
b9uf Old not send at least 500 coo or 100000 men
into Germany at once even III they could not be sent
fur Tor want OF provisions and stores. IL Is equally
inc0mplehensible why the first trial OF the mi
trailleuse was made at long range-about 1900
yards
mifralileuscs was given by the correspondent of
contemporary VINO was present at the battle OF
(;ravelotte. The French were Ia position behind
breastworks Oh hi theil artillery was planted III
rear. The mtrailleuses appear TO have been IN line
with the foremost works. The prusslans prepared
their attack ny iHa mt hIy guns ana aa'er
ment ..dasned up the hiIl.o "When they got half
way up the mitrailleuses opened upon them and did
terrible execution at close quarters The men, how.
ever pressed on, though they fell by hundreds.u
they struggled on. and actually succeeded OF forcing
an entrance into the works But tie imIlraiileuses
run back QUICKLY some 400 yards 8uq shsa 9psRs9