The Republican journal., 1870-08-25
From the London Globe.
THE MlTRAlLLEUSE.

in the easiest manner, and at the least posi-
Bile expense, is the first maxim of war The
stone that whiStled from David's sling, the
| bullet oi the ''zundnadelgcwehr," and the
volleys of the 8 machne-g gum had all thr
same object. Since the days of Roger Bacon
the aim OF all improvements in fire arms has
| been to carry the greatest possible number ut
deaths to the greatest possible distance
| Grape, canister or case, and shrapnel all
contain bullets, and all are means for multi
| plying deaths The iield-gun mows down
It's hundreds by showers OF case ut close
quarters, or at u longer distances rains bullets
from the bursting shrapnel. The mitrai-
leusc or machine-gun, on the contrary, sends
a large number OF small proiectiles indrpend-
emily, and with precision, to a considerable
distance We may divide arms on the latter
principle into two classes-lirst, those which
discharge their bullets from Il single barrel
fed by II many chamber breech and second
ly, those in which each cartridge has its cor
responding barrel the chargingand diScharg-
ing of which is direct and more or less sim
pie. 1t is obvious that for rough usage and
continuous firing, it is better that Il large
number of rounds should be fired from con
siderable number of barrels so placed As to
support each other and add strength to the
whole machine. The French NitrailleuSc.
Us well as the Belgian Montigny belong,
to the second class, and the following bri,l
description is equally applicable To both
arms. The machine guns consists of clue-
ter of barrels, either bound together or bored
out of the solid, and mounted on the same
principle as an ordinary field gun AT u few
hundred yards, indeed, it would be difficult
to distinguish between these weapons, as far
Us outward appearances goes. To the bar
rel is attached a massive brccch action, capa-
hpiOO Nv lnV,
lnthe Montigny arm the cartridges are carried
IN steel plate perforated with holes CORES
pondng in number and position TO the holes
III the barrel. This steel plate, in fact, forms
the event piece" of the system. The central
fire cartridges being dropped into the hole@
III the steel plate, stand out at right angles
from it, and the plates, thus ready charged
arc SO carried in timber and aXletree-boXc~
specially fitted for their reception. When
the gun comes Tito action the hreech is drawn
back, Il steel-platc full o. cartridges is drop
ped into its corresponding s,ot, and thr
brecch-blocl thrust forward and ,aGurrd-
The gun is now on full cock, and contatt.
from thirty to forty cartridges, which are fired
by 4 "barrel-organ" handle. either one 10y
one Us the handle works round click lack
or in a volley by rapid turn of the wrist
When the gun is empty the breech-block j.
again Withdrawn; the steel plate, carving
the empty cartridge eases, lifted out and
fresh plate dropped in, if necessary The
advantage possessed by the machine @uu
over infantry fire is that ii is never in q funk
Bullets may rain around, bursting shells may
fill the air still the thirty-sevcn barrels OF lhr
Mitraileuse shoot like one man, and al 500
or 1000 yards will pour yolley after volIrN
of deadly concentrated fire into II circle ,L
from ten to twelve feet in diameter. Ne
boring or fixing of fuses is necessary. ami
the whole operation is performed so rapidly
that two steady cool men could maintain Il
fire of ten discharges per minute. On the
other hand, the Mitrailleusc could not well
compete with the field gun, and it is with
this weapon it will assuredly he met. It.
bullets would have comparatively slight effect
at the ranges ut which field artillery project
les are perhaps most effective, while its site
would offer very fair mark to the gunner
The foreign press are welcome to write Gil}-
toroh,ltlcS about the sudden death of wretch
cd horses at incredible distances This is
peace practice. The horses came from thr
knacker'S yard, not from the banks of thu
Elbc, and there were no UhlanS sitting uu
them We also tempted on such occasions
to take the square root of the reported di--
tance as the actual range. The future of tho
Nltrailleuse, however depends ON coming
there are hundreds Of machine guns tuindiuH
toward the Rhine. The drum like roll OF
their volcys may ere long be heard in the
vineyards of Rudesheim, on in the edge o.
The Black Forest and the 'thud' of the
bullet may strike something softer than 4
wooden target. Yes. the machine gun is et.
,oUtc for the Rhine; the experiments Will
now be on 4 g igantic scale; and MIR. Card
well may adjourn his special committee until
ltter Christmas. at any rate. BY that Time
he voice of war will have given the verdict,
" that time the Chassepot. the Zund -nadel-
sewchr, the shrapnel, and the volev Gun
will each be credited with ghastly account.
md we shall know which engine DESTROYS
luman life in the shortest time, the easiest
manner, and at the least possible expense
You have forgotten something" said a
oyal Canadian to the officer engaged in di~
nantling the forts at Quebec as the last can
ION went on board the ship. "What was
he reply. 'rhat," answered the Canadian
pointing to the flag flying over the citadel.
Unity of color and sentiment is displayed
~ bridal party at Niagara, in which the
lress of the lady the ribbon of the lap-dog
md the cravat of the husband always har-
nOnize in tint.