The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-08-06
The CEaassep0t.

The New York World publishes an
excellent illustrated description of the
Prussian needle gun and the chassepot,
from which It appears that the chassepot
is as close and accurate copy of the
Prussian needle gun as could possibly
have been adopted by France without
incurring the charge Of having adopted
the Prussian weapon without change
The very slight change made iu the
chassepot Consists in the arrangement
for Removing the covering from the air
chamber So as to admit more frequent
cleansing. The Prussian gun, howcv-
er, coald Jc taken apart so easily that
this point is of minor consequence
There i essentially the same mode Of
loading, the same cartridge. tire same
Illuminating powder, the same mode of
| tgnitlng it by a naedle, the same air.
chamber through which the needle
darts. It is. therefore, the Prussian
gun, with an insignificant change, re-
named. ,f'Le Wcr1d describvs it as fol-
lowsi
The freatln which has been adopted
by the French army is tie celebrated
chassepot rifle, which, is probably the
most efficient weapon ever put in the
hands of an army of infantry. It re-
semhles the Prussian needle gun, but
possesses several improvements. Du-
ring The hate war between Prussia and
Hustria the effective work Of tie newly
invented needle gun attracted the no.
tice of all fighting nations and the
French, anticipating tll,t they wouId
sometime be called upon to punish
Prussia for her alleged arrogance and
want of honor, Immediately set to work
to invent a weapon that should sur
pass the needle gun as an engine of
war. The result was the invention of
NJ. Chassepot, after long and careful
study, having the Prussian gun to aid
him and to improve upon. After the
new rife had been tested over and over
again, the attention of the Emperor was
invited to it. and it was not long before
he was convinced of its superiority, and
ordered its adoption in the army.
One of the principle improvements
which the chassepot has over the need-
le gun Of Prussia, is that the movement
is simpler, and instead of being tightly
enclosed in the breech by a cylinder, it
is almost fully exposed, and the employ
ment of India rubber as an obdurator.
Tt is argued that the Prussian gum,
after it has been discharged several
times in quick succession, becomes hot
and damp in the chamber, owing to the
inability of the gas, which, comes back
after the explosion of the cartridge, to
ESCAPE. The inside soon becomes dir
tv, and the soldier is required to take
his piece apart and clean it. The French
aun is always open, and while there is
no gas shut up in the chamber to ccr-
rode the metal, it can in moment be
cleansed from dirt Or rust, and the SOL
der is always able to quickly discover
any accident to his rife.
It is claimed that this gnn is not so
easily clogged as the Prussian needle
gun, and is more substantially built.
The Importance of the needle gun
in modern warfare receives its most
emphatic endorsement in the action of
the French Government. Napoleon
demanded the lower German provinces
of the left bank of the Rhine in 1866
His demand was refused, but his armies
were not then supplied with the Prus-
sian weapon. He merely asserts his
claim, and postpones further action un.
til the best adaptation of that weapon
which his engineers and machnists are
ableto devise is perfected, and the French
armies are supplied with 1t. In the inte-
rim he was the most peaceable man in
Europe. In the course Of four years
his armies have been supplied with the
needle gun, and forthwith he. suddenly
becomes the most implacable bellige-
rent in Europe.
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