The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-08-02
THE FOREIGN LEGION.

| 0OuU mcu.
= THE FOREIGN LEGION.
There is at present but one regiment In eX-
istence containing representatives OF all ma
tlonalities. The words Of command are given
| in French. The officers are half French, half
from other European natlonalities. In their
contracts with the French Government, 1t ts
| distinctly understood that they are not obliged
to serve outside, of Algeria, and particularly
not against their respective native countries.
But they fought, nevertheless, In the Crimea,
in Lombardy, and in Mexico.
New Inventions in Arms.
1t becomes daily more evident that not only
France, but also Prussia, has for number of
years silently but steadily made the most ac-
tive preparations for the great struggle for
European supremacy which has just now COM
menced between them,.
This is not only indicated by thorough re-
1 organization of both the French and the Ger
man armies, but also by the strenuous efforts
of each to produce weapons more improved
and of greater destructiVeness than possessed
| by the other. -. "
It is claimed by the French that the Chasse-
pot Is an improvement on the Zundnadelge-
wehr, and, as long as the latter served them
as model, they are probably all right there. ne re:
Besides that, they have introduced into their
artillery service light feld-piece, kind OF
revolving cannon, called the mitrailleuse, said
to be most effective against infantry and cav
| airy.
] All of sudden one hears, however, OF seve-
raj new inventions quietly introduced by Prus-
sia; AMI first amongst them gun which can
be fired twenty-five times minute with ease,
and said to be a decided improvement on both
the acknowledgements and the Chassepot. In
connection with this they have an improved
arrangement for carrying 200 rounds OF ammu-
milton.
The superiority OF this new gun becomes at
once self-eYident, Inasmuch as the present
needle gun can only be fired of about ten or
twelve times minute, and soldier carries
only sixty rounds of ammunition.
It is, therefore, at least twice as effective as
| their present style Of needle gun, and q con-
siderable number of them have already been
manufactured and is ready to be distributed
among the army. Another new invention of
which the Prussians seem to think much OF, Is
a kind Of heavy and very large rifle Win
cast-steel barrel four and q halt feet long. and
mounted on two light wheels very much like
| piece of artillery.
| It is named the wallbuechse or wall rifle.
probably because similar very heavy and long
| rife has been In use during the middle ages
for the defence of the walls and turrets OF cas-
| tiles and other Notifications. The wall rifle
has been distributed exclusively among the In
iantry, every battalion of which has now % "a
soldier kneeling behind it and catching the
recol, in order to steady the aim, by
means of padded cushion or saddle. The
distance at which this new gun carries is very
great, the same as that Of the heaviest artll.
lery. 1t shoots with great precision, and
seems to be more particularly destined to pc pc
used against the enemy's artillery, Tor the
killing of the men serving the guns,
their horses and the explosion Of ammunition
chests, although 1t may also be used against
| infantry and cavalry. The projectile is two
and half inches long, Of castiron, hollow,
and filled with highly explosive substance.
1t explodes however, only when 1t strikes
with its point, which Is furnished with slight
ly projecting knob pressing needle into the
charge, and thus causing an immediate explo-
sion.
Besides these new inventions, numerous I'M
provements have been introduced, particular
ly In the artillery of both nations. and most OF
them of such destructiveness to life and limb
that this war will probably become the blood
lest on record.
A Fearful Weapon.
The mitrailleure, which is as yet untried in
practical warfare, Is considered by the French
as the most destructive military weapon
known.
Recently, three hundred wretched horses,
already condemned to the poleaxe, were pur-
chased at the rate of four or five francs eacn,
and ranged at considerable distance. Two
mitraillenres were brought to play on them.
and In three minutes after two discharges not
one of the animals remained standing. On
second occasion, FIVE hundred horses were
brought down at single trial. This formi-
dable weapon is constructed as follows: II
is light thirty-seven-barrel gun, arranged
that its barrels may be discharged simul-
taneously, or consecutively. The thirty-seVen
cartridges, intended for one charge, are con-
tanned in small box. A steel plate, with
corresponding holes, is placed on the open
box, which Is then reversed, and the cart
ridges fall point foremost into their respective
holes They are prevented from falling through
by the rims at their bases. The loaded plate
is then introduced into the breech-slot and
when the breech is closed by lever, num-
ber of steel pins, pressed by spiral springs, are
only prevented from striking the percussion
arrangement in the cartridges by plate IN
front of them When this case Is moved
slowly by handle. the cartridges are fired one
by one If the plate be Withdrawn rapidly,
they follow each other so quickly that their
discharge is all but Simultaneous. The inven-
ton seems very well adapted for use In forts
OF other permanent places Of defence or
offence, but its carriage and management IN
the field would present many and insuperaole
obstacles to its general use.
THE MURDER OF MIR. M THANS.