Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-08-10
Inventions in Arms-The ChasseDOt.
Needle Gun and Wall Rifle.

1t becomes daily more evident that no
only France, but also Prussia, has for 6
number of years silently but steadily made
the most active preparations for the great
4 -IgRle for European supremacy which
has just now commenced between them
This is not only indicated by thorough
reorganization of both the French and the
German armies, but also by the strenuous
efforts of each TO produce weapons more
improved and of greater destructiveness
than possessed by the other.
1t is claimed by the French that the Chas-
sepot Is an Improvement on the Zundnad.
elgewehr, and, as long as the latter served
them as model, they are probably all
right there. Besides that, they have intro.
duced into their artillery service light
1eld-plece, kind of revolving cannon,
called the mitralleuse, said to be most eff.
fective against infantry and cavalry.
All ofa sudden oneI Ihears, however, of sew
eral inventions quietly introduced by Prus-
sla, and first among them a gun which can
be fired twenty-five times minute with
ease, and said to be decided Improvement
on both the acknowledgements and the
Chassepot. In connection with this they
have an improved arrangement for carry
ing 200 rounds of ammunition. The su-
POi1OA1by VI Gu1S new gun DGCOul6S at once
self-evldent, inasmuch as the present nee-
dle-gun can only be fired off about ten OF
twelve times minute, and soldier carries
only sixty rounds of ammunition. 1t is,
therefore, at least twice as effective as then
present style of needle-gun, and consider.
able number of them has already been
manufactured and is ready to be distributed
among the army. -
Another new invention of which the
Prussians seem to think much is kind OF
heavy and very large rife, with cast-steel
barrel four and one-haf feet long, and
mounted on two light wheels very much
like piece of artillery. 1t is named the
wall buechse, or wall rifle, probably because
similar very heavy long rifle has been in
use during the middle ages for the defence
of the walls and turrets of castles and other
fortifications This wall rife has been dis.
trlbuted extensively among the infantry,
every battalion of which has number of
them. It is aimed and fired off by a SOL
der kneeling behind it and catching the
recoll, IN order to steady the aim by means
of padded cushion or saddle. The dis
tance at which this new gun car
rles is very great the same as
that of the heaviest. artillery
1t shoots with great precision,
and seems to be more particularly destined
to be used against the enemys artillery,
for the killing of the men serving the guns,
their horses, and the explosion OF ammu-
milton chests, although it may also be used
against infantry and cavalry. The pro-
jectile is two and lfinches long, of cast
iron, hollow, and filed with q highly ex-
plosive substance. 1t explodes, however,
only when it strikes with it's point,
which is furnished with slightly pro-
jecting knob pressing needle into the
charge, and thus causing an immediate ex-
plosion.
Besides these new inventions, numerous
improvements have been introduced, par
ticularly in the artillery of both nations,
and most of them of such destructiveness
to life and limb that this war will probably
become the bIoodiest OF record.