New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-24

while here and believe that she is only Logging. For
outside OF the Gaite-I have seen no military who even
approach the gay and dashng Ideal that lad formed OF
the French soldier AS compared with the smartookinS
fellows proud OF their profession and then padding, who
are always parade in London, Illuminating the SUI
less streets with tie scarlet CLEAN OF their jackets aud
cutting down imaginary foes In the fog with the little
switch canes they carry. find the French warrior de-
oidedy sOucby. But they tell me this Is pc
culiarity OF Paris alone, the capital being always
garrisoncd with recruits freshly brought from the
country that in the event OF disturbance the mill
tary may sympathizc with the popuace. This
morning I lot Of them drilling on bald
bit Of ground near the Observatory. And awkwardook
Ing squads they were you'd wish to set eyes on
While the seemed al understood their uniforms bad
evidently been cut according to the governmental idea
OF what soldier should be- so clad OF them could
get ball through his clothes without having at all
squeak OF for his feand possibly the clothes
contrived that the enemy may be deluded into
shooting the the wrong place not being able to
determine where the vital spots really They
instructing them in marching. Why much time Is
squandered TO perfect men in walking when the main
trouble in the field is make them stand, never could
Locomoton naturally enough, II hard fight
ing is going on one walks away from bullet by mere
force Of habit 'twere Tie ChassepO LET me here re-
mark, may good arm but 1t has clumsy look and
aside from being cunbrous l should say that the
mechanism is complicated and liable 70 arrangements
Moreover Ii Is noisy musket even in dumb drill Wheh
dozen opened and closed simultaneously IN the
loading movement. rattle OF thousand tin pans
runs along the line. Taken q whole question II
the Chassepot be much better than the Martini
Henry rife Possibly you may think me preji-
diced, but thus far have gun abroad that, TO
my thinking, conbises so many OF the conditions that
go to make good military weapon does Reming-
ton. The Chassepot the Martni-Henry may be fired
rapidly, perhaps, but IL the only object in battle 30
to distribute the greatest amount OF lead the wdest
Of space in the least possible time and with min
imum OF harm, why not shoot it from shoveli With
the sowest breech yet invented active recruit
could fire away twice the ammunition man can carry
long before enemy got within range after coming in
sight IN point Of simplicity and power TO make holesin
things, know OF military rifle equal 10 the Reming
ton. do not know, however, that should esteem It
positive pleasure be shot with Yet the French
welded their Chassepot poohpooh at everything else
and had rather be kicked death by il than artstcay
perforated in straightforward way by any other
As regards sporting guns too find that my idea does
not coincide with the Frenchman's. Hc wants a gun
small the bore-16 his bore deGl-vcry light,
and fussifed and grecd in lock, stock aud barrel like
the ivory hndle OF lady's lace parasol And in it no
shoots powder finc-grained as shuttle pinch that
he puts in being scarcely larger than the charge his
grandfather eyerlastingy rammng up his nose.
When gun he knows it has of aud ac-
cepts the gOingOn OF the bird-which cLrs ana LOOKS
cheerful rs IL hops 10 IlinD ltte ASer up-as the
natural result of so terrific an explosion No use trying
to make bin understand the advantages OF slow COM
bustion-hc hasn't patience enough FOR that kind Of
powder And have preached the gospel OF good gum
nngcOarse powder and plenty Of It, fine shot ana little
weight no scratch OF a grayeTs tool to give foothold
for rust anywhere the guu-til ny jaws needed
oIing but for all the good done might well have
banged away at him with his gun. have not even
succeeded in selling him OF my cartridge leaders
But what can you expect OF q nan who spells hat
c-h-a-pe-l-u and calls cab a voiture! How they hap
pened to hit on the right for omnibus do not
know, but they have, spelling the word properly and
pronouucing nearly right that has scarcely the
heart to tell them they are still little wrong.
JOHN PAUL.