The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-07-20

Blob iHsd'AMERlCANi ARMS. 'ifW q
RemarkabIe superiority of the Munitions
or War OF the United states.
New York Cor. Chicago Times '''al.
The past few years have developed a
great trade in American munitions of
war. Our rifles were first put into the
hands OF foreign troops at the close of
the rebellion. The United States had
on its hands two million stands of arms,
which were offered for sale to foreign
governments, and many of the Asiatic
levies of the Porte are armed with the
guns OF Union soldiers. The French
Government took 100000 muskets, and
the balance are still in the United States
arsenals. All except $4,000 of these
arms were muzzle-loaders, a style of
weapon which, in the past few years, has
been almost entirely superseded in the
armies of first-class powers by the i'm
proved breech-loading rifle. Some time
ago the Turkish Government gave the
Winchester Arms Company contract to
furnish 100000 rifles. The filling of
this contract is now giving employment
to 2, 600 men a day at Providence. r.. /.
The Winchester Company has in the past
two years sold over 100000 rifles to
other foreign governments, to say moth
ing of its sporting arms, of which it
sends abroad about 1900 a month. A
large part Of the Khedive's army is
armed with the Remington rife. fhis
company has sent abroad about 200, 900
stands OF arms, of which Spain has
taken 100000; France, $1,000; Egypt,
100, 1000; Mexico, Central America, and a
number of smaller powers $4,000 each.
Even the Prussian needle-gun has been
Americanized. The Prussian Govern
ment, impressed with the value of
American improved methods OF manu-
featuring arms, introduced complete ma
chinery from the United States, and has
established an American arsenal at Berlin
for the manufacture of the famous needle
gun. The machine made weapon was
found to be SO much superior to the old
needle-gun in point OF cheapness and fin
lsh that the Government has discarded its
old stock, and the Prussian armies are
now equipped with guns made by Amer
lean machinery, under the supervision of
American skilled labor Russia, within the
past two years, has purchased 500 Cat
my guns, tue AllellCau LilIIdiieus
every gun equal in effectiveness to 100
muskets. Thirty thousand of her troops
are equipped with rifles made on the
Berdan principle, at Colts mandatory,
Hartford Her armies also carry 200, 600
Smith & Wesson pistols, and orders for
further supplies are now being filed.
American arms have won their way
abroad, first by their comparative cheap
ness. 1t is only another illustration OF
the inevitable displacement of hand
made wares by the cheaper and more
perfect products of machinery.
Not less vigorous has been the growth
of our trade in ammunition. A large
part of the cartridges in the ammunition
stores of Russia were made at Bridge
port, CT. The Russian Government has
purchased from tins one mandatory, in
the last FIVE years, some 100000
cartridges. Early this spring Russia
purchased 5000 tons of Lake Superior
copper, which was taken to Bridgeport
and is now being turned into cartridges.
1t is stated that the Russian Government,
three months ago, made contracts with
powder firms of this country for 25, 600
barrels of powder, and that some 5000
barrels have already been shipped. The
Turks have been equally active in the
purchase of our munitions of war. With
in the past four months three vessels,
loaded with arms and ammunition, have
sailed for Constantinople. Other for
eign powers are also becoming liberal
patrons OF American dealers in ammuni-
ton.