Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-08-10
American Arns.

The past few years have develop
ed a great trade in American NUM-
tions of war. Our rifles were hrst
nut into the hands of foreign troops
At the close of the rebellion. The
limited States had on its hands two
n;lI;on stands of arms, which we're
offered for sale to foreign Govern
ments. and many of the Asiatic lev
les of the Porte are armed with the
Guns of Union Soldiers. The French
government took 100000 muskets'
and the balance are still IN Ihe
United State arsenals. All except
$4,000 of these were muzzle loaueIs' l,'
a style of weapon which, IN the Pas'
four wears has been almost entlreiy
sHnorcoda5 in the armies OF hrst
class MOWERS by the improved breach
loading rife. Some time ago Ihe
TnrI;s6 lT@ Government gave the Win
,Lns+ar - arms Company a contract TO
fnrn;sb fm 600, 900 rifles. The filling
This contract is now giving en-
oioTment 81 to 1000 men a day at
Providence, r. l. The Winchester
company has the past two years sold
over 100000 rifles to other foreign
governments, to say nothing of its
sporting arms, of which it sends
abroad about 1000 a month. A
large part of the Khedive's army :
armed with the Remington rife.
This company has sent abroad aboR:
100000 stands of arms of which
Spain has taken 100000; France,
100000; Egypt, 100000; Mexico.
Central America and a number of
smaller powers, $4,000 each. Even
the Prussian needle-gun has been
Americanized. The Prussian gov
ernment, impressed with the value of
American improved methods of
manufacturing arms, introduced a
complete machinery from the Unit
ed 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 finish
and cheapness that the Government
has discarded its old stock, and the
Prussian armies are now equipped
with guns made by American ma
chinery, under the supervision OF
American skilled labor. Russia,
within the past few years, has Pur-
chased 800 gatling guns, the Amer
can mitraileuse, every gun equal IN
effectiveness to 100 muskets. Thirty
thousand of her troops are equip
ped with rifles made on the Berdan
principal, at Colts mandatory,
Hartford. Her armies also carry
100000 Smith & Wesson pistols,
and orders for further supplies are
now being filled.
American arms have won their
way abroad, first by their cOmpara-
tive cheapness. 1t is only another
of the inevitable dlsplace-
ment of handsome 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 ammu-
milton stores of Russia were made at
Bridgeport, Ct. The Russian Gov
ernment has purchased from this one
mandatory, in the last five years,
some 10000, 1000 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 three months ago the
Russian Government made contracts
with powder firms of this country
for $4,000 barrels of powder and
some 5000 barrels have already been
shipped. The Turks have been
equally active in the purchase of
our munitions of war. Within the
past four months three vessels, load
ed with arms and ammunition, have
sailed for Constantinople. Other
foreign powers are also becoming
liberal patrons of American dealers
in ammunition.
~ Y. Cor. Chicago Times.