Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-21
A(tfau0rla Oaz&tte
TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST q.
Anew and Terrible Weapon.

or new arm OIL his Invention 10 Inc 01Icer5 or
the United Statea Navy stationed at the Tor.
pedo station yesterday. This arm is not to be
conloundod with other inventions cr Captain
Gardner which have been seen or heard Of by
the public, but is his latest just completed aud
now for the first time seen by any other than
himself ard workmen. This arm produced q
marked sensation among the officers and other
gentlemen present, among whom were several
present at the exhibition were Captain X. Il.
Selfrdge, Captair Norton aud Captain Bunce,
all Of the navy. The unanimous expression OF
the gentlemen present was that this weapon
combined all the good qualities Of other arms
yet devised, and 10 addition possessed qualities
never before presented; that for practical rapid
! iy of fire, range and precision it was unsur
passed, while for ightness. simplicity, strength
durability, accessibility Of its working parts,
ease of manipulation and capability of long
continued use in action it was marvellous.
That the reader may fully realize what
wonder this invention is, we will ask him 10
conceive little instrument, about the size of
an ordinary musket easily carried on mans
shoulder, as destructive as the Gatling guu,
more so than the French mirailleuse, audcquaI
to three field cannon when Gring grape and
| canister.
In reply to question as to wha: the special
advantages of this gun are over other firearms
| now in use, the inventor replied -" consider
able actual service, q long time spent 10 Europe
carefully studying on the mitraleusc aud the
| Gatling gun, their uses ani defects, aud much
experience in inventiDs other arms convinced
me the ideal frcarm was yet to be Invented.
The liability Of these arms to be most
Of the time out Of order, their weight,
their arrangement by transportation, the cori.
plicated and frail nature OF their mechanism.
their cloggng by corroson aud their many 9th
er defects encouraged me to attempt the lnVen-
ton Of this weapon. The problem was to pro-
duce an arm Of equal or greater efficiency, OF
much greater strcoglh and durability, not at
| all liable to be dcraugcd by moisture, dust or
| long continued firing, easily comprchended aud
| manipulated by the common soldier and next
to impossible 10 get out Of order even when ex
posed to the oughest usage Of actual service.
Iu one word, aimed at efficiency, strength
and lightness." The gun has but one barrel,
which is about three times aastrong as those Or
dinarily used for similar calibre. The mechanism
is all contained in little brass box attached to
the rear end of the barrel, the dimensions OF
which are but thirteen inches in length, five
in depth and two and half in thickness. In
addition to these there is little at the side
of the box, by which the powder is applied, and
hopper on top, from. which an inexhsustib!o
supply of cartridges is keep up. Two men OF loss
than ordinary intelligence can maintain a con.
tinuous fire ut the rate Of 20O shots per minute
for any length of timo without tesr OF toulng or
derang cement Of parts by heat or otherwise The
manipulation is so easy that the crank may 30
turned continuously by the little finger. Tie
ngement for suppllng cartridges is so effective
that one man can supply them tsster than chey
can be ired The gun can be fired equally well at
an elevation of forty.fve degrees and Ut ID.
preston Of forty five degrees, snd also when
tilted sideways st almost any angle, advantages
which no other iiresrm possesses.
Mr.. Gardner has devised means Of transpor.
tstion for every contingency OF land service,
both for the gun and tho necessary ammunllioh;
also euLiable mnuntEgs for every form OF land
snd sea service. Ho has also given tactlcs lJr
its use which Wora explained by him, but no
opportunity WAS offered TO illustrate them. Tho
gun weighing sbou. forty pounds. and having
fewer pieces than Remington rlio and being
about the S "a Of nn ordinary muskot, its per
formances strike tho Observer with amaZemont
and Justify one in tho heiief ths! it will work
revolution in modern wartaro.-NerroFt N&"s'
DIGSlrY OF DEMEANOR. Dignity OF De.
meanor should characterize tho bench 10 its in
tercourse with the bar Chief Baron Parker,
though a very honest and very learned MAN. was
q yery undigniGed Judge. When he was de!iV
ering his 0pinion 10 the course OF Perrin vs..
Blake be exclaimed. 10 loud touc, stare
deoisis' and gave his desk 80 severe rap with
his kuuckles that the court rung again. Lord
Camden used frequently to sit IN court IN a tie
wig, and would garter up his stocking while
the counsel were the most strenuous IN their elo
quencc. Lord Clare, the Irish Chancellor had
favoritc dog that would oftea follow him to
| the bench. One day, during al argument OF
Mr.. Curran's his Lordship stopped down aud
| began to caress the dog. Curran stopped short
| 10 the middle Of q sentence the Judge started.
| Il beg pardon my Lord, said the advocate,
sarcasticay, Il thought your (oretshtps had
been in consultation: but rs you have been
pleased to resume your attention. allow mt
| to press upon yeur excellent HndefStand'HgS'
that" ctc.
OPENING AND CLOSING OF MAILS. - Until
further notice tho following will be- the h0hr"
| for the opening and closing of the mails
CLOSING.
Northern and Western mails, 5l5 p. m. si'''
| 900 p. IN.
Southwestern, via Gordonsvils and Lynch.
| burg, 7:3O q. m.
Washington and Ohio, Alexandria 10 ko"nd
Hill, Va, 800 a. m.
| Southern, via fredericksburg and Richmond,
| Va.,5:15 D. m. and $50 p m
| Night mail for Lynchburg and points bey"''h
at 9:C0 p m.
! OPENING
Northern and Western mails, $50 q. m and
100 and 7 p. m.
Southwestern, via Lynchbnrg and Gordons-
| vile, TOO p. IN.
| Manassas Diyi2ion, 9 80 D. m.
! Washington and Ohio. Round Hill to Alley
/ andria, $3.50 p. m.
/ Southern mails, via Richmond and Frcdcr-
! icksburg, Va, $50 a. m. and loo p. m.
| m-G General delivery window closes at 500 p.
] M Doors close st 500 p. m.
@s-Open on Sundays at g. N. and closes al
| $50 q. m.
| CUGARS.-Thcre was decline in the Sugar
| - market about 10 days ago, at which time We
| reduced our prices to agreo herewith. As here
tofore, we arc prepared TO cell Sugars and other
Goods in our line st lowest market rates:
l augl5 j. c. q e. MlLBIRN.
Il r a. .,,to Ill, nf Iu