The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-04-03
WASHINGTON CORRESPOND
ENCE.
A Terrible Weapon Invented by MIS-
sissippian.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March Is, i

w,sa,SeroS. d. c., March %, 1878.
Through the ingenuity ofone of Der sons
Mississippi is easily ahead on the sc'e"ee v
eunnery. | have just had an lh'erN'e"
with DIR. A. Fl. McAlister, OF Union cou'nS
In orr State. in which he courteous'y eAn'0
lied his recent invention, the death-deailns'
much multiplied, repeating rifle on Wheels
When perfected this wonderful weapon WIN
discharge between 800 and 4'oOo mimic
halls in :, minutc-about sky or sixty -iVe
RI tho second. Prominent Federal officers
in Washington say that no army co'id P'e
siblv stand before it, and that tort Safil-
soned by sixty men, provided Win tnese
guns. could be held against battailohs ol
$4,000 TO 10000 asSaiants. Capt. H"Xle, Col
Benait, and Others who are entitled TO speak
er cathelra on this subject, declare it the
most marvellou, machine of the age Inc
French yaittrdtllsuse--of which 50 much was
expected-proved failure in The Franco
German war of 1870; but this at present
nameless death deiverer is beyond all cal
culation superior TO anything OF the klnd
vet invented. In fact, DR.. McAslister was
assured, by the examiner of patent
that for each of the seven points in which
he claims novelty he is clearly entitled to
complete originality of conception and de-
ign
[ hesitate to enter upon description OF
this terrible engine of destruction. knowing
how unsatisfactory it will prove 10 those
who have not seen the model. Each of the
4OOO balls will leave the muzzle. or rather
muzzles. of this weapon, at an interval, the
II, OFI,a of aho
will cover all together front OF five or six
feet. This will be the width of what, for
want of a better term, L call the mnzzle.
From this point (the mnzzle) the death :
dealing shower of miss les will radate in
such manner that, for example, AT distance
of 80 yards they would cover bltallion OF
500 men approaching in line of battle; at
IO) yards, Il regiment; Il. 200, proportion
ately larger number of men, etc, etc. On
each side of the breach is a revolving wheel,
easily turned by one man by means OF Il
crank and driving wheel. The periphery.
OF these wheels are so provided with slots
that they can accomm odate twelve rectan-
0uIar cartridge holders, in which the car
tridges are inserted, and which correspond,
to the cylinder of Colts pistol; that Is, as
as aspects its use. As each OF these car
idge-holders, or cartridge pilates, Will con-
tain $50 or 200 cartridges, so inserted in the
| plates as To correspond to the breach OF the
| gun, it can BE- req lily guessed that the gun
| must have $50 or 200 barrels.
Now, by the revolution of these wheels the
| cartridge plates are brought in contact
with the breach, each fitting as COM
| pactly as the chambers ct Cole
cylinder to its corresponding barrel,
| and the cartridges are exploded through
| means of needles driven into them by a
plate set upon spiral springs, also set in
| notion by the revolution OF the wheels. As
| the crank is turned, first one lot of cart
ridges is exploded. and then another in rap
| id succession, as the revolution continues.
| As each plate is emptiel and passes under
| the breach it falls 10 the ground, and they
are continually removed and reload' d.
| Four men are enough to handle one gun.
| There is no danger from Ovcr-heatng of the
| gun, and these four men, it is estim ted !,
can do more execution than 200 ordiaarily
| armed.
Though this weapon can be used in open
| fields, it is best adapted for fort defenses.
| 1t it shall perform as well as it promises,
war will be virtually at an end, so soon as
the natives become equally provided with
/ hsm.
| DR.. McAllister has secured his patent,
| aud Hon. Van. III. Manning will, in few
days, introduce a resolution asking the gov
| ernment to provide $4,000 to enable the
| patentee to make a thorough and scientific
| test of his invention DIR. McAllister is not
| pecunlaTlly aOlc 10 construct Tue gun nltu
| self, but he is so thoroughly convinced of
| its merits that he says he is willing to deed
all the land lao owns 10000 or 1000 ocres) to
I the United States Government upon con9i-
/ ton that the deed shall become void if upon
expendipg the $4,000 of the pubic funds
| in making the test, it shall prove a COM
| plete success. DIR. McAlliSter served in
! Col. Bnllautybe's Mississippi Cavalry Reg
| iment during the war, and is consequently
| known to many of your readers. If his gun
| succeeds here, he will introduce it to Euro
| pean nations, and the fortune he will realize
| from it VIII be immense.
| DISCRIMINATION VS.. THE SOUTH.
| Day after day Northern belum and ante
belum claimants get their claims allowed,
while the few ventureSome Southerners
| who feel thai, >ince they help TO support the
Government it ought, once in while, to
hear a claim ia favor of them selves are in
| cont inently kicked out of Congress. The
| Washington Post, the National Democratic
organ, spurns the cowardice that refuses to
entertain the just demands of Southern
men, simply because trey are Southern
| men. Did you ever reflect to what extent
our section is Disseminated against and
| what immense tribute we yearly nav to
Northern claimants? Take for example,
the single instance OF pensOning Federal
soldiers, 100000 of them receiving "A pen
sion of about 500 90 per month, or $55 BOO
| 900 yearly. Bat alas, to the victors belong
| the spoils, and woe to the vanquished! A
| hibit to the House of Northern subsidies
which will be startling in its immensely,
and which will be one of the best camEaign
RI upFlfG xAyk1 d ltod In -.