The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-10
American CartrltlECs,

Russia was among the first to make Use
Of the American metallic cartridges, and
she attempted in vain to initiate them
After wasting ten millions of cartridge.
made OF inferior material. she wisely con.
ciudod to buy here, as othc foreign nations
have since done. Some of the American
cartridges sent to Russia were subjected [,
the unparalleled test of five weeks soak.
ing in the waters of New York hlrbor, the
vessel carrying them having sunk off Staten
Island ON her way out. They were hshct
up as good as new, and, triumphantly pass
ing the ordeal of II new test OF their firing
quality, went on their way again, aud hay,
no doubt long since added their quota &c
the return of casualties. For good cartridges
American copper is needed, fact which
the Europeans are beginning to learn. Ever,
SO long ago rs the days Of the mound.
builders, il was discovered that our Lake
Superior region produced II copper ore of
uncommon purity. Ore of equal purity is
not, it would seem, to be found elsewhere,
and perhaps the process of anncaing is not
so well understood abroad. AT all events
the brass made of the foreign copper,
abounding III the sulpllurcts, lacks the nee
essnry strength and duotility, and for some
reason, the metallic cartridges made abroad
are liable to dctcrioratc in qraliIy. During
her war with Turkey, Russia purchased
large quantities of brass here, one Conncc-
tlcut firm alone supplying two millions dol
lars worth Of sheet brass. Other govern
mcn,s have, no doubt, been purchasers.
Ready made cartridges have also been sent
abroad in such quantities that Il million has
bccomc the unit Of calculation. There arc
three forms Of cartridges: the United States
government cartridge, another, the Peabody
Martini cartridge, and the largest, the
Shnrps or Remington special long-rangc
cartridge. The government cartridge con
tans 70 grajns of powder and hardened
outlet, composed OF one pnrt tin and sixteen
parts lead, weighing 400 grains. The Pea
body Martini has 50 grains of powder and
bullet OF The same composition, weighing
18O gnins. The long-rangc bullet has one
part OF tin and fourteen parts lead, and
weighs $50 grains, the charge of powder
being 100 grains The advantages of the
heavier cartridges arc well shown in the
experiences of tho Turkish war already re-
fcrrcd to. Whatever else they may lack,
the Turks have certainly shown superior
Intelligence in the armament of their troops.
The English, who use the same g,ll had,
on slllallcr scale, an experience something
similar to that Of the Turks. The rifles
used by the rifle brigade in the campaign
against the Afghans were sighted for 1000
yards and at 2l00 yards were found clTcc-
tive. The rifle with which our own army
is provided arc sighted to 1900 yards The
sights used by ritlcmcn in long range shoot
ing, the Vcrnicr sight, and sight comb-
ming spiri-lcvc and wind-guagc The
ordinary Vcrnicr will register to the thou
sandth Of an inch, and Vcrnicrs have been
made 80 as 10 register the hctwcnty-tho,sandth
of an inoh, these finer sights been used to
regulate the ordinary sights. These very fine
sights are not adapted to military service
to which the rifle is subjected to a very diff
fercnt usage from that prevailing at Creed
moor, where the long-rangc rillemnn is able
to give his weapon all the care that a mu-
sician would take of his precious Slradvia-
rius violin or his Tourtc bow.