New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-05

NANCE, MACHINE UNs, MAGAZIk AEMxSt ~ y d
OTHER MUNTrIONs OF WAR. including chapter gIn on
s! ST@9 s. ArT Chaplin eaa SS CHARLES O-O
This large and handsome volume Is an am
plhcaou OF a work by the same author entiteu A"er
lean Breech-LOading Small Arms" puDnSneu III
1872. The subject lie brought down 10 tne pres
ept year, and is enlarged so as 10 lneiuue
heavy guns, machine guns. powder and prc1ectlles.
Much valuable historical information is also added rei"'
ing TO history OF tue most important Inventions con
uccted with small arms and artillery General norton
experience In the field during the War OF tne ne
beon and his subsequent official connection with many
of the great worlds fairs gave him special qualifications
for the preparation OF such work. He took up me
topic as long ago as 1867, when his report
on Munitions OF War at the Paris exhibition "
attracted much attention among military men
for thorough and impartial presentation OF the aesI
inventions and results in arms and ammunition. In the
present volume General Norton avoids any discussion
OF the relative merits OF the different systems
he presents and permits the inventors anu
manufacturers to describe their own ln-
ventions and make their own claims, being care
full only TO give tho fullest informauon'in regard 10
such, supplemented by illustrations when sno"
the working of every piece and its dlier
emf parts 80 plainly that any person
with rudmentary knowledge OF mechanism VIII nave
no difficulty understanding 1t. In following THIS plah
he il wise. Tie inventive genius OF tnis country
has produced q number of excellent arms all
IN ths essential features ola good serVceaDle gun AZ
though the breecloading systems on which they arc
so far as aud rapidity OF loading, slnpnclty'
durability, range and accuracy are concerned.
are nearly alike that experts are puzzled TO make
choice between them. Although We are tally
peaceful nation and have spent comparatively little oi
orr century II National litetn carrying on war; we nave
been remarkably successful In inc INVENTION anu anu
anufSetrre OF %enpon ana %@T Iis the
world and the most extensve powder work.. ana we
make the best revolver, brech-loadine musGes, me-
taluc cartridges and powder.
General Norton's book has special value to an who
treats for they learn from it's pages almost as much
about American small arms ordnance ana aninEn ZION
asthey could by visit to al factories engaged III Ter
production 1t has, besides, considerable interest TO
The general reader on account OF its description Oh
the history OF Inventions ana Improvements III
arms ana Its practical Pre|eDta,iGmd OF the laG s
large arms, manufactures the country arc fuy de-
scrbcdas well as the articles they produce. Breach
loading arms the author shows, are OF great IS9
general use within the M past twenty s yfars;
brqechoadms s' gum .made in he time Of Henry IT,
prior to 1850. Two gums made in England juIing The
and proved to be vertaOle Snidrr rifles. Major
Fsreu'on an officer in the British dhio Army my
Revolutionary War, made an excellent brcecl-oadng
rife, and several hundred were manufactured and
placed IN the hands OF troops The first patent IN ths
country for brerchuadnggu was Issued TO john HUI,
OF North Yarmouth, in 1911. Il company OF r1,men
ever, until the percussion cartridge was invented and
the art OF modem waFiaGe was deveod 10 suem
pOrtauce that habit and prejudice among MIL.
tary gave way and the. breech-Oadlng
gun came into general use. Routine. says
the Emperor Napoleon Ill IN his treatise on the Past
aud Future of Artillery" oerg enamored with old
ways, has presented for practices thai are most
Aud not only does routine sCrHpuOusiy lrc.
serve, like some sacred dcposit, the errors OF
antiquity, but IL actually 9ppo'es VITA
might and MAN the most legitimate and most evident
improvements" These remarks apply admirably To
breech-loadlng The most convenient and most
natural pace to put load INTO gun
the breech, but took the world centuries to find
this out. Inventions that are before their age, says
the Imperial AUTHOR remain useless until the
Crock Of gcneral know edge cOmea 10 their eYelN