Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-05
MAGAZINE RIFLES.
MOVEMENT IN FAVOR OF THEIR
USE AMONG EUROPEAN NATIONS.
Frances Hesponse TO Germany's Recent
Action - Experiments Made in the
United states-what European Nations

United states-what European Nations
are Doing-The Austro-Prussian War.
The cable dispatch that the French govern
ment has ortlerrsd 10, 900 repeating rifles To be
distributed among its troops by the end of
this month has an interest for this country a.
/ well as for all European nations 1t WAS
shrewdly said not long ago that after the end
Of the next great war every government
would want magazine guns; but it now looks
as if very few governments wEi lie willing to
wait for the neNt war The present act Of
France is spoken Of as a reply to Germany's
/ rscent arming of her AlSace-IOrraine regi-
ments with repeating arms: but both cuun-
tries have long been experimenting for this
purpose, and indeed il Is obvious that if
France had not already begun to provide her
self with such weapofs, an order to dis
tribute 5000 Of them in so short = time
would be preposterouS As fact, the
armory at st. Etienne altered its tool plant
some time ago, with view 10 making maga-
zine rifles on a large scale There have been
many efforts 10 change the GraS into a maga-
zine arm, the Robin system of conversion be-
ing one, while among other plans expert
mented with have been the Paries and Sturla,
which utili1es to some extent parts of the
Gras action.
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Magazine arms in the United States have
not thus far achieved complete success in the
tests to which they have been submitted by
the government, although their ultimate su-
periority can hardly be doubted. Not long
ago, issues of two leading magazine rifles were
made TO certain number Of organizations
throughout the army, in many regiments and
departments, and trials of them were made in
composition with the Springfield single loader.
The commanding officer of each detachment
making these trials drew up a report of the
results, with his comments thereon. 1t was
found that in a large majority of the reports
.he existing single br,.ech loader was preferred
Nevertheless, the principal faults noted in the
magazine arms We're such can be remedied
by mechanical improvements or by careful
training Of the men in their use. The brief
report of Gen Benet orf the trials. rendered
few months ago, declared that ne believed
that magazine gun would eventually be
adopted, but that the time had not yet come
for it
Meanwhile in Europe the movement in
favor Of the new system has been going on
and has already practically been pushed TO
armed with the Jarman. magazine rifle of
unusually long range Austria is preparing
TO substitute for her somewhat inferior
Werndl rifle the Mannlieber, which has a re-
magazine and avoids the faults of .
weakness, compleEity, and costliness some
times found in such weapons. Russia has
been kept back by the great cost Of converting
into repeaters the multitude of the arms with
4, h.,- 4. a,,l
is supplied with Vetterliu repeaters, as the
little state needs to make the most of her
forces.
GERMANY AND FRANCE.
Germany has converted Mauser single load
attracts the criticism of the experts upon sew
eral grounds, and no doubt justly, but which,
after all has the great advantage of being
cheap, of using the rifles already in the hands
Of the troops, and of being manipulated in
already familiar t. them, so that
there is little or nothing TO learn. France has
armed her navy for some years with the
Kropatchek repeaters, but has been looking
for a Modification of the Gras for her land
troops. Possibly it is the Kropatchek that is
to be issued in such haste to GO,Oo0 troops of
the line. but it is reasonable to suppose that
some one Of the many proposed notifications
Of the Gras has been chosen, and the required
changes made. England several months ago
ordered the issue of magazine guns for ex-
oeriment, and now will be spurred on by the
decision of Germany. II
In short. the lesson of the Austro- Prussian
war Of 1881 is not forgotten Then the needle
yun, in the hands Of disciplined troo $, car
led all before it. Now all nations have aban-
ioned muzzle loading small arms for breech
oaders, and the next step is repeating or
magazine arms No doubt we shall see gen.
raj rush to follow tire lead Of Germany, al
hough the previous action of Sweden and
switzerland had been little needed, since no
lation viii be willing to become victim TO
more efficient weapon in the hands of its
York Sun.