The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-08-22
MAGAZINE RIFLES.
MOVEMENT ~ FAVOR or Their
USE AMONG EUROPEAN NATIONS.

Action - experiments Made In the
United StAtes-what European Nations
are Doing.The Austro-Prussian War.
The cable dispatch that the French govern
ment has ordered 600 repeating rifles 10 he
distributed among its troops by the end d
this month has an interest for this country as
well as for all European nations II was
shrewdly said not long ago that after the end
u the next great war every government
would want magazine guns; but it now Looks
as IL very few governments WI lie willing %
wait for the next war. The present act Of
France i, spnken OF rs a reply to Gsrmany's
recent armIng Of her Akace-IOrrains r-gi-
ments with repeating arms; but both coun-
tries have long ben experimenting for this
purpose, AMI indeed it Is obvious that il
France hal not already begun to provide her
h@lf with su'h Weapons, sn order to dis
tribute CiUU 81 them in so short "a time
would is prrposterous, As fact, the
uruory at ST Etsnne altered its tool plant
t"ule time ago, with a view To making maya
zins ritl,> on large scale. There have been
many Efforts 10 change the Gras into a maya
zine arm, the Robin system u conversion be-
ing one, whle among other plans expert
mented with have been the laries and Sturia,
whieh utilikes 10 some extent parts Of the
Gras acton
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Magazine arms in tho United States have
not thus far achieved complete success in tho
tests 10 which they have been submitted by
the government, although their ultimate SUI
r'rinrlty can hardly he doubted. Not long
ago, issues of two leaing magazine rifles were
made to certain number Of organizations
throughout the army, in many regiments and
departments, AMI trials VI them were made in
competition with the Springfield single loader
The commanding officer VI each detachment
making these trials drew up report Of the
results, with his comments thereon. IL was
found that in large majority Of the reports
thcexiSting single brecch loader was preferred
Nevertheless, the principal faults noted in tho
magazine arms were such as can 10 remedied
by mechanical improvements or bya careful
training u the men In their use. The brief
report Of Gcn Bcnet ON the trials, rendered a
few months ago, declared that he believed
that a magazine gun would eventually bU
adopted, but that the time had not yet come
for il.
Meanwhile IN Europe tho movement In
favor Of the new system has been going on
and has already practically been pushed to
success. We find the troops Of Sweden
armed with the Jarmar, n magazine rifle VI
unusually long range Austria IL preparing
to substitute for her somewhat inferior
Werndl rifle the Mannlicber, which has IA re-
movable magazine, AMI avoids the faults Of
weakness, complexity, ami coStliness some
times found in such weapons Russia lRs
been kept hack by the great cost OF converting
into rlsaters the multitude II the arms with
which her ur-'nals ARE loaded. Switzerland
Is supplied with Vetterliu repcatcrs, as the
little state needs to make the most VI her
forces
GERMANY AND STRANGE
Germany has converted Ma,iscr single load
crs into II magazine arm on u system which
attracts the criticism Of the experts upon srv.
cral grounds, AMI no doubt justly, hut which,
after all, has the great advantage Of king
cheap Of using the rifles already in the hands
of the trn"l-, and Of laing manipulated in II
manner already familiar 10 them, 81 that
there Is little or nothing 10 learn. France has
armed her navy for some years with the
krolatchck rcIsatcrs but has BEEN looking
for Il modification Of tho Gras for her land
troops Possibly il Is the kropatchck that i,
% be- i,s,lsi In such haste 10 GO,Uv troops Of
the line, hut il Ii reasonable Ia suppose that
some one Of the many proposed notifications
Of the Gras has been chosen, AMI tho required
changes made England several months ago
ordered tho ISSUE Of magazine guns for OK.
pertinent, nnd now will 10 spurrel On by the
decision If Germany.
| In short, the lesson " the Austro prrSsian
war uf l,'s is not forgotten Then the needle
gun, IN the hands Of disciplined troops, ear
ricd all before It, Now all nations have atafl-
don~i nualh, lu,,ling small arms for brcecl
leaders, and the next step is repeating OF
magazine arms. No doubt We shall see gen
| rral rush to follow the lead Of Germany, al
though the previous action Of Sweden ami
| Switzerland hal lArn little needed, since M
nation will he willing to become victim 10 a
more efficient weapon in the hands Of It's
enemy. New York Sun.
Dennis kcarnr,. the sand Lot Agitator.
| Dennis kcariny /, now II years odd, and i
| described rs IA short, heavy set rugged look
| ing person with tar complexion, light hair
| very low forehead eyes set far back IN their
| sockets, altogether presenting an extremely