The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-16
MATTERS AT THE CAPITAL
Facts About Past and Present Agricultural
Productions of Egypt-The Charges
Against Representative Stahlnecksr.
Rifles with which a Man May De Shot snd
Killed mt 1,500 Yards.
anorf.f fo he Tr,df M roffu IorfrnoI


Rifles with which n Man May De Shot snd
Killed mt 1,5O0 Yards.
becisi to the indianapolis JournaL
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15.-An old regular army
officer who was with Custer on manyof his cam
psigns, and who has seen twensy years Of Ins
dian campaigning, and who fought during ths
war, IVES discussing to-day the improvements
which have been made recently in firearms Hs
said: "I have just attended some Of the shoots
for The regular army, and have, during the past
year or two participated Ia o number OF exhi~
bition shooting contests where men in all
branches Of life were contestants. 1t is smsz-
ing, the improvements which have been made
in rifles and side-srms during rhe past few
years. I remember that in l677-only eleven
years aeo-we were In terrible Indian fight on
the Western frontier, and some Indians were
located in trees at distance OF only four huns
drsd yards from our men, and they we're. With
what was then considered q finely improved
rife, cutting down our soldiers. The oficer in
command called up his sharpshooters, and
directed them to dislodgs the Indians
from the trees. The men instantly
measured the distance with their eyes, and re-
piled that they helpless: that those In dians
were four hundred yards away, add that thsif
guns would not carry with any degree Of aeon
raey that distance. We were finally compelled
to form line and make q charge with three os
four companies to dislodge three or four Indians.
We vould encounter no such difficulty nov
The only thing that would be necessary vouix
be TO direct a company TO fre. ana the enemy
would be disiocged with as much accuracy as ~
il were only fifty yards distant. I can easily
remember flor il was only twelve or fifteen
years agol when We began our practice for tar
ger work. We started in at distance of hun
dred yards and then Heightened BY increasing
the distance twenty-five yards ct a TINA Now
never think OF starting recruit in AZ targs&
practice under distance OF two hundred yardA
and we have rifles which we shoot with q hgk
degree of accuracy one Thousand yards, and wiz
kill man at o distance of fifteen hundred yards.
have men in my command, who, with fheiG
slobed sights will take rife and hit man g
almost every shot at distance OF sik or eigo
hundred yards.
zone of the improvements which will be made
In the charge Of guns viii be In ths heavy re-
duction OF the weight OF lead in the cartridge
We will presently be shooting only one-thiro -.
much lead, and probably more powder. than az
present. The guns We have now have q recoil
OF one hundred aod sixty pounds which would
indicate too much povder 10 already being useds
But with the reinforced cartridges which are
coming into use We can shoot three times -.
much weight of powder as OF lead. A bullet ot'
tbirty-tvo csliber viii carry as far as one of
forty-two, and will do ns effective service In
fact II is hsld and believe truly. that thirty
two caliber ball viii do more effective SERVES
than one OF forty-two calibsr, even IL tie POWDER
Is increased proportionatey behind the large
ball It is not matter of surface in the bulista
of FIfes or siie-srms when effectiveness Is con-
sidered. A needle fired through q mans heart
or brain will kill him &C quickly as q mimic ball
The army Intends to devote q great deal more
attention to pistol practice in the future than Il
has in the pAst The use of the side arm has
been greatly enhanced by not only taa cavalxY
tactics and drills, bat by the infantSx -
use with great accuracy q rife at = distance of
one thousand yards and the csrbine six hundred
yards. and can on the run or in the saddle FIRE
pistols with reasonable oeytAinty distance %
from two TO four hundred yards. warfare, with
its dynamite aud torpedoes, is getting down 70
something like scientific basis.'