The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-08-29
THE GREAT LEBEL KIFLE.
The Most Effective Weapon Yet Put In
the Hands of Men,

the Hands of Men.
If all is true which is reported in
respect of the villainous virtues of the
new French, or "Lebel rife," others
beside the members of the Peace Society
will hope that the war between France
and Germany may be long DELAYED or
forever postponed. The London Tele-
graph gives interesting accounts of ex-
periments made upon the dead bodies of
paupers, obtained for the purpose with
this new weapon, by members of the
French Academy of Medicine, who wish
ed to ascertain the character of the
woundsit was likely to inhict. The bodies
were set up as targets at distances vary
ing from 2C0 yards to mile or more,
and the bullets went clear through-the
bones without making fractures. The
wounds were described as being very
dangerous and difficult to heal, for the
reason that the passages made by the
bullets were exceedingly small and al
most impossible TO trace.
The opinion Of the medical experiment
talists was that injuries inflicted by the
rifle at short range were 30 great as to be
practically incurable. Possibly this new
weapon for the destruction of human life,
which, it is said, enits no smoke and
but little no noise when discharged, may
ultimately become help to peace. The
Improvement of arms, both for land and
water fighting, goes on at such rapid
pace as to render it possible that wars
may be decided after while in a single
contest, in which the major part of the
army and navy of either side will be on
gagged. Soldiers or sailors may not have
the chance, of which Fallsiaf aTailed
himself, to run away in order that they
might live to fight another day. The
weapon of war may be destructive as to
make battlefelds instantaneous grave
yards for entire armies. When that time
comes either the bsrbarism of war viii
cease, or wars that begin with the rising
of the sun Will end with its going down.
It will be curious to learn what effect
these terribly destructive weapons are
likely to have on the courage of men.
Few who 60 into battle do SO in belief
that they will fall; it is the habit Of men
to think all mortal but themselves. It is
that which induces them 80 readily to go
into the hottest fight. The chances of
escaping death are always uppermost in
the soldiers mind, but the improvement
Of weapons is not Only reducing, put
actually destroying, all chance Of safety.
After while when war shall become an
exact science, the order to engage in a
battle will be equivalent to each man
receiving his instantaneous death way
rant, with the possibilities of escape
either lessened or wholly eliminated.
There will be no heroic taking Of risks;
there will be merely the destruction Of
life. If thst time should come the services
of the everlasting officer will be required
only to enlist the would-be suicides, and
his place will be almost universally taken
by the consumption officer, who viii not
look for volunteers. The ''Lebel rifle, !"
which tn London Telegraph describes
as wondrous weapon and certain to do
terrible work in the hands Of the French
soldiers, seems tc suggest that the time
is rapidly advancing when all soldiers
will be unwilling ones, pressed by force
st the point of bsyonets into the service.
War, with its clumsiest weapons, Was
sufficiently murderous and inhuman, but
with its perfected weapons it will be but
means to slaughter, and whoever shoots
first and oftenest will be sure to win.