Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-03-16

An Engine which Fires six Hundred
Shots "A Minute.

shots "a Minute.
Statisticians inform us that the entire
loss of life in wars between so-called civil.
lied countries from the year 1898 10 1877
has reached the enormous amodnt OF
4,410. 900. To many persons these figures
convey a sad and ~salutary lesson. On the
other hand, there are many who act as II
they needed or knew them not. Readers will
differ as TO whether il is laudable or other
wise 10 invent any means by which the
above figures might possibly be increased;
but, leaving the sentimental part OF the
subject aside, all will readily unite in al.
miring the wonderful mechanism which
makes the Maxim machine gun an engine
of terrible dcstructiveness. Particular in.
terest attaches to it at the present time ow.
ing to the fact that the great African ex-
plorer, Stanley, provided himself with
this formidable weapon, 10 be used defens.
lively in the expedition on which he re-
Gently started for the relief Of Emin Bey.
Moreover, IL obtained u goal me j a, the
Inventions Exhibition, and has bees up
proved I, If not actually adopted by
many governments, the Chinese Govern
.nent being particularly mentioned as one
OF the largest purchasers.
Its rate q. firing-600 rounds a minute
lis at least three times rs rapid AS that OF
any other machine gun. 1t has only Il sin
gle barrel, which, when the shot is fired.
recoils q distance OF three-quarters of an
inch on the other parts of the gun. This
| recoil sets moving the machinery which
automatically keeps up u continuous firt
| at the extraordinary rate of tel rounds a
second. Each recoil of the b rrel has
| therefore TO perform the necessary func
tons of extracting and e%iecting the empty
cartridge, of bringing up the next full one
and placing 1t in its proper position in the
barrel, OF cooking the hammer and pulling
The trigger. As long as the firing con
tinueS these functions are repeated round
after round i'll succession. The barrel IL
provided with a water jacket, TO proven
excessive heating; and is 80 MOUNTED tha.
it can be raised or lowered or set at AZ
angle, or turned horizontally TO the left OF
to the right. The bore is adapted to til,
present size of cartridges; and the maxi
mum range is 1,S00 yards. The gun
can therefore be made 10 sweep /;
| circle upwards Of a mile in radiu,.
Nor is the gun excessively heavy, it,
total weight being only 1906 pounds, made
up thus: Tripod, 80 pounds; pivot (oI
which the gun turns and by which it is
attached TO the tripod, 16 pounds; gdn
and firing mechanism, 40 pounds. The
parts can he easily detached and coDven
icntly folded for carriage, and may be pu
together again SO quickly that if the bel
containing The cartridges is in position, th,
first shot can be delivered within ten sec
onds. 1t would, therefore, b extremely
| serviceablc in preventing disaster throlgl
a body of troops being surprised. Recon
nOitering parties, too, would deem 1t pru
| dent to pay greater Difference TO an Ell
| emy's lonely sentry on advanced outposl
| duty if the latter were provided with thu
new machine gun, instead OF the ordinary
sifle.
Immediately below the barrel of the gun
| a box Is placed containing the belt whiCl
| carries the cartridges. The belts vary il
.cngth. Those commonly used are seven
| feet long and capable Of holding 1873 car
| ridges, shorter ones hold i20 cartridges
but the several pieces can be joined to
| gether for continuous firing. Single shot
can be fired at any time, whether the bel
| is in position or not-in the former cas-,
by pressing a button, which prevents the
| recoil; in the latter, by hand loading in
the ordinary way. To start firing, on,
md Of the belt is inserted in the gun, thu
| trigger is pulled by the hand once, aftci
which the movement becomes contiuuou
and automatic as long as the supply o.
cartridges lasts. At each recoil Of the ban
rel the belt is pushed sufficiently upwarl
to bring the next cartridge into position
Tho mechanism grasps this cartridge
lraws it from the belt and passes it on t,
the barrel. Should Il faulty or an empty
cartridge find its way in, and the gun doe
not 20 off in consequence, there is. 0
curse no recoil to keep up the repeatin.
iction, and the mechanism ceases to wori
Until the obstruction is removed.