The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-14
THE GIFFARD GAS-GUN.
Its Shortcomings and POssibili-
ties as Viewed Here.

The declaration CT the Paris Paix, echoed
by the London Daily News, that NJ. Paul
Giffard'S substitute for gunpowder as the
charge for small arms is likely to revolu-
tonne the art of war, is not received with
entire faith by all our officers. 1t is said
that the Chamber Of Commerce of St
Etienne has already given the inventor a
gold medal and 5000 as a testimonial Of the
success attained by this novelty; but fair
statement probably is that in its present
form the nouvelle balistique can never be
complete substitute for gunpoW der, although
within its restricted limits it has remark
able merits.
Since $50 or even 300 drops" or charges
Of the liquid carbonic acid gas can BE- stored
in the small steel reservoir under the gun
barrel, and one charge falling into the cham
Der vOlalllZeS andieXp lOdes Ill contact with
the air, 80 fOrcibly as to drive out the bull
lei, the firing can go on very rapidly and
continuously. Surprising the soldier to
have an extra steel cartOuche or cylinder
with him, lie would carry 60 charges oil tue
liquefed gas, each liberated as far as
the trigger could tie pulled. Still, the load
ing with bullets, which are dropped sep
arately into an aperture in the breech-lOck,
MUS 90 on, and this double process must
be continued. Other advantages possessed
by this weapon are smUkelessness, very
preservation of the barrel from fouling.
Perhaps The sportsman, even more than the
soldier, VIII appreciate the lack of smoke
and of noise, which might alarm his game,
as well as the advantage of finding his gum
barrel smooth and bright after 800 rounds.
As it does not need to be heavy the weapon
can be manufactured at small cost, while a
cylinder tull OF the liquid costs only few
cents.
But fundamental shortcomiug of the
Gitfard gas-gun, which in its present state
must dispose of lis claim to be the military
weapon of the future is the shortneSs of
its range. The extremely low pressure
which the gas eXerts on expanding, as COM
pared with gunpoWder, can hardly make it
effective at much above third of mi e.
Troops armed with such a weapon might
therefore be at the mercy of an enemy pos
sessed Of rifles sighted up 10 1900 yards.
Special forces might carry them and re-
serve their fire until the enemy should be
within their inferior range; bat such
double system OF arming would not be gen.
orally approved. The rifle, as it appears,
would also have to be held in limited po-
sition in order that the drop of liquid may
be properly volatallzed, and this might be a
drawback IN battle. But it would seem 10
be an acquisition in any case to the sphere
of machine guns. Unfortunately, criminals
may also appreciate the advantages OF its
snIokelessnesS and comparative noiseless-
ness.
But perhaps the most interesting suggeS-
t on made IN regard to this new invention is
that 1t ought TO enter the field OF heavy guns
instead OF small arms, and apply itself to
tie projection OF shells filed with dynamite
and other high explosives. Commander +.
Nj. Barber OF our navy, well-known ex-
pert, has pointed out that this liquefed gas
of Glffard should really be put upon the
plane OF compressed air as an explosive
power for such projectiles Like the pneu-
matte gun of the Vesuvius, it has low
pressure and short range, but a pressure
which is fixed and which can be most ac-
curately measured. This means absolute
safety in the use of the high explosives
as the bursting charge Of the pro-
jectiles. Moreover, the pressure OF the
carbonc acid gas remains uniform
to the last drop OF the liquid. AS the
pneumatic gun gives mortar-like fire, the
asserted necessity of not depressing the Gift
fard gun would not put the latter at dis
advantage by comparison. This use OF the
new projecting power, as suggested by
Commander Barber may turn out to be the
most practically important one, at least for
military purposes, and at any rate 1t Sug
gests the future Of mortar fire with shells
containing large charges Of explosives at
short or medium range.
Another suggestion Is that the new lique-
fed gas may be really only the pioneer in
new experiments, and that il it has so low
pressure as to give too short range for
infantry arms yet some other substance may
do better. At all events, one more stop is
taken in replacing, for certain military pur-
poses, the irregular aud violent shock OF
accurately measured expansive forces.-N.
" SIM