Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-08
THE NEW GAS GUN.
A Description or the New French wea-
pom for Infantry.

pom for Infantry.
At headquarters of the London Scottish
Rifles yesterday afternoon some interest
ing experiments were conducted with
NJ Paul Giffard's appliance for the EN-
ployment of liquefied gas as an explosive
or, TO be more strictly accurate, one
should say as a means of propelling pro-
iectiles-in place of gunpowder. NJ.
Paul Gffard's scientific reputation as in
veitor of the pneumatic tube and of the
&c ffard injector" so largely used in con-
nection with steam power, stands so high
that any invention which his name was
attached would be worthy of attentive
consideration.
The weapon now introduced by him,
how is something more than an in
genious appliance; il is discovery which
not only promises to revolutionize the
gunmaker's art. but is applicable also to
many other purposes as motive power.
Those who are interested in the Giffard
gun claim that it is the military weapon
of the future. The idea of using lique-
fed carbonic acid gas as propulsive
power is not new, but NJ. Giffard is the
first who has turned it to practical ac-
count.
The gas gun is model of simplicity,
so far as one can judge without examina
tion of the discharging mechanism. in
which much of the merit of NJ. Giffard's
invention lies. A small cylinder, called
a cartouche, is attached to the barrel of
a rifle or smoothbore gun. This cylinder
contains liquefied gas enough TO dis
charge 220 shots, equal to about 90 bull
let's of an ordinary service rifle, with a
velocity to kill at 600 yards. There is
no other explosive. The pellet is simply
dropped into an aperture of the barrel,
which is Theoretically closed by pressing
small lever, and the loading is COM
plete.
When the trigger is pressed small
quantity of liquefed gas becomes released
and expands in the breech chamber.
There is no louder report than the draw
ing of champagne cork makes; no
smoke and no fouling of the barrel. In
all these respects M. Giffard's gas gun
seems to fulfill the requirements of an
ideal weapon for warfare, but whether
in other respects liquefied gas has adj
vantages over ordinary explosives for
military purposes remains to be proved.
The inventor says there would be no
difficulty in refilling the cylinders with
gas on the battlefield, but it is obvious,
even if that be the case, that reserve
cylinders would have to be supplied to
each man in order to make up the num-
ber of rounds now thought to be neces-
sary, and, as the bullets would of neces-
sity be carried in addition, the ammuni-
ton for gas gun would weigh just as
much as ordinary cartridges, weight for
weight
The charge of liquid liberated for
each round is regulated by milled
screw, and each charge, as liberated, is
contained in a special chamber, from
which it is released by the pulling of
trigger. The bullet is dropped sep
arately into an orifice in the breech lock.
In the rifles shown the bullets were
round, but elongated bullets can be used.
When the guns were discharged rush
of vapor was seen issuing from the muz-
zles. But it instantly faded away, and
the bullets few with strict precision to
the targets. Barrels which had been re-
peatedly discharged in the past two
months were shown to have suffered no
corrosion. The pressure of the gas and
fluid in the above magazines was 500
pounds on the square inch, and this
pressure is maintained up to the last drop
of fluid The preparation of the liquefied
gas involves no mechanical power, but
the needful pressure is got entirely by
the chemical manipulation of ordinary
substances, such as carbonate of soda. -
lSt James Gazette.