Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-10-04
THE NEW GAS GUN.
A Description of 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
M. Paul Gtfard's appliance for the EN-
ployment of l;quefied gas as an explosive
or, to lie more strictly accurate, one
should say as IA means of propelling pro-
jectiles--in place of gunpowder. NJ.
Paul G,ffard's scientific reputation as in
ventor of the pneumatic tube and of the
"Giffard injector, SO largely used in con-
nection with steam power, stands so high
that any invention to which his name was
attached would be worthy of attentive
consideration.
The weapon now introduced by him,
however, is something more than an in
genious appliance; it 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 int ested in the Gitfard
gun claim that it . The military weapon
of the future. The idea of using lique
fed carbonic acid gas as a propulsive
power is not new, ut NJ. Giffard is the
first who has turned it to practical &C
count.
The gas gun is a model of simplicity,
so far as one can j; Ire without examina-
ton of the disch ging mechanism, in
which much of the merit of NJ. Gitfards
invention lies. A small cylinder, called
a cartouche, is attached to the barrel of
a rifle or smoothbo. e gun. This cylinder
contains liquetied gas enough to dis
charge 220 shots, equal to about so bull
let's of an or linary 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 liquefied gas becomes released
and expands in tie l;reech chamber.
There is no louder report than the draw
ing of a champagne cork makes; no
smoke and no foulils of the barrel. In
all these respects VI. Gitfard's gas gun
seems to fulfill Tie requirements of an
ideal weapon for warfare, but whether
in other respects liquetied gas has adj
vantAges over or, nary explosives for
military purposes remains TO be proved.
The inventor says there would be no
difficulty in refilling the cylinders with
gas on the la;tte!ia d, 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-
Der 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 relea d by the pulling of a
trigger. The bullet is dropp2d 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 a rush
of vapor was en- issuing from the muz-
z!es. But it Instantly faded away, and
the bullets flew with strict precision to
the targets. Bur- is which had been re-
peaedly 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 mantained 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. -
TSt James GaZntte