Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-11
THE NEW ARMY RIFLE
YANKEE iNVENTlVENESs FAILS
TO SATISFY


WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-Farewell to
the famous old Springfield rifle. This
weapon which Torso many years has b.cu
the standard piece ui the service, prov.
ing Itself a deadly weapon ON the battl.
field and likewise accurate and serg.
iceable In many famous rifle compcti-
tons must now give way to a modern
magazine small arm. An impor-
tant document just received at tho
War Department and now under
lock aud key awaiting the return OF
the general Of the army aud General
Fluglcr chief OF ordnance, contains tho
name OF the future rifle for all state
and regular troops. This papor con-
tains the final conclusions OF the board
OF experts which has been ia session
since December, 1880, Investigating tue
whole subject Of small arms with the
view to the selection OF the bost maga-
zine rifle eXtant for the equipment OF
our troops
Officially the name OF the successful
weapon Is to be kept secret until the
officials named return 10 Washington,
The krag-IOrgensen the invention Of
Capt, Kruig superintendent Of the
royal munuiactory Of arms at kongs-
berg, Norway, Is the rifle recommended
for adoption. This will not be pleas-
ant news for those who, remembering
the ability OF American inventors 70
produce the best small arms in the
world adapted 10 conditions which for
merly existed, expected the Yankee"
again TO come TO the front TO meet
modern requirements.
The officials OF tho war department
will likewise have their patriotic pride
touched, but will console themselves
with the belief that they have doue
their duty iu selecting the best weapon
in the world, regardless OF the nation
ality Of the inventor, and that Il Is tho
policy Of all military powers 70 do Ike
wise. The chief desire Of the officials
has been 10 get magazine weapon
that would best meet all modern re-
quirements, superior 70 tho standard
weapons OF any other power.
With that end Ia view the department
has not only thoroughly tested all the
weapons presented by inventors indi-
vidually. but procured through the
state department and carefully tested
an the best weapons in use BY foreign
armies. one OF tho principal require
ments was a weapon that could be used
effectively either as a single loader or
as a repeater. None Of the guns IN use
by foreign powers iulhl these require
meuts TO The satisfaction Of the author
tiles.
The Krag-Jorgensen gun recon-
mended for adoption was made es-
pscially for trial by the American
board, and Is an improvement over the
gun Of that name adopted by Norway
and Denmark. 1t Is, therefore, consid-
cred that IN the new Krag-J0rgeusen
gun the American army will have tho
best rife IN the world, and viii conse-
auently have an advantage in an en-
gagement with the Aud forces Of any
foreign power
II may be said, however, that az
the English aud German authorities
have been carefully watching tho
exhaustive experiments conducted boy
our officers II would not be surprising
if thoir confidence 10 the Judgment d
our experts would prompt them 70 dis
card their present pieces and take Up
the Kfag-Jorgeusen 10 Was only
few weeks ago that a prominent Ger
man artillery officer IN public gath-
ering az Berlin made the assertion that
Ii the Investigation being made by the
American ordnance authorities III the
small arms question did moi result Ia
the selection Of an American lnycntion,
ne foreign gun adopted would be- far
superior to any weapon now ia use By
any other country.
Tbe magazins Of the Krag-Jorgensgu
"a al 8xsd type and placed horizontally
bsioW AID 70 the LEFT Of the receiver.
+. holds I've cartridges which nns
i6aded from The right haud- Cioslng
,hs cover brings the Magazine spring
Il y aring against tile cartridgaa,whicl