The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-10-06
5000 Shots a Minute.

O>OOV OAOlS ~ MAAUNCs
It is hard to tell where the improve
ments in gun firing are going to stop.
AT. one time it was thought a marvellous
thing that GOO volleys could be fired
from one gun in one minute, and that
If the gun was pointed directly upward
and discharged the six hundredth bull
let would have left the barrel of the
gun before the first bullet had fallen
to the ground. Presently the Calling
gun was so improved that it could be
fired as many as 3,12O times in a min
ute, but DIR. Calling was not content
with this and set to work to increase
the firing capacity Of his revolving ma
chine gun by electricity.
This has now been done, and by the
attachment Of little electric motor to
the breech the gun can be fired 5000
times per minute.
The secret Of the increase in rapidity
is greater ease and efficiency Of feeding.
On strip of tin are placed twenty
smokeleSs powder cartridges, each held
in place by bits of the tin that are
turned up for the purpose. These slips
are put into a horizontal opening, and
| as they are drawn through the cart
| ridges are stripped off and placed in a
position to be thrust into the chambers.
spores falling on the mucus surface
would multiply there if it were a favor
able neighborhood for them, and in
view of the number of these germs it
would be an almost perpetually increas-
ing source of infection. Thanks how
ever IN tho ~ l,1 ~ ~
| mucus of the nose, it not only acts as a
mechanical barrier for particles floating
IN the air we breathe, but it's defensive
action is more direct, as it binders or
destroys the vitality of large number
of bacteria.
A new system of trenching tool has
been devised by French military
| officer. The tool is attached to the
butt end of the rifle, and consists of a
| steel spade having a short square shaft
or handle formed upon it. 1t is carried
when not in use in leather case on
the soldiers breast. To the stock of
the rifle is attached steel socket in
which the tool is fixed when wanted.
| A spring catch holds it firmly in place,
| and it can be released by the pressure
of the thumb. The tool interferes in no
way with the military drill. 1t can be
retained through both bayonet and fir
ing drill, while if the men were sur
pr1sed at close quarters during trenching
work, the spade attached to the butt
of the rifle makes a ready weapon in
place of the bayonet. In some recent
experiments with the tool, the equip
| ment and rife were given to a soldier,
! who was given ten minutes to intrench
| himself In five minutes he had thrown
up good shelter, and by the end of
ten minutes had well int.enched him.
self. A squad then opened fire on him
and he replied with the trenching tool
still fixed. The firing party then adj
| vanced and he retired given distance,
firing on the way. When he reached a
| marked point he commenced to throw
up another shelter, which he sufficient
ly completed in two minutes, when he
| recommended firing on the enemy. The
opinion reached by the military test par
| ty which made the experiments was
that the tool was efficient and that it's
| use was not calculated to injure the
rifle in any way.
Car Lighting From the Axle.