New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-27
THE QUESTION or GUNS FOR THE ARMY
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY To BE GWEN TO AMrrI
IT. M

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO RI GIVEN TO AMFEI
cas- INVENTORS TO SvBMfT MODELS.
Washington. Jan. 90 (Special.-ln recent years vast
strides have been made In the development OF small
arms. The old snClrfire. long c1lihrr musk"S have
been dispensed with by the leading foreign Powers and
in their places magazine rifles OF greatly reduced calbre
have been adopted. This country has been slow In
snppanting the old With new model guns. The Navy
has the Lee magazine gun but It's callbre l., like The
single. fire Springfield muskei In by the Army, OF
the obsolete pattern. More recently The subject or
snaA cabrc magazine guns has received greater al
ten,ion I'm this country. In September 1890 the
Secretary OF War convened LOard OF officers OF the
Army 10 examine and test small arms Of modern
character. The board in session until last sep
talnber and during as investigations subjected nifty
three rifles received by 1t 10 thorough practical aIS
The majority Of the guns tested by The board were
OF American design and manufacture ana u was bopd
that one OF this description w0uld be- adopted snch
was not the case however. Instead thc hragJorg'
Iesen gun. foreign intention. accepted and the
euor of the board having approved by secretary
Elkins, that gun now constitutes the model Tor Inc
military service.
II appears that although the opportunity TO submit
nagoylne small arms covered a period Of about two
wears a number OF meritOriOuS models were not CON-
Melted in uine 10 De- tested by the board. IL IS also
foupd that the Departments requirements ana expert
m.nts have stimulated invention In small arms ana
Inn, many new designs or improvements now ready
for trial As the number Of guns immediately h"rueu
bv thr Government will b. about 2Ooooo Win
certain large increase In OF war, the cost oi
changing from old TO new guns viii amount 10 se'era
million dollars In order that the best arm preiraoly
one OF American design may be secured the war ID"
DartmeDt has Just issued authority TO inventors "ean
70 submit models Of magazine guns TO the Nationa
Armory M Springfield for examination ana ior 'riai
N the trials at the nrnory indicate that Tie guns
submitted possess sufficient merit TO warrant iurhe
onsderation more exhaustive tests by board OF tx
nerts will be ordered. In the trials, all guns VIII W
compared with the Krag Jorgkcsen arm III determining
r,r morris Consideration viii BE- given only 10
muskcs adapted for practical military purposes anu
pnless especially excepted, those OF 30 calfe alone WI"
lac tested The Department places no restriction upon
tho number and form OF cartridges connined !" 'ne
m,cnzincs with respect 10 arms tested by 'he or"'
ho,rd affections 10 defects previously developed must
Ia me, or rcmedicd enitle the gun to coh>uerhuoh'
:, ,,,on examination an arm or Improvement on'rH u
49,, "iWabIc hope of successful development Jusl anu
,roncr assistance will be afforded the inventor ny w
Pi,on"r,menl Models descriptions OF lnodis NAY w
forwarded TO the srmory at any mc W.in VII, mn I
,ra and these together with any accompanying IN
torm,ton Will II desired. be considered rs cohu'""
Lv The Department.