New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-29

1 has awarded a contract an American named Lee.
| who for the of 10000 agrees 10 allow the GOV
eminent to manufacture all the rifles 1t may require
under his design for the enlisted force and the
marine CORPS The acceptance of the domestic in
vention in the competitive tests, where some OF the
best foreign guns entered. is considered by the
ordnance experts decided triumph ior the
home invention and contradcts the general penef
that no rife could be found in the United states
equal to those in general abroad Lee, VINO
perfected the new gum is of the family who In
vented the old Lee rife. used in a modifed
type in Great Britain and for years the regular arm
of the Navy.
The gun which will be introduced in the Navy
comprises the latest improvements made In all
branches of small arm manufacture. and by ord
nance officers Of both the Army and Navy is con-
sidered the most powerful arm yet perfected Its
main advantages over the Army gum which IS OF
foreign invention lie In its lightness, greater
rapidity of fire. penetrating power and the hatness
Of the Trajectory described by the bullet thus In
surjng accuracy OF fire and great velocity for the
nroiectle For years the Navy has been struggling
with the problem of a small arm. and has postponed
the acceptance of type with the expectation Una |
some American inventor would be ultimately found
capable of designing just as good GU as those
now in use abroad The Army three years ago
gave m the struggle and accepted the kragJorgen-
60, OF, rather than 10 wait for domestic in
ventors.
ordnance officers Of the navy. however. have an
taponized the policy of going 70 European 'oun-
tries for the supplies for the Naval establishments
holding that II had been proven mat American
guns were superior 30 those of Europe. hnh NAV ~
,,me II would be demonstrated That th" 'hif'd
atnies was capable OF producing hH m" y Hn"n h'h
as Qfeat uffan or France, Tests nave h''h m"h'
with every type ~ rife submitted either Ny i"i"'sh
inventors or those al home. ana IN most OF 'h"H"
GA. foreign guns came out IN the lead, Thrf" were
,.,, American runs however, which gave pr"nils"
~ success with soma changes I'm the breeeh mech
anism and encouraged win the eNp"''"'o" W
being rewarded by securing large contract "'
inventors OF thegr IN. ret 10 "orh 10 ""N' Wv
alterations suggested by the Ordnance board one
~ the inventors has at last produced an accepted
model. -,
rhe Lee gun Ia known al the direct action piece,
and can be fred just fast as the manpn'a'or ca"
null the trigger Its magazine hoids hVe ca''iuseS'
zach moving into the chamber OF the riIe WIN t"e
aiecton OF the discarded cartridge. The contract
erallv closed to-day will result In the Navy anu
>,ar,na Corns being promptly supplied with modern
rioes and when this has been done additional guns
will be ordered for the Naval reserves. Lee .he
GUMS inventor receives from the Government w.
900 for which he agrees practically 10 SURRENDER HIS
ten, IN the Navy Some doubt having arisen as
pa Tees claim to priority Of patent over the Lee
Small Arms Company the ,orn ,ns
ected itself against any possible lega , m nI
by demanding and receiving bond from Lee r equ ,
to the amount in question Ten II hch res go "i
the enlisted force OF the Navy. LOO to the marines
and the remainder to the apprentices oH u"i'''"e
vessels 1870 ,,r "a so,d ~ no s,nerior
.. 10 : of the Army gun and TO be lighter ana pos
" Greater tensile strength than any gun IN use
atroad lis calibre Is not only the smallest or any
1900 for military and naval purposes, but me
aoOUptratng power secured far exceeds that or the
pn, fornign rifles. sixty inches OF heavy oaken
poards have been pierced by the ne" bullet no
inrner than a medium eadpencil and about halr
a a inch long BY combining nickel ana steer IN the
hnrrrl durability and increased strength nave Deen
Secured while the gun can be kept cleaner ana
hrichter much more easily than the rifles manu-
9sred throughout of plain steel Tests recently
made at Newport show that the barrel can De snort
I'D nv an inch and its full length reduced 10 not
over twenty-seven inches and the power OF me gun
uot no affected Veoctes ranging from 2 4V 10 Zdu
feet per second secured and II was SHOWN ,hat
greai rapldty Of fire possible without the par
rel becoming heated ..a .,.,. .oroo s,oou
or,rs has been with the breech mechanism whlch.
hainp n mart OF the upon when qulckhess OF
a. nd ranidity OF loading depend IS more easily
run,ured and rendered useless by nara service imam
~ barrel The new guns VIII nave "a cd'lDrt OF
9s6 length of about twenty seven inches ana tota
reipht when fully equipped OF eight p9hhns JUS
evtreme Iightness for a Naval arm adHlts OF
,rae numher of rounds Of ammunition being carried
bv each man and the shortness or the barrc VIII
,nSake n a most useful arm for duty with landing
narties The manufacture OF the gun WIZ besih IN
a few weeks, and deliveries are eNPco'e" ~ "o maui
before the close OF the year