New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-23
PR EPARING FOR RIFLE TESTS.
NETWORK STATE TROOPS TO HAVE 4
NEW WEAPON
IT MUST BE or AMERrc,N INVENTION AND MANI


FACTURE-TTE BOARD OF EXAMINERS AT
woRK-CHANCEs FOR 4 BIG CONTRACT.
Thu New-York State Board OF Examiners APP
pointed By the Governor TO select an improved mag
azine breech.oa ding rife for the National Guard OF
the State, in accordance with the terms OF Chapter
No. Co OF the laws OF 1895 a short time ago es-
,ablshed offices in the building OF the T.. ". Bliss
Company G.imltsd) No. Il Adams-st.. Brooklyn. and
is now conducting correspondence and doing other
work preliminary to the reception and tests OF
rifles be submitted By American inventors and
manufacturers.
The Board is composed OF Colonel Albert D.
Shaw. a crack shot. who for some years was consul
at Manchester England; E.iphaet ". Bliss. the
weli-known manufacturer OF Brooklyn, and Pro-
fessor Robert II. Thurston Of Cornell Assembly
man Henry + Abel is the Boards secretary. AMI
all these men. by reason of knowledge and interest
are fitted for the important work OF passing upon
the merits Of an to supersede the comparatively
od-fashonel rife with which the National Guard
is equipped.
The Board has given notice that 1t Will, on or be-
fore Tuesday. December H. 1885, accept for ex-
animation and test any magazine breech-loading
rifle OF American invention and manufacture. sub
ject to such rules may be prescribed in con-
formity with the legislative act referred 10. due
notice OF which is promised The rifles be de-
livered the Board. its representative, at its
office. before December Il. Notice OF the time OF
making examinations and tests. and the methods
10 be adopted will also be announced.
The arms Offered for must be shipped at the
owners risk and expense, each in a wooden case.
with a hinged lid fastened with two suitable pad
locks OF different combinations each lock 10 have
keys The keys OF one lock are to be retained
by the owner and the others to be delivered 20
the secretary OF the Board when the case Is re-
ceived. The clses containing the guns are to re-
main in the custody OF the Board OF Examiners, and
at its disposal until the examination and test shall
have been completed
The reason for this provision Is the desire 10
provide in the most sufficient and satisfactory way
possible a guarantee TO the inventor and every
body concerned, that each rife will not be IN
speced until the box is opened officially. BY this
arrangement IT will be impossible 10 open the box
without the inventors consent and key and ne
has therefore ar assurance that his gun will not
be seen by other inventors who might borrow ideas
II the arms were shown publicly. The boxes Will
he sufficiently guarded until the proper time comes
for their opening.
No gun Will he received without satisfactory PROOF
that il IL OF American invention and manufacture
and every applicant furnish reasonable guar
an,ee OF compliance with the conditions contem-
plated by the law and the regulations made in pur-
thereof All this has not created much comment
In print but the matter T. of Widespread Importance:
frs. because tho equlpmeu' O; the National Guard
OF this State with a more efficient gun will be
! noteworthy incident: second. because mechanical
genuses all over me United States are interested
in the invitation submit samples for test, and be-
cause nearly all the National Guarlsmen OF other
States are inter-stel in the results OF an expert
ment that may affect the equpme-t OF ther re
| spective commando and. lastly. because the In
provement in small arms. and especially those OF
small callbrs has for the last few years occupied
the attention Of military men all over the world.
1t is hoped tina, the result Of the invitation to
| compete Will develop rifle OF purely American
make and manufacture that will be superior TO that
! hes- ~ skill-ths
Krag -Jorgensen rifle recently adopted for the Unit
! cd states Army.
Abel said. Il know even now % eight or ten Ameri-
inventors who vii compete In the tests. hoping
myse.f hope will be produced that will bea,
the krag-Jorgensen arm all hollow ana some o; me
inventors think they do this. Provision has been
made by law for me giving Of contract for loco
rifles not 10 cost more than So each or $3crV In
! ali When the Recommendation OF Boa "a is made.
| the Governor VII pass upon rs decision ana the
! delivered under the CONTRACT.
! The Board vas appointed IN oe;ober II met In
| Der T. ana organized. The Adjutant-General has
the power % making suggestions and requests 10 t.
! The &c. IN Ter wnlcn the Board exists was passed
| in pursuance OF accommodation OF Governor
Morton IN his message thai some action be taken In
/ old Remington r.fe-cumbersome ana not Of high
III i desired no, only to equip the State troops
with the most Efficient rifle that be secured but
s9 T. eauP Sn n pgrg a oye ana 10
| We expect that some sample may be offered from
! the Far West.
The mrs, test will he made soon after Deem
her L. as can be arranged. probably Christmas
week The preliminary tests VII undoubtedly be
made in New-York and Brooklyn armories one has
been arranged 10 take place IN the list Regiment
| Armory. in NeR-YOrk ana one will be made In the
fine rifle range OF the 2}i Regiment ArmOry In
BROOKLYN. General McLeer commanding the second
| Brigade. tak-- considerable interest in the matter
and by him the tests IL the Brooklyn armOries will
in part be arranged. The final test IS to be made at
| Peekskll.
"A member of one Of the we-known rile-teams
that went TO Europe (Wingate's think one OF
whose guns il now in use IN Europe. is working on
a rife this competitive test and he has given
verbal notice tina; he expects 20 have the com
pleted IN time.
firms from whom We expect TO receive guns The
e-Metford people. whose rifle Is American and has
| lust been adopted for tho United States Navy will
probably compete, however
| mainly in the breech and magazine mechanism. the
question Of calibre IS not so important. that is
zion and OF smokeless powder Will also probably be
considered by the Board II is question whether the
/ new Krag~Jorgenscn rifle adopted by the Army
shows the advantage or small calibres and OF shoot
ing v'ira needles call the small bullets believe
tests have shown that II Is rot all that was expected
!, mas ho.u shown that animals through which these
| needle-fk. bullets have passed have lived to run
| awav as II they not wounded at all The bull
let does not shock and stun large calibred bullet
| does And In the matter OF accuracy too, under
| stand the new army rifle does not altogether meet
exnectatons II selected the best rife In the
| world bur I hope Yankee ingenuity viii produce one
that beat 1t. The inventors VIII be present at
Las TO uniformity OF rifles and ammunition"
said Mr. Abel do you suppose that II TINS coinpet-
zion should develop II arm superior TO the one In
usn nv the FEDERAL Army the United States Govern
| ment would not see that it's troops were equipped
! Nay yoyk state troops? or course. II no American
| rife were found to be an Improvement over the
Krag- Jorgensen gun the BOARD might recommend
that"