New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-18
>rw cryS TOK THE MILITIA

New arms fur the state militia are desirable.
The pas>aec by The Assembly ~ bill FOR III"
fest and purchase + an improved gun VIII give
,h. .rarl,mpu q now hope - securing modern
CONTINENT within % reasonable time If The other
l,,,,..lIr-. powers agree ON This measure N this
.....i.n tb,.,. +. d., good reason why the change
should NOT o.. accomplished within year tn"
Governor by this bin is authorized 10 appoint
,lr.. examiner, 10 test rifles II American in
,cu-lon and manufacture. and upon The selection
Of = ye.,pln Tie Aduanl. General j. empowered
10 purclqec u,; more than $1,000 guns Al price
Not &, exceed so each
'"his restriction IL The competition to American
arms Will make i, impossible for the Ncwiork
National Cuari,non 10 carry The same weapons
as .hc soldiers in Tho United states Army TIL"
War Dcpnr,mrnt officials recently selected the
KrlsIorcous,A. a Gun Of Danish invention. for
the use 90 the Regulars This decision cn'oun-
tered some opposition from those who thought
that preference should be- given 10 the work 81
Americans. All the new magazine guns, foreign
and domestic, are founded ON an American IN
vcntion. The Lee rfo. and the Improvements
made In this country have been said by many
tn cuusl those made abroad. III" Army authori
ties. though disaGrccng. 50 far took note of this
feeling In favor If the homemade arms rs to
or,lc. = second test At the conclusion Of in
ycsticai lions by 4 new set ~ experts the first
decision WAS affirmed. II was understood that
IL The Army adopted IN American gun the Navy
would adopt the sam" arm, 50 that the two
branches Of thr service would be- supplied with
Interchangeable weapons When the krlg
Jorgrnson rifle was selected however. the Navy
decided 10 make tests on IFS own account, ana
has zone So far rs 10 decide on the calibrr, which
is smaller than that chosen for the knd forces.
This is i'm line with the tendency of opinion
among experts In firearms. The new Smok"lcSs
powder has much higher explosive force than
that used in the older guns. ana the small bore
gives all The power Of execution that could roa-
sonahlv be- desired The Navy will In all likc-
hood be- supplied with weapon of American in
vcntion and if the proposed law for this State is
enacted carrying with IL the equipment If the
largest militia force in the country, there can be
no cause for complaint that native talent in the
destructive arts is being neglected.
The adoption hy The State of the gun already
selected by the United States Army would have
obvious advantages, but care in the choice Of Il
weapon In which the same ammunition can be
used as in the Krag Jorscnscn rifle will accom-
ulish the main object Of uniformity, and nj the
same time give cncOura cement 10 home inventors
and manufacturers This can be- done without
unduy restricting competition, for the mechln-
ism of great many magazine rifles Is cons r'ict-
ed 50 that they can all the same style OF cart
ridge provided the barrels be of the same cliibrc.
II Is important that in this respect the National
and State troops should be armed alike. The "X-
pcricncc of the Spanish Armada with Sml!l can
non balls on ships carrying large cannon aili
heavy ammunition accompanying light guns Il
familiar American troops are not likely 10 be
fitted out with such "arclessncsS, but c!rcunl-
stances are not unlikely 10 occur In which great
advantage would arise from having The slime
ammunition for all branches of the service. The
inconvenience Of mi SSrnt cartridges has been felt
In more than one modern campaign la case the
Regulars and the militia We're LlOblli2cd Ill sud
den emergency accidents Nigh; cause ahlhhnl-
ton 10 mscarry, and. If disSimilir cai tridces
were used by different bodies. some soldiers
might be utterly useless while their companions
had an abundance of ammunition. II is an cX-
ccllcnt thing 10 give preference 10 American guns
when they are 10 he found OF equal effectiveness
with foreign weapons. but in al vita. points OF