The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-15
tina, any European nation uses in tie

than any European nation uses In ne
rifles.
England's Lu-Metford .5o-calibre mas
lust had most thorough trial In the
late burmese war, ana later s'ii III we
,amnaipn against the Chitralese and
Swats savage tribes along the Thibeuah
border Gen Lowe. commanding the
leading column In the Chitrai campaign,
saws: "Oftcn prisoners were brought IN
with two and three bullet holes through
them that seemed TO cause the wouhueu
men but little inconvenience. Tor they
had been marched six and seven miles
before they reached our bivouac. THESE
prisoners accounted for the extraordinary
absence Of the dead enemy on the held
by saying that unless man was shot
through the head or bowels he did not
die and nothing but wound III the
joints OF the lower limbs disabled MN.
| am clearly of the opinion that Tor
fighting savages the cid .45-calibre arm
should be used. The Chitralis had 40
calihrc rife, and they disabled or Kill
cd man whenever they hit
So important is this matter considered
by England that a board OF the highest
rank officers was called last week 10 con-
vcne and inquire into the effectiveness OF
the Lu-Metford In the Chitral campaign
No wonder all Europe IS uneasy over
what may prove to be a most stupcndous
blunder. I'VE had 20 execute Spy,
SAYS Cen. Lowe. 1.-THE firing party. with
eight rifles loaded with bulleted cartr1d-
ges and four with blanks. fired on him at
fifteen PAGES. The prisoner was hit six
times, three shots piercing his chest.
lie. on being unbound. started aud ran
a quarter Of a mile before he was over
taken by a mounted SIKH. who cut his
head nearly. off at single blow with
his sabre
The Germans had a similar obiect-les-
son recently. a soldier who had robbed
and then murdered his scrgcan. at Maggie
burg. was condemned 10 be shot. lie
received the fire OF nearly the entire
platoon and tried 10 escape. The sergeant
at the head Of the firing party shot the
wretchcd man through the head. but did
not Kill him. He reloaded his piece. ana
while the wounded man was lying on
the ground begging for his life. the ser
seant placed his rifle behind the prisoners
ear and killed him. lie had received
nine wounds before he died. No wonder
the story was suppressed by the authori-
ties
IL is an enormously expensive matter
to re-arm great force ike the British
or German army. ana the new gun has
10 all. After six quick, successive Shots,
the barrel gets so hot that IL scorchea
the soldiers fingers. This is the reason
our new BOB army rifle has bit OF wood
urdcr the barrel for the soldier 10 hold
and not burn his fingers.
The reports In the London Times from
cuba say that the reason so many more
Spanish soldiers are wounded than Gu
bans is because the Cubans are armed
with large-bore rifle. while the Span
ish troops have the smaller bore.
American naval officers naturally are
doubtful about the propricty Of going on
making so small an arm as %, when the
large borcs Of 30 OF England and Ger
many are not up to the work intended
killing or disabling an enemy at the first
shot.
tas all Europe got 10 re-arm?
The Washington Post attaches so much
Importance TO the philosophy Of jest
and sheer that We never know when TO
take it seriously or when to understand
that subject is only toyod with. But il
is at the seat Of the government, where
all The authentic information upon mat
ters of this sort is to be had, and the
only place where it can be had, and we
are disposed to think, therefore, that in
tie article we have quoted, 1t has giyer
us information contained in the records.
If these statements are true, or any
thing like true. they are certainly Of the
very last Importance. We should find
ourselves in pretty fix If we went to
war with a people who have guns that
would Kill our soldiers and sailors while
our guns only perforated theirs with
air-holes that secured them beneficial
ventilation.
The serious question in the business.
however. is, how are we TO find out wha
our guns will do without trying them
upon some people? And how are we go
ing TO get any subjects without going
TO war? Have we no patriotic citizens
who are ready TO offer their persons for
experimentation in the interest OF science
and national defence? We very much
doubt if we have.