The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-10-24
sEL.E-sHooTlNG GuM.
WeapOn with Which the Army and Navy
Is to Be Equipped.

- ~ OO AAuuApPC0s
The navy department at Washington
has just ordered so of the most remarIs-
able guns in the world. Each of them
is able to discharge 400 rifle bullets d
minute, and continues at that rate
until the marksman wants to stop.
More that that, it fires itself, only re-
curing to be aimed. 1t is the Colt au-
tomato gun.
This wonderful gun weighs only 40
pounds. 1t is a magazine rifle, with one
barrel, the caliber of which is the same
as that of the improved rifle newly
adopted by the navy, a little less than
a quarter of an inch. This means that
the bullet, which is of lead, with II
steel jacket, is much less in diameter
than an ordinary lead pencil. The bull
let is about an inch long, almost cylin-
drical in shape, tapering somewhat
and rounded at the front end. The gun
discharges seven of these proiectiles
each second, and they leave the weapon
with a velocity of nearly half a mile il
second.
The rapidity of the discharge is so
tremendous that there seems to be a
continuous stream of bullets flying
from the muzzle of the gun. So great
is their velocity, however, that there is
actually an interval Of 800 feet between
each two. Cartridges are fed to the
weapon automatically by feed bells
which are coiled in boxes and readily
attachable to the breech. The boxes
hold from 100 to 500 cartridges. All the
marksman has to do is to pull the trig-
ger once and the gun goes on firing o
its own accord as long as the cartridges
are supplied. In fact, the instrument
is a repeating rife with an ~inexhausti-
BILE magazine and a rapidity of fire that
is almost inconceiyable. 1t uses tho
same bullets as the new navy rifle, and
they are discharged with the same We
locity, but the discharge is automatic,
the firing mechanism being operated
by powder gas.
The weapon may be carried comfort
ably in a boot at the side of a troop,
er's horse. Ordinarily, on land, it IS
designed to be mounted for action upon
n light tripod. 1t is provided with a
pivot, set into a socket on the tripod
or into a similar socket on the rail of a
vessel. All the ships of the navy will
be provided with these guns. One
of these weapons at a distance of a
mile might NOW down an entire e g
ment within two minutes, 50 that har,l.
ly a man would be left unwounded.
The Colt gun is sighted ordinarily for
1000 yards, which is a little over Il
mile, but it is as effective ut twice that
distance. However, it is not practica-
bic to fire at individuals beyond 1000
yards.
The marksman uses both hands in
aiming the gun, whether it is set on a
tripod or on the rail of a vessel. It re-
spends so readily to adjustment that he
is able to write his name with bullets
upon a good-sized target, and to do it
with considerable rapidity. If the
weapon is mounted upon a tripod, he
seats himself on a saddle that looks
like a bicycle saddle. attached to the
leg of the tripod, which projects tn
ward the rear. The saddle is so adjust
ed that his eye is brought directly in
line with the sight of the weapon. Pull
ing the trigger once, he simply holds it
back as long as he desires the gun to
keep on firing, varying the aim just as
a person directing a garden hose would
do.
The United States army is also going
to have guns of the Colt type. The war
department has ordered a trial Of them.
Guns of this pattern are comparative
ly cheap. They can be made in quanti-
ties for a selling price Of about 5000.
The cartridges cost only $25 per 1000
Pig cents each.-N. Y. Journal.
but OF Condition.
Hostess-Miss H~ightone, won't you
sing for us2
Miss Hightone (society soprano)-
I have such a cold.
Hostess-Mr. Lowvoice, I am sure you
will sing.
Mr.. Lowvoice (society basso)-Par-
don me, but I do not see how 1 can sing
to-nights I haven't q coldl-N. x. Week.
II.